Starting again

[SneakyTurtle]

I have been wanting to quit for years, story of most smoker's lives, and for some reason I woke up this morning and said, "Today is the day."  Every other time I have quit, it has been a thought out, planned event. I thought about the date for weeks/months sometimes. I am not sure if this is going to be good because it's different or if I'll fall flat on my face, but it's worth a shot! 

 

I am posting here to keep myself accountable. I told my two closest friends and that is it so far. I had the thought that I wouldn't tell anyone because then when I fail I am only disappointing myself. DuH! I need to get rid of that kind of thinking so I immediately sent them messages to tell them it's time, downloaded a quit smoking app and registered here. I even made post it notes on my computer desktop with tips, statistics, reasons for quitting and just random inspirational quotes. I'm going on lunch to the store to get some celery, carrots and hopefully chopped peppers. So even though it seems I was not prepared, I've been through this enough times to know what helps me out. It's been a long time coming and I feel more ready than ever at this moment. 

 

So, I have 2 smokes left. I plan to have one before lunch and then my final one after lunch. 

 

I usually feel dread at the thought of never smoking again. Right now, I feel excitement and I am keeping those long term thoughts away. Let's do this!!! 

[Whispers]

You'll get very good advice from the members here, first step is the longest to your quit. Along the way if things go wrong, don't go with them

[jillar]

Welcome sneakyturtle and congratulations on taking back your life I too just decided to quit one day. I also had been thinking about it and knowing I needed to for a couple of months and now I'm on two years quit. If I can do it anyone can You have taken great steps already. I truly believe that without the help and support of my fellow board members I would not have been as successful. Being a part of a community like this really helped keep my mind off my misery. Whether I was posting, supporting, celebrating milestones or socializing. I hope you find that too

[Sslip]

Welcome aboard SneakyTurtle, you'll find lots of great advice here. Read plenty and educate yourself. Make sure you write down the reasons you want to quit in order to refer back to when the going gets tough. Prepare yourself with understanding the breathing exercises, cold water and other distractions you will use to get through craves. 

 

You understand your own need for accountability so check out the NOPE thread. Post there every day with your commitment to get through the next 24 hours. 

 

So those last two cigarettes, you don't need them. Chuck them out if you really are ready. If you're not going to make sure you really tune in and taste them, because honestly they taste like crap. 

 

I wish you strength and look forward to seeing you around. 

[SneakyTurtle]

Thanks for the welcomes!

 

I know I don't need those last two, but I also know my head. The biggest obstacle is the bargaining and I need to go through the ritual of that last cigarette. Had my last one at work, I'll have the last one in my car, and then the final one after a meal. It's soooo mental. Of course, that's what kept me smoking all these years. Even the times that I quit and I make to 30 days or 6 months, I can't blame that on the nicotine in my system, it's straight up mental and me bargaining with myself. I am no longer willing to bargain away my freedom, health and money to myself anymore! 

 

I need to come up with a Mantra. I find it super handy for me in trying times. Because I love to bargain so much, I was thinking "No More Bargaining"

 

I found this quote earlier and loved it. "I hereby release any need to smoke and accept smoke free life with open arms."

[Lust4Life]

Hi sneakyturtle & welcome!  We have a mantra here- N.O.P.E. or N.O.P.T:  Not One Puff Ever or Not One Puff Today.   There is a NOPE thread that will help with the accountability you mentioned. 

 

I started with NOPT- wake up, tell yourself you will not smoke today. Keep your promise. Go to bed that night with a prideful smile knowing you remained smokefree another day! 

 

Take it one day at a time.  Days become weeks. Weeks become months. Months to years... 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Lust4Life

[Rozuki]

Hi SneakyTurtle! Good for you...quitting is the best gift you will ever give yourself! As for a mantra.....one day at a time and NOPE work for many of us here.... 

[notsmokinjo]

Welcome sneakyturtle.

 

Like you this isn't my first try at quitting and like you this quit was unplanned. So I finally have my top 6 newbie tips... been thinking about them...

 

1. NOPE (or NOPT)  - Make yourself accountable by popping into the NOPE thread and each morning and making your committment to NOPE/NOPT for the next 24 hours... that's it just 24 hours, you can do that... then get up in the morning and Groundhog Day that NOPE... the days add up quicker than you think.

2. One Day At A Time - Only worry about the now, not tomorrow or next week of next month... focus all your energy on getting through one day at a time... promise yourself that for the next 24 hours you will not smoke and do everything within your power to make sure that promise stays true. Make the promise to your self each day. Say to yourself, today I will not smoke.

3. Learn - learn everything you can about nicotine and nicotine addiction. Knowing what is causing and driving the craves is what will get you through because that old saying "knowledge is power" really is true.

4. Talk it out - ask questions, rate, rave, rail against the craziness and share it.... chances are someone (or lots of someones) has been there, has felt that, and has come out the other side and because we have we will help you do it too. If its looking dicey, use the SOS threads... lots of us do, have and will again and are still Quit today because we did. The support is amazing.

5 Pre-respond to your own SOS - and when you feel like its too hard, read your SOS response... the other advantage is we can ready it and know how best to help you... it shows the stile of help you like to see... or it gives us an insight into what will motivate you.

6. Be kind to yourself - this is a hard thing, and you need rewards along the way because you are doing a good job. Rewards don't need to be big. But take care of yourself, drink plenty of water, keep your blood sugar up, and tell yourself you are worth keeping healthy, you are worth the effort.

 

You can do this, stay strong and determined. Hope to see you around the boards.

 

 

 

[Nancy]

Welcome, SneakyTurtle.  How about " a puff away from a pack a day?".  You have to convince yourself that there is absolutely no circumstance in which it is okay to take a puff.  You can cry, scream, rant, rave, punch inanimate objects, run until you can't run anymore, shower 5 times a day (you can't smoke in the shower).  Any of these things is acceptable.  Smoking is not.  You can do this!

[notsmokinjo]

OH and can I just say July is an awesome month to quit .... well every month is an awesome month to quit ... but there are a stack of super successful quitters here who have been here for the long haul who started their journeys in July.

[Reciprocity]

Welcome to Quit Train Sneaky

You have come to the right place for not only support from others who totally get what you are going through but also a ton of educational information about this nicotine addiction that we all share. And, at the end of the day, educating yourself about how nicotine addiction works is key to quitting long term!

 

I too quit spur of the moment too a little over a year ago. I can tell you that what has got me through to this point was my own unwavering personal commitment, support from other smokers who were in the same boat that I was and learning all I could about how this addiction tries to keep you in it's clutches no matter what.

 

I can also tell you there's nothing better than the feeling you have once you have done all this hard work and you realize .... you've turned the corner on this deadly addiction Nothing better!

[SneakyTurtle]

Well, it's official. A whopping 15 minutes into my quit and everyone has survived so far, the world has continued to go on. Amazing...haha! 

 

I didn't have time to get my goodies today, but I have my list and can go after work. It's tomorrow I need them for anyway. I remembered on my way that I sipped on cranberry juice and drank a lot of water during my most successful/easiest quit so I am going to grab that also. 

[Reciprocity]

1 hour ago, SneakyTurtle said:

Thanks for the welcomes!

 

I know I don't need those last two, but I also know my head. The biggest obstacle is the bargaining and I need to go through the ritual of that last cigarette. Had my last one at work, I'll have the last one in my car, and then the final one after a meal. It's soooo mental. Of course, that's what kept me smoking all these years. Even the times that I quit and I make to 30 days or 6 months, I can't blame that on the nicotine in my system, it's straight up mental and me bargaining with myself. I am no longer willing to bargain away my freedom, health and money to myself anymore! 

 

I need to come up with a Mantra. I find it super handy for me in trying times. Because I love to bargain so much, I was thinking "No More Bargaining"

 

I found this quote earlier and loved it. "I hereby release any need to smoke and accept smoke free life with open arms."

There is an area below your profile name where you can create your Mantra in text and see it every time you look at one of your posts. It will be somewhere in the edit profile area I expect - can't remember at the moment but let us know if you need help. Some one will know how to create that.

 

Also, go to the SOS page and post up a "Pre-Respond to Your Own SOS" message. This is something you can go to immediately if you are feeling weak. Reading a message from yourself may be more meaningful than anything someone else can say in the heat of the moment. Go have a look. You'll see many of us have posted up something meaningful to us

 

 

[Doreensfree]

Welcome aboard the Quit Train....

You have been given some great advice to get you going...

All I can add is read all you can on the main board...watch all models videos....knowledge....learn how to fight this deadly enemy...

You will find good read on the main page...pinned with green...

Take the daily pledge...you will be surprised how powerful this can be....

Looking forward to getting to know you better ..

[Boo]

Welcome aboard Sneaky Turtle.

 

Personally, I think any elaborate planning for a quit is a tricky proposition.  Things I planned for, those moments I just knew would be tough for me, turned out to be of little to no consequence.  Meanwhile, the craves that really hit came out of the blue, totally unforeseen.  If you really commit to never smoke again and are unwavering in that decision, everything else with the quit sorts itself out.

 

As for a mantra...NOPE is track 1 on the greatest hits album around here.  When I felt a crave coming on and my mindset wasn't quite right, I went with FIDO.  The family friendly version of that being: forget it, drive on.

 

You've made a great choice.  You're doing the right thing.  You've made a valuable commitment to yourself.  Proceed.

[johnny5]

Welcome to QuitTrain, SneakyTurtle.  Quitting smoking can be an extremely positive, life changing move and I'm glad you have decided to take this step. 

 

Keep us posted as to how your quit is going.  There's lots of good advice and support you can get here to help you stay quit for good.

[Rosewothorne]

On 7/9/2018 at 11:55 AM, SneakyTurtle said:

Right now, I feel excitement and I am keeping those long term thoughts away. Let's do this!!! 

YES!! I hope you're doing well today. I think keeping the long term thoughts away is critical and worked for me in early days. I also accepted that I would have cravings, urges, addict thinking, etc. I accepted those and acknowledged that it's just part of quitting...not a bad thing but a great and wonderful thing that I'm doing for myself.  Congratulations and stay strong!

[Reciprocity]

^^^ Rose knows

 

Accept the yuk of your early quit days, knowing none of it will last long and embrace the process of staying smoke free each day and one day at a time. Keeping a positive attitude does wonders for you in the early days. Don't forget to NOPE every day too

[Tyme2B]

Yup the early days suck! However better days ahead!!! 

[Doreensfree]

8 hours ago, Tyme2B said:

Yup the early days suck! However better days ahead!!! 

Hi Tyme...boss it going ?....nice to see you here...x

[Tyme2B]

I’m good Doreen....working in the right direction. How did your operation go?

[Sazerac]

Hey Sneaky one,

I've been talking to you on another thread but, thought I should welcome you here too.

Congratulations on your quit,

It is great to see you posting, staying close to the board has helped innumerable quits.

 

 

 

[Doreensfree]

43 minutes ago, Tyme2B said:

I’m good Doreen....working in the right direction. How did your operation go?

 

Aww Thanks for asking Tyme...I'm OK now..but did have a set back...

[Tyme2B]

5 hours ago, Doreensfree said:

Aww Thanks for asking Tyme...I'm OK now..but did have a set back...

Oh no! I’m so glad you are doing well now! You need to take care of YOU!! I hope your daughter was there to help

[Devil Doll]

Welcome Sneaky!