One Day At A Time

[Amy]

I signed up as a member of the quit Train on April 7th and was so excited just like that I picked a quit date of April 9th. I did it- I quit smoking. for 13 days.The first week I was in a state of euphoria. The second week not so much I started missing my wicked little friend. I was determined to not buy cigarettes for if I did then I knew that would be the end of it. I have heard that the quitting process can be quite easy and I am reading a book by Alan Carrs  the Easy Way. I have to say it did not seem very easy to me. Everyday is a fight to not smoke. This is a fight for my life. I have to win. I have to make this Easy. There were a lot of things that I liked about not smoking. My clothes do not smell, the house does not smell,I can smell things better, my chest stopped hurting, my cough was almost gone. My other half was very proud.  Saving money is really awesome. Along with the good stuff it is actually very hard to not think about smoking all day long. Maybe this is the key. I have to figure out how to turn by brain off when it comes to smoking. Just pretend that I have always been a non smoker question my urges to smoke. For some unknown reason after 13 days I had enough. It was a constant feeling of struggling to do what I know is right. Not to smoke. I bummed a cigarette from the neighbor. I actually had 1 cigarette a night for 3 nights when I caved and bought a pack of cigarettes .
Anyway before I purchased the pack of cigarettes I picked another quit day April 23rd. I did not quit.

So here I am.  I have smoked 5 1/2 packs of cigarettes in 4 and half days.  My chest hurts, I can hear my wheezing again, and I have my daytime smokers cough back. I signed on to the board today to make my announcement that I did not quit.  That was my only plan.  I was not going to do this again. With the help and support of everyone here tomorrow I will not smoke.  Tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of my life. 

[Paul723]

You deserve it.  Don't be afraid.

[Nancy]

Amy,  good for you!  April 29 is a wonderful quit day, and we will be here for you.  You can do this!

[Doreensfree]

My Dear Amy......

You can do this.......it is one day at a time......one minute at a time some days.....

I smoked 52years,I was so desperate when I arrived here.....

If I can do it...you can too....

Stay close to the board......

We will support you all the way......

Hugs x

[Ladybug]

I am glad Amy!

 

Tomorrow is the first day of your smoke free life!

 

I like that..one day at a time!

[Tink]

We are on these journeys together Amy - I am so please you are back on board hun xxx

[Still winning]

Amy, Just a day that you do not smoke. Just the one mind! Tomorrow, you won't smoke, and we will have your back. Post, chew gum, I will hold you up, these guys will hold you up. Just one day. x

[El Bandito]

Fantastic decision Amy.

 

Not One Puff Ever.....just for today...or even tomorrow :)

 

Just one day at a time.

[SueBeDoo]

Good girl best decision ever xxx

[Colleen]

Very proud of you Amy!  

[Jonny5]

Awesome Amy, proud of you.  You can and will do this :-)

[action]

Congratulations on your new quit and welcome to your new smoke free life :)

 

I'm very proud of you Amy :)

[Ladybug]

One day at a time...Let's S.N.O.T together tomorrow

 

 

A loud and heartfelt S.N.O.T. (Smoking is not an option today) and we think about the day after tomorrow later.

 

One day at a time!

[Fay]

Amy, you can do this!  We are behind you all the way!

[action]

Amy, I forgot to say, 29th is an excellent day to quit. Sue quit on that day so she can be your quit date buddy (and she is awesome).

[Soberjulie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6o0Cah5kQU

[Nicole Diver]

Amy I think 4/29 is a very great day indeed to pick to quit smoking.

A year ago on 4/28 I was a basket case, afraid to fail at quitting, but even more afraid to succeed and be miserable the rest of my life.  I NEVER wanted to quit before I did.  Truly, it was #1 in my life, absolutely came before all else.  Yet at the same time, I was a scared, ashamed addict.

 

Not kidding at all, it's a million times different now.  For me, reading Allen Carr with an open mind, and undoing some of the brainwashing (i.e. addictive personality, it's too difficult to quit, etc) made all the difference in the world.  It doesn't always happen overnight that things are 'peaches and cream,' but every day is easier than the last.  You will have ups and downs, that is ok!  We all have and we know what you are going through.

 

Let's make tomorrow your day!

[Frezflops]

I am glad you are back.......remember to breathe deep, meditating works, long baths, exercise, whatever distracts you oh yeah lots of water.....you can do this there is no "hope" you can it is YOU CAN do this :) we got your back

[beacon]

Amy, I remember that I was really exhausted with cravings the first month. I held on , held on, sometimes by the hour, knowing that it was only a matter of time until it got better. And it did. Now only a short time later, It really is fine. The benefits of not smoking are many and there are no more cravings. The worse thing now is how to lose the 20 lbs or so I gained. I promise you that this happiness can be yours too. I am here to help you.

[Amy]

thanks for all the support- I just put out my last cigarette because I did not want to buy more on the way home from work.  I am looking forward to tomorrow my new beginning.

[Nancy]

thanks for all the support- I just put out my last cigarette because I did not want to buy more on the way home from work.  I am looking forward to tomorrow my new beginning.

Good for you!!  

[babs609]

so proud of you Amy!   Take back control.....you've got this!!  You are going to love freedom!   We are here for you every step of the way

 

[Aine]

I can sympathize, Amy, with the difficulty. Day 11 I was a basket case. I absolutely knew I couldn't do this any longer. I was just nutters. So, I didn't smoke. That's all you have to do. Just don't put anything in your mouth and light it on fire. No other tricks. Feel what ever you feel, don't hurt yourself or others. Eat whatever you want. Walk. A lot. But mostly, believe me (and I questioned EVERYONE about this) that it WILL GET BETTER. I really just stepped out on a limb and trusted that not everyone was lying to me; what are the odds of that one? lol!

 

Don't light up.

 

And, you will feel better.

 

2 months now. 40 years of smoking, and I wish to HELL I'd quit earlier. Oh, well. I had your basic junkie denial, though; bad things wouldn't happen to ME from smoking. That was for everyone else. I've never thought I was a stupid woman, but frankly, I think I should have questioned that a bit more. . . :huh:

 

What helped and helps me: stay pretty busy if you are craving or having thoughts. Don't sit around and play with the ideas. If you are having thoughts for long enough, do some writing. Reasons why you want to quit? No matter how I feel today ( a couple of times I wanted to smoke) my initial reasons for quitting are still sound. Feelings are just feelings. They are not logical, a lot of the time.

 

And it's not forever. It's just for now. . .

[baffled]

Amy, at a certain point at the beginning of my quit I became so tired of my quit.  All I thought about was not smoking.  I do believe there is a difference between thinking about smoking and thinking about not smoking.  In the initial phases of your quit, I think you're consumed with the quit.  But then you have to get back to living.  Otherwise your life becomes work, laundry, quitting smoking.  Once I started living life and doing things again, it got so much easier.  Now I don't think about smoking OR not smoking.  It does get better.  It does take some time though.  You can do this.

[Amy]

Happy April 29th!  I am wondering If I just wanted my first week back.  I wanted the feeling of being on top of the world.  I woke up this morning and did not get out of bed immediately since I did not have to smoke.  Thought I might run out and just buy cigarettes and be a closet smoker (which was just a dumb thought I know this will not work).  So I started to think - standing in the bathroom I am realizing my body is fine - few little aches from yard work but other than that there is nothing wrong with my body.  It is my brain that likes to make things difficult.  I will have to remember this little body check idea and remind myself that I am okay there is nothing physically wrong.  There is no reason to smoke.