Does everyone feel like a "different person"??

[Still winning]

I'm genuinely intrigued, hopefully I can explain why. I feel like the point of this part of my quit is for things to make sense. So here goes my attempt to explain and ask - did this happen to you too?!

 

I have had many opportunities to "re-invent myself", "start again" you know and I have tried to embrace each one. I took nearly kicking the bucket in my first child birth to introduce more spirituality to my life, previously I had run scared of a part of myself. I also then changed career from office based to running my own pub and wow, what an amazing experience :)  I took cancer and saw my marriage had fallen apart, as had my business...had the treatment and an operation and walked away from the lot with my head held high. Moved to a new area and completely started again.  One of my mantras is "once more into the flames", I never runaway from anything, I deal and move forward. So you see, I am no stranger to a fresh start...which was my long winded point there lol.

 

So I quit for fear, couple of days of bad breathing and associations with a history of dying relatives meant I could no longer deny the links to smoking. I hunted for a quit group I hadn't joined up to in one of my many attempts (wow) and found some guys that saved my life, quite literally. I had already done the pre requisite amount of thinking/failing that seems common to many (NOT ALL) quits. 

 

All of this is lovely. I held my quit via the "snotfest", "white knuckle option" rather than the preferred "easy way", man I could have used some easy way, meh! 

 

THE POINT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LESS TIME, cause wow, muchus waffle - I actually feel I could do anything now!! Does everyone whose quit feel like "if I can stop smoking, I can do anything"??  Have you actually done things you wouldn't previously?? Or is it just an "in your brain" thing. I'm over thinking I know but interested and I'm trudging in no mans land here so thoughts/answers are helpful to keep me marching :)

 

 

[JackiMac]

Hi Marti, your life sounds a lot like mine, but we soldier on, I like to think that my past experiences have shaped me into the person I am today and I am thankful for that.  I remember hitting no mans land... OH BOY, felt like quick sand, in limbo, analysing everything and anything I could, could see into the distance, but damned if I thought I could make it there, luckily for you and for me, there were and there are plenty lovely people to help pull me/you out of the depths.  I don't remember having the feeling that I could conquer all or that I wanted to try and achieve new things, just remember the feeling of whatever it takes I am going to get through this and out the other side, I will not fail.  It took an amazing amount of strength and will power to get through it, reading and reading educating, taking a few swift kicks up the ole buttocks.  There was much discussion at the time of no-man's land some saying it existed and some saying it was all in our minds, but to me it was real and I went through it came out the other side a much stronger and focused quitter.  So trudge no more Marti, march has hard as you can, I'm at the other side and ready to pull you along as much as you need.  You will make it, and if you want to conquer the world my lovely, go for it xx

[action]

Yes Marti, now that I quit smoking, I do feel like I can do anything... Well still no bungie jumping of jumping out of planes, but I just feel that I am in control now... I don't have to plan every activity hours in advance and check how many smokes I've got, do I have ask are lighter, or what money I have in my pocket... I can just do whatever the heck I want, when I want to go it. And I love it. It was hard getting here, but it was worth it.

[Doreensfree]

I am definitely another person....

That big black cloud of fear I had every time I lit up has gone.....

I don't live in fear any more.....

I trying new stuff....been to yoga,done meditation.....

I feel,as if I've grown a inch ... Or two....standing taller,not slouching....

Oh my the list goes on and on.......

[sgt.barney]

Same Sarge time.

Same Sarge channel.

 

Same-same here. Not at all a "different person".

 

 

 

Easy Peasy

[Nicole Diver]

I am still me BUT that was what I was afraid of, without cigs, I would lose myself.

Not so, I lost the ashamed, jonesing, closet smoking part of me that I didn't really care for anyway.

 

I still like the same things, have the same sense of humor, but I don't get as many anxiety attacks.

It's like all the good things are better and the bad things are not quite as bad b/c I don't have the extra monkey on my back of 'problem X AND I'm killing myself smoking.'

 

 

[Tink]

I think due to my age I am became a little Life Lazy I got caught up in a lot of the adult responsibilities that happen as you get older but when I quit it gave me a new lease of myself again!

 

My confidence came fully back and my attitude that anything is possible with a little effort

 

quit smoking didn`t change me - but it sure did find ME again - if that makes sense

 

It was a fresh start to re - evaluate my life and where I wanted be and how i wanted to live

 

so far I have changed my relationship and where I live - sure this was bumpy but like the quit with effort and hanging in there - the destination is a happy one!

 

I owe my quit to more than just health and saving money - I really do owe it to my FREEDOM

 

next step once I am really settled in the the old me is a career change :) - something I could not do as a smoker - working in conservation, either here or abroad I have not decided that one yet

 

my advise to anyone is to go with the flow and see where the road takes you - if something does not feel right anymore - then it probably isn`t

[BAT]

Quitting after 35 yrs of smoking, why hell yes I feel different. I feel a lot different.  :)

[El Bandito]

Different person. Yep.

 

Do I think I can do anything? Yes, pretty much. Being free from an addiction makes me feel empowered. I found quitting made me spend a lot of time in my own head. It made me consider lots of things, including mortality and illness. It made me want to explore lots of areas. Sharon (on here) got me onto looking at how my mind worked (including my inner chimp), so I have read lots of different books that have made me think and adjust how I live a little.

 

One of the things that I had to do was look a little at how I use this board. I want to pay it forward. But, the idea of quitting was to give myself freedom, life and the chance to enjoy more of life. Life is what is happening elsewhere while I post here...so I have reduced the time I spend posting and considering smoking...and surprise surprise, I find myself thinking less about smoking.

 

Balance...all about balance.

[Paul723]

I have more empathy for others and I have more introspection for myself.

[MarylandQuitter]

I know I must seem like a different person to my family because I don't always have to run out in the middle of things to catch a smoke.  I sure was selfish to feed that addiction no matter what was going on.  Middle of a funeral I would slip out for a smoke.  Middle of family time with the kids, I'll be right back.  Good conversation after a nice meal, sorry to cut you short but I'll be right back.  The list can go on for pages.

 

My entire daily routine changed in the sense that my day doesn't revolve around smoking anymore.  Plus, I don't stink anymore. 

 

I know that I can get through anything without a cigarette.  I've been through some rather low times and I didn't want to smoke.  I thought about it because it's what I did for so many years but want to?  Nope.

[Sarah]

I have nothing on that.

 

I had a dickhead cheating boyfriend who got a bit drunk and 'pushy'.

 

Since my split up and quit and thanks to people on this board I really feel I'm a better person than I was. Feeling positive and looking forward to my next chapter. Just not rushing to turn the page just yet.

[Sazerac]

On 5/25/2014 at 3:54 PM, Marti said:

I'm genuinely intrigued, hopefully I can explain why. I feel like the point of this part of my quit is for things to make sense. So here goes my attempt to explain and ask - did this happen to you too?!

 

I have had many opportunities to "re-invent myself", "start again" you know and I have tried to embrace each one. I took nearly kicking the bucket in my first child birth to introduce more spirituality to my life, previously I had run scared of a part of myself. I also then changed career from office based to running my own pub and wow, what an amazing experience  I took cancer and saw my marriage had fallen apart, as had my business...had the treatment and an operation and walked away from the lot with my head held high. Moved to a new area and completely started again.  One of my mantras is "once more into the flames", I never runaway from anything, I deal and move forward. So you see, I am no stranger to a fresh start...which was my long winded point there lol.

 

So I quit for fear, couple of days of bad breathing and associations with a history of dying relatives meant I could no longer deny the links to smoking. I hunted for a quit group I hadn't joined up to in one of my many attempts (wow) and found some guys that saved my life, quite literally. I had already done the pre requisite amount of thinking/failing that seems common to many (NOT ALL) quits. 

 

All of this is lovely. I held my quit via the "snotfest", "white knuckle option" rather than the preferred "easy way", man I could have used some easy way, meh! 

 

THE POINT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE LESS TIME, cause wow, muchus waffle - I actually feel I could do anything now!! Does everyone whose quit feel like "if I can stop smoking, I can do anything"??  Have you actually done things you wouldn't previously?? Or is it just an "in your brain" thing. I'm over thinking I know but interested and I'm trudging in no mans land here so thoughts/answers are helpful to keep me marching

 

 

 

 

bumpity