To all of you quitters... new, and not-so-new:

[ChristaC]

First of all, congratulations to all of you.

 

As I'm sitting here reading some of the posts of some of the struggles quitters go through, especially those with fairly recent quits, I remember my own battles in the early days, and I get the chills....

 

How did I ever get to this point of being wonderfully free from this nasty, deadly addiction? I smoked for over 50 years... I did EVERYTHING with a cigarette in my hand... work, relax, drive, talk on the phone, read a book, drink coffee... when I went shopping, I'd light up as soon as I hit the front door of the store.... when I went out to dinner, I stood outside between the salad and the main course for a 'quick one', and scarfed down my food so that I could run back out and smoke that 'dessert'... when one of the kids had a school concert or something, I was impatient for it to be over because I was craving for a cigarette...

 

I remember how, when somebody would ask me to go somewhere with them, my first thought was "can I smoke there?", or actually making excuses why I can't go... because it was a 'non-smoking' event... good God, how awful is that?

 

Besides the obvious health concerns, knowing I'm killing myself, trying to excuse my non-stop cough and throat-clearing (it's allergies, I'm getting a cold, I've got something stuck in my throat etc... ), pitiful, false, trying-to-fool myself and everyone else 'smoke screens' (pun intended) for my oncoming emphysema and/or COPD...

 

besides all of that (as if that wasn't enough), just the social aspects alone should turn everyone away from nicodemon's siren call. Life is so limiting when you're addicted to cigarettes (or anything, really) that it RULES your behavior all day long, and actually COMMANDS you to live your days a certain way.

 

As a non smoker, you can do what YOU want, when and where you want. As a smoker, you're at the beck and call of your addiction... you're a prisoner who must follow his jailer's orders.

 

Plus, my hair smells like coconut shampoo. :P

 

Never, ever again. N.O.P.E.

[Gemzee]

Yep! Great post. All true! :)

[Tink]

great post christa :)

 

The freedom is awesome 

 

you only really realize how much smoking controls your life once you quit

[Fay]

Christa, great post!

[action]

While I was reading that, I was nodding my head so much that it almost fell off lol

[sherry]

so- so true!!

 

smoking not only kills us slowly/painfully, but it also steal's so much of our time/life while we're here... i was like you, EVERYTHING centered around smoking - smoking dictated my every waking moment.... quitting absolutely gives you a new lease on life!!

 

Great post Christa! 

[ChristaC]

Thanks, guys.... if those who still smoke only KNEW... they'd be standing in line to quit! The rewards are so great that we all get to a point where we can't imagine why and how we were so stupid in the first place.

 

Never mind. Better late than never, right? Oh, yeah....:-)

[ChristaC]

While I was reading that, I was nodding my head so much that it almost fell off lol

 

Yep. I think we can all recognize ourselves in this, right? We were such LOSERS...but now?

 

 

We are winners! All of us!

 

(Screw you, nicodemon!)

[jimmy]

great post christa  yea quiters   bet you smell great

[JackiMac]

Christa you hit the nail right on the head, the addictions had such power over us when it had us in its deathly grip, but we have managed to break free from it, just wish that others could understand that once you are stronger than the addiction once you really want to stop smoking you will and nothing will stand in your way, I am so glad I did, somedays I crave, but I see if for what it is now a crave, and the crave will not kill me......smoking will xx

[Doreensfree]

Great post christa.....

I can so relate to all of it......never to late to quit.....here's proof......

[Evelyn]

So true!!!

[Leanna]

Wow, this is a great post Christa. Thank you for sharing!

 

How very true. Everything I did was controlled by my addiction. If a movie was three hours long, I'd make an excuse; I hated taking the bus and going smoke-free for two hours. I missed out on so much because I was so consumed by smoking! If I was out and didn't have enough money to afford a pack, my entire day was ruined. I was miserable back then.

 

Not anymore though! I love my freedom. :)

[jillar]

bump

[Boo]

On 5/30/2014 at 6:13 AM, ChristaC said:

As a non smoker, you can do what YOU want, when and where you want. As a smoker, you're at the beck and call of your addiction... you're a prisoner who must follow his jailer's orders.

 

There are two questions every quitter should be prepared to be asked.  The answers bolster the simplicity of it all.

 

How did you quit?  I stopped putting cigarettes in my mouth and lighting them on fire.

 

Why did you quit?  Freedom.