***NO MORE EXCUSES***

[babs609]

I'm 16....right now I'm a teen, i'm having fun. I enjoy smoking. I can quit at any time. So, I'll quit when......

 

I'm 20.. but life is a little stressful right now...I have 2 babies, working full time..saving to buy a house....I'm still young and won't be affected long term by this smoking...no big deal...right? I'll quit definitely by the time...

 

I'm 25.....still a lot of my family and friends still smoke...they seem to be okay. That must mean I'll be ok..My parents both smoked for years and they are both still healthy and vibrant...look at all these people outside..taking a smoke break with me...we are all ok right???

 

I'm 30.....starting to get a little nervous...my dad quit, my sister quit, handful of friends are jumping ship,. I've had 15+ years of smoking now and fear is creeping in a little. Fear of quitting..and never enjoying life as I know it...and fear of never quitting and suffering a horrible disease and feeling the effects of smoking. Time to dig that hole in the sand deeper and put my head in there...I'll quit when...

 

I'm 36..Dad is diagnosed...Stage 4 lung cancer..inoperable. :blink: :( My smoking has now doubled! I know...he's dying and I'm smoking more...what is wrong with me? As dad lie in a coma taking his last breaths...I whispered in his ear "I promise daddy, I'm going to quit smoking". I purchased a copy of Allen Carr's easyway to quit smoking and I did it...I quit smoking!! Yay me!!!! :) 3 months later...I start getting restless...cravings are coming left and right...I read the book again but the words aren't jumping out at me like they did when I first read it...I felt like I was losing my mind. I looked at the back of the book and called a number they listed as support...It was in London. The book was old and the number was for the publishing company, not a support line. I was losing my strength...and ultimately relapsed. :( I will probably be a smoker for life....I can't do this again....

 

The next 8 years are a blurr....that book remained on my shelf collecting dust--every once in a while I would glance at it with guilt and say...some day...maybe in the spring when it's nice out, maybe the summer, maybe the fall, after christmas,...new years resolution, after my birthday....ok..after spring again..one excuse after another. I was smoking more than ever. I did quit a few times during that time...few days or weeks..only to smoke again...always started with one puff.

 

Finally...at the age of 44...after all that struggle, relapse, disappointment, denial, and thousands of excuses....I finally picked up that book..knowing this was it...I was either going to quit for good this time...or I was going to remain a smoker till my death. I knew I just didn't have another quit in me otherwise. I can't keep going through the torture of quitting over and over..it's exhausting..and the pain from relapse is too distressing.

 

So, my final quit began. Only this time...I knew that the quitting journey was a roller coaster and even though I feel strong in my quit one day...doesn't mean I will still feel that way the next. I proved that on my last quit. I Googled quit smoking support and got it. Best thing I ever did to ensure that I would never smoke again. I introduced myself and became a member.

 

Point of the story is....time moves so quickly..and the excuses are just that....excuses. Before you know it...nearly 30 years have gone by. The best time to quit is TODAY....tomorrow has a way of always being that carrot that dangles out in front of you...never able to reach it. Addictions are design to hook you for life. I do wish I quit sooner, I do wish I never smoked. But wishing for something that is in the past, is a waste of time. The only thing I can change is what I do from now on.

 

My quality of life is so much better today. I am healthier, happier, and confident. I have quite a smoking history and am full aware it may come back to bite me in the ass...however I will not die a smoker chained to addiction. No matter what. I am free.

 

If you are reading this and still smoking, please.....sign up...join today. Read all the information here and in the blog and educate yourself about nicotine addiction. Don't just read once..read again and again and again until you "get it".

 

You will never regret that you quit smoking but there is plenty of regret when you don't.

 

Quit today....no more excuses.

[sharonsiff]

Brilliant post...as you say no more excuses, folk will ALWAYS find an excuse to smoke....stop looking, start quitting.

[El Bandito]

Babs - I am sure that your Dad would be so proud of you - your little ones too.

 

Fantastic post. Thank you.

[Trish]

^^^TRUTH^^^

 

 

 

Brilliant post...as you say no more excuses, folk will ALWAYS find an excuse to smoke....stop looking, start quitting.

Ditto

[Lynn]

Babs that was an excellent story.  I enjoyed reading it and you are right- "no more excuses".

[Tink]

thanks for that babs x

 

NO MORE EXCUSES - PERIOD!

 

and so say all of us......

[action]

No more excuses :)

[babs609]

now if I can only be as consistent with my exercise regime...

 

no more excuses :)

[Colleen]

That was just a great post and I agree your Dad would be proud I bet.  

[JackiMac]

Babs what a truly great read, and you are so right, no more excuses, otherwise another 2 or 5 or 10 years will have passed and before you know it its too late, WHAT IF and WHY DIDN'T I can't turn the clock back.  Your dad would be proud of the strength you have 

[Jengelsnew1]

Wow, great post. Pisses me off that I waited so long to finally quit.

[Markus]

Awesome, out of the park!

 

No more excuses.

 

Carrot and stick? No matter how hard you run, you'll never get the carrot. That's what the stick is for, to beat ourselves up with.

 

Love the post!

[Leanna]

We live to make excuses for ourselves. Being accountable is something we all struggle with. I have watched people with COPD and emphysema struggle to breathe, yet they continue to smoke, convincing themselves that they NEED their fix; that they possibly couldn't quit, even if they tried. I watched and heard my mom suffer for the last few years of her life. The doctors told her she NEEDED to quit to save her life. She didn't and now she's gone at 59. 

 

All of these are excuses.. lies we tell ourselves to make us feel okay about smoking. But it's not okay, because time does go fast. It's not worth it! 

 

Value your life. Give yourself more time with your loved ones. You never know how much time you actually have, so appreciate every moment you have. No more excuses. :)

[Gemzee]

Excellent post!

[Soozie]

awesome post babs, I can relate to so much of it ... thanks for the reminder 

[babs609]

Bumping for our guests who are still on the fence about quitting.  No more excuses smokers...quit now!  You'll be glad you did!!!

[Ladybug]

Oh Babs....wonderful post!

 

Today is Easter...look at the kids running around playing in your yard...do you want them to remember you as a smoker who just couldn't quit...not even for them?

 

I smoked for 35 years....I quit 2+ months ago........IF I can do it...so can you! 

[Doreensfree]

Great post babs....

I have 52 years of excuses......

How many times did I say ....I'll quit tomorrow.......far too any....

[Rain Forest]

Awesome post, babs, you described a whole lot of us, I just bet ya!  When I was a young teen, I figured I'd quit when I was 20, then I hit 20 and said 30, at 30 do you know how stupid I was??? I said I didn't need to quit because there would be "a cure" for lung cancer before I ever got it... the junkie mind has no rhyme or reason.

 

I'm so proud of the young people that I see who are quitting nowadays... they seem to get younger and younger too; instead of being 50+ I'm seeing so many people 20+, 30+, etc.

[Tink]

bumping for any guests :)

[El Bandito]

Bumping your bump...great post Babs.

[ChristaC]

What a wonderful post, Babs! You said it well... fantastic!

 

I'm so proud of you!

[Jenny]

This is an awesome post!  So very true, we were all going to quit weren't we...I never intended to smoke as long as I did.  I thought I would quit when I had children.  Not so much.

[Nancy]

Smoking is one of the hardest things to quit. I have tried at least 25 times, but in times of stress I go back. i HAVE to quit! Hardly anyone I know smokes anymore and some have died because of it !

Welcome to the board, luckypoo!  So glad you found us.  You've joined a big group of quitters.  Would you please start a thread in Introductions and tell us a little bit about you and your quit?

[dancer_I]

Great post Babs.  I can't believe I almost smoked for 30 years.