Waddling Ever Onward - Penguin's Celebrations

[Penguin]

It's actually been 13 months, but I've only just found you all. I celebrated one year free from tobacco on 19 October 2024, and 13 months clean on 19 November 2024. Going forward, I plan to celebrate monthly, hopefully in this same thread so I won't clog things up.

[johnny5]

Welcome @Penguin.  Congratulations on 13 months smoke free.  Awesome job  

[Genecanuck]

Welcome @Penguin.

 

I look forward to following you and getting to know you better.

 

You have an amazing 13 month quit.

 

 

 

 

[DenaliBlues]

Congratulations on your Lucky #13 months of freedom, and welcome to the Quit Train! We’re thrilled that you found us. 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2024 by DenaliBlues

[QuittingGirl]

You are doing great @Penguin , and as I said in the other thread, Welcome Aboard!!  

[Doreensfree]

Congratulations on your 13 months smoke 

free 

Here is a well earned Pat on the back

[jillar]

Congratulations on 13 months quit @Penguin!  

 

[Reciprocity]

You've done well to achieve 13 months quit @Penguin! You've landed in a great place as well coming to this site. We're all quitters here so have been through similar trials & tribulations as you have and we're all committed to supporting each other in staying quit for life. Welcome aboard!!

[Penguin]

I made it 14 months!

 

Sometimes I'm surprised by what even makes me think of cigarettes, or of having one. A random sight or smell or rumble in my stomach can kick off a small urge. I've also noticed the irritation I used to feel around cigarette smoke has abated somewhat. I suppose at some point I'll level out and it'll be like it was before I was ever a smoker, when I didn't find the odor of cigarette smoke offensive. Then I'll really have to be on my guard, because that'll be one less thing keeping me from smoking.

 

I don't mind admitting I enjoyed smoking, to some degree, and there's a part of me that would enjoy it still if it wasn't for all the negative things about it. Smoking is still a nasty, lethal habit, but that doesn't mean there isn't a part of me that misses it. Thankfully I don't tend to let that part of me in the driver's seat very often, because that part of me is an emotional idiot who does what feels good in the short-term, with no regard for the long-term consequences.

[Penguin]

Yesterday I found the Serenity necklace I bought during a previous attempt. I decided that's going to be my gift to myself for my first year clean. I'm a big fan of physical incentives (like challenge coins to mark anniversaries), but no one in my life is really the type to buy that sort of thing for me, so I'm planning to buy gifts for myself--probably in the form of simple jewelry I can wear, or challenge coins I can carry, as my clean streak increases.

[Doreensfree]

Congratulations Penguin on your wonderful 

14 months smoke free 

It’s sounds like a nice idea to Reward yourself

[jillar]

 

 

 

[Reciprocity]

Rewards along the way to mark whatever milestones you feel are significant is an excellent idea 

 

I saved up all the money I'd saved over my first year of quitting and put that toward a cruise for myself & the wife. The first cruise ever where I wasn't hiding away on the ship in the smoking area and the first time not suffering through major withdrawal during the flights to get to and from the cruise port! It was win/win all around 

 

So by all means, reward yourself for a job well done!

[DenaliBlues]

[Genecanuck]

Happy New Year @Penguin... and congrats on a solid quit

 

[Penguin]

Just a tiny celebration today, but my dad and I were working on a project today. Normally, he frustrates me to no end because our work styles are so very different, and I used to always smoke a lot more whenever he and I had to work together. Today, it didn't even occur to me that I wanted to smoke; I just wanted to breathe and calm down and then take a nap.

[Doreensfree]

We used to smoke to relax ,but in fact it

did the total opposite . 
Great positive post @Penguin

[Reciprocity]

16 hours ago, Penguin said:

Just a tiny celebration today, but my dad and I were working on a project today. Normally, he frustrates me to no end because our work styles are so very different, and I used to always smoke a lot more whenever he and I had to work together. Today, it didn't even occur to me that I wanted to smoke; I just wanted to breathe and calm down and then take a nap.

Naps are Good! I like naps ...