Why N.O.P.E ?

[Cbdave]

G’day 

I’m Chris.... CBDave and I front up most mornings and start the pledge.

Living in Brisbane Australia I’m pretty close to the international date line where the new day begins. So I get to start it.

And why you might ask. Why is the NOPE pledge so important to me.

Go back the early 2016. I’m a just a non smoker. Just been diagnosed with cancer. Off to a wedding with lots of old smoking friends.... a disaster about to happen. 

I thought the NOPE pledge up to then was to put it bluntly a bit daggy. But as I thought about it.... it was what I needed to do. Admit I was an addict and life moving forward was definitly Not One Puff Ever. 

Up to this point I was living day by day. Moving toward a quit. But this was it. Time to draw the line in the sand. Step over it and not look back.

I’m a non smoker. I know now I can never take another puff.... ever... never.

Trust me. Lifes not perfect. I’ve had my share of health problems but I’m living smoke free. It does make the difference.

Sorry to admit this but I do take much from the train. I get to hear you folks struggles. I don’t want to forget. It builds the hate in me. Never want to forget.... so thanks.

Chris

[garry mhudson]

Similar to Chris` post. Health concerns at the top of the list. Tired of finding a place to smoke when I`m out of the house. Realizing that most of my friends that smoke have quit. The price keeps going up and what a waste of money. Putting that money to better use by just looking around my community and church. . Thinking back about some of the really tough things I`ve been through by choice and realizing I have the power to do this. As chris said "You draw the line". It is over and that is that. Thanks to all here.

[Kris]

Chris and Gary, right there with you on the giving up the habit.  I keep telling myself it is just a habit I can stop, replace with something else.  I don't want to say it but I'm going to, in my mind it is easier for you guys to quit.  I think it is something about the male genetic make up. Men always want to be in charge, have power, dominate when needed.  I watched my own husband commit to different challenges, special diets to lose weight, exercise programs, work situations (promotions).  If he wanted to do something, he did it.(mind you he always had me there for back up so he could laser focus) But yeah he got it done.  Kinda jealous that I don't have that drive or determination but in this one thing I will get it done.

K

[Abby]

The nope pledge means more to me now honestly that in the beginning of my quit .

I was very scared of the nope pledge . It meant having to stay committed , it actually gave me panic attacks to think I'd have to be quit forever  and what if I failed ? What if I failed others too ? I think that scared me as much as failing myself ( perhaps an old childhood tape ) Failing always concerned me as well so I just didn't pledge . I took it one day at a time though , just like those pledgers who stuck to their quits and I learned from those who unfortunately did not stick to their quit . I know quitting can be hard and I know if you just keep trying the pieces of the puzzle come together . 

 

To me a pledge is a promise to myself and a promise to others and a reminder that I too can never ever have one puff . 

I don't pledge everyday but try to for myself and others . I also take a look at what quitting has given me what smoking again will take from me if I don't commit and honour the pledge . 

 

I can honestly say looking back I wish I had pledged from day 1 but we are all different and I needed to do for me what was best to carry this quit through without excuses without mistakes and without pressure  . I learned from a previous eight year quit one puff isn't enough ever . 

 

It wasn't until I was past my first year quit  that I felt confident I wouldn't give my precious quit away . That's when I started pledging . I wanted to reach out and take another members hand because there is strength in numbers and one link in the chain can't go it alone as well as hundreds linked together . 

 

Grateful @Cbdave to you for starting everyone off every morning . 

 

From the other side ... we got two days covered   

 

Thanks for sharing your story and opening this to discussion .  

Edited July 2, 2021 by Abby

[Kris]

Abby.

I am only at 13 days and it scares the s*** out of me. I don't want to do this I have to do this!  there are now health concerns that give me no option.  Now that I have done it I know if I break I won't be able to dig up the courage to do it again. I am a NOPE, I have to be

K

 

[AceWhite]

NOPE for me is choosing life over death

I KNOW smoking will lead to health issues and a life I just dont want to live so this is truly a choice to live & enjoy

[jillar]

A friend and I were just reminiscing yesterday about our first year on the NOPE thread @Cbdave. We had a game of it to see who could be the first NOPE after you started it each day. We built great comraderie and worried if someone didn't post for a couple days. And we really worried when we logged on and someone else had posted the thread for the day. I always felt like I was cheating on you by NOPING on their thread

It was so comforting for me to see that if all the other NOPERs could promise not to smoke that day so could I. And no way did I want to let them down

Edited July 2, 2021 by jillar

[Doreensfree]

Never underestimate the Power of NOPE !!!!

It's a great tool to have in your box .....

I know for me ...once I had pledged my NOPE ...in the morning ...I had made a promise ,and a promise 

I would not break ...I wouldn't let me or my quit mates down ....

Besides ...I was fighting to keep hold of a couple of limbs ...as Ace says ....it's choosing 

Life with feet or without ...for me ..no brained ...

Thank you Dave for starting ,I think one of the most important posts of the day

 

[Kris]

Ace, I am in same boat, I just want to sail not use the speed boat.

 

Doreen, you have circulatory problems? I posted early on about AVN, avascular necrosis, I lost the blood supply to my femur and the top part of it died so I had to get a hip replacement.  Makes me worry now about circulation.

K

 

[Doreensfree]

I did have before I quit ... My ankles were black ...

Quitting was not a option for me ...

Slowly it started to get better ..and less painful ....

All I have now is one black bruise ......my reminder .....

And I'm power walking ...

[Kris]

Geez and they said that was from smoking? Did you have any other things like diabetes?

I am trying to see(have to start with my GP) if I need to go see a vascular Doc to check the circulation in my legs.  I quit for the problem with my femur bone and then I had a cat scan that showed the of start of emphysema.  So I feel like it is not a choice it is a have to, I think that is why I have gotten so far quitting.  I did not think I would be able to ever quit, and I am almost 2 weeks in.  I am miserable but I know it will pass.  Kind of like when you have a baby, you think you will never get to sleep again and then finally they get bigger and they sleep.

Thanks for sharing

K

[Doreensfree]

I'm sure your condition is different to mine ...due to your hip ...

No I haven't go Diabetes....

We do say treat your quit like a baby ...nurture it gently ....it's precious ....

[d2e8b8]

@Cbdave, great post..  At this point in the quit I don't really need a daily NOPE but at my core I'm an addict and Nope remains important.

[Cbdave]

4 hours ago, Kris said:

Abby.

I am only at 13 days and it scares the s*** out of me. I don't want to do this I have to do this!  there are now health concerns that give me no option.  Now that I have done it I know if I break I won't be able to dig up the courage to do it again. I am a NOPE, I have to be

K

 

G’day 

That’s why I include the “min hour day” at the end. Covers us all to where we are at. And we are all diferent. And at diferent stages.

Me... I find it a comfortable habit. I get to think about smoking for a few mins every day, safely. A lot of folk would be horrified that I think of smoking every day! But it’s definitly diferent

Chris

Edited July 2, 2021 by Cbdave

[KEL]

I so look forward to @Cbdavebeautiful pictures every day and taking the pledge. I treat the smoking cessation the same as my recovery from alcohol which I do think about every day (21 years later). But the difference is that I am so f--king GRATEFUL I no longer have to drink. And its the same with smoking. Not to say there isn't still hourly work to be done. But I shift pretty darn quickly into gratitude. Appreciate all of you.

[Doreensfree]

Post your NOPE with Pride.....

It was a massive part of my early Quit ....It was the first thing I would do every day ....

It was so important to me .....to make that promise ..... 

[Kate18]

For a while I would forget to pledge because I wasn't thinking about smoking. I thought, "well, forgetting to pledge because I'm not thinking of smoking is a good thing."

No, it isn't a good thing. Nicotine addiction is serious. We may not think of it as serious because cigarettes are legal, but it is a life-destructive addiction.

No, every day, I want to reaffirm that I am nicotine free, that I don't smoke, that I have beat addiction.

Every day I post a pledge that I will not smoke.

It is on my calendar now, for the past few weeks, to post my pledge that I will not smoke.

 

Not One Puff, Ever.