***NO MORE EXCUSES***

[Nicole Diver]

I can't believe I smoked for 20. I so identified myself by the addiction, and I didn't like myself too much.

[bellalore]

Awesome post ... so well written and so true - I'm sure we all can relate to the "excuses"...  I was 12 when I started and 61 when I quit!!!!  I think I know all the excuses there are.

Loving my life now :)

[natalie_3]

That was a great post. I´m sure your dad´s proud of you. We all are! 

[Karen]

EXCELLENT post Babs! I could relate so much to this, especially about making a promise to dad that you'd quit...so did I.

[Alan555]

Today I will quit smoking, started when I was 12 I am 49 now. Through my smoking career I only quit once and that was for two years. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful children and I feel like I'm Throwing It All Away with smoking and depriving my kids of my presence because I'm always looking for a place to go hide and smoke and an opportunity. Smoked quite a bit this morning, I drove by and through it all cigarette related items. Wrote down some things on paper to keep me motivated and just joined this site looking for any piece of help from anyone. Wish me luck no more excuses!

[Alan555]

Today I will quit smoking, started when I was 12 I am 49 now. Through my smoking career I only quit once and that was for two years. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful children and I feel like I'm Throwing It All Away with smoking and depriving my kids of my presence because I'm always looking for a place to go hide and smoke and an opportunity. Smoked quite a bit this morning, I drove by and through it all cigarette related items. Wrote down some things on paper to keep me motivated and just joined this site looking for any piece of help from anyone. Wish me luck no more excuses!

[Nancy]

Today I will quit smoking, started when I was 12 I am 49 now. Through my smoking career I only quit once and that was for two years. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful children and I feel like I'm Throwing It All Away with smoking and depriving my kids of my presence because I'm always looking for a place to go hide and smoke and an opportunity. Smoked quite a bit this morning, I drove by and through it all cigarette related items. Wrote down some things on paper to keep me motivated and just joined this site looking for any piece of help from anyone. Wish me luck no more excuses!

Welcome to the board Alan!  Lots of great information, and lots of great quitters, here.  You can do this!

[Sazerac]

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.

 

This is one of my all time favorite posts 

Thanks, Babs.

[Stewie]

Beautiful post. Im 26 years old and quitting an 8 year addiction but already regretting ever taking it. I did nothing with my life when i was a smoker. But i have yet so much life ahead, i dont want to smoke again. Right now its a daily struggle fighting the cigarette romance, i really miss it i enjoyed it a lot or so i think. But ill not go down without a fight.

 

NOPE!

[Tyme2B]

Sazerac, thank you for reposting Babs' story. This post is so powerful it scares the crap out of me. I've read it over & over. I have smoked for 40 years. I WILL make this my final quit. I want to live & more so I want to live a good quality of life. Coughing, fear, months & years of promises to myself, the stench of cigarette smoke in my hair & on my clothes, hiding my dirty little secret....NO MORE! I WANT TO BE FREE! And only I can make that happen for myself. It's a choice but it's a necessity of a healthy lifesyle choice. And that power post makes me all the more determined to succeed. I CAN, I WILL. My personal pledge to Freedom.

[babs609]

I am almost  49 now...and happier than I have ever been!

 

Loving my freedom!

 

NO MORE EXCUSES!!

[bakon]

Good read. Missed this or forgot it

I lived this but threw away a few more quits in there.

 

Now how about one and the kinky creature you are now.

16 backseat and bat got nervous, jumped in front and talked to you

18 same car but burrito couldn't figure out the steering wheel on the correct side. Never left driveway

18-45. Good girl

46 saw 50 shades and tied up meathead. Wasn't very attractive man so drove the car into a lake and left him

47 Bakon went by on his bike. What a ripped hunk and got his own restraints

49. Celibate for two years now. Once you have bakon the rest is just old beef Waiting on his return.

[babs609]

Lol. You are a trip bakon. What an imagination. I love it!! Love your stories and in all of them....we are always smoke free.

[Joybella]

Babs, your post is inspiring &I I need to keep reminding myself of the cold hard facts. I just smoked my last cigarette damn it! 62 yrs old , & I want to be strong as I can in my old age down the line. Everyone in my senior housing community smokes &a they look &I act so old gosh darn I want more for my later yrs than that. If something takes me down it's not gonna be by my own hand! God knows the irreversible damage I've already done to my body but maybe I'll get sone of my healthy feeling back for my body.

[Nancy]

Babs, your post is inspiring &I I need to keep reminding myself of the cold hard facts. I just smoked my last cigarette damn it! 62 yrs old , & I want to be strong as I can in my old age down the line. Everyone in my senior housing community smokes &a they look &I act so old gosh darn I want more for my later yrs than that. If something takes me down it's not gonna be by my own hand! God knows the irreversible damage I've already done to my body but maybe I'll get sone of my healthy feeling back for my body.

Welcome to the board, Joybella!  Many of us quit after 40 or more years of smoking....and if we can do it, you can, too!

[Reciprocity]

Joybella - You can start feeling a lot better and improve your quality of life in your senior years but only if you have the commitment to Never Take Another Puff. You know that one cig. even one puff, will lead you right back to where you are now. We are all nicotine addicts and the only avenue of escape is to quit for good. You have made that decision and with the support of your new friends here on this site, you will be able to do this. It won't be easy, especially in the beginning but it will get better with time and it will be so worth while for you. Let's do this together starting now. One day at a time. One hour at a time when necessary even 1 minute at a time.

 

You CAN do it but, you MUST commit to not smoking; not even one puff, Not One Puff Ever; that's the NOPE daily pledge. Make that pledge daily and refocus yourself daily by doing that. Wist you well Joybella. We are here to cheer you on and support you all the way!

[Doreensfree]

Welcome aboard joybella..

I'm roughly your age...a 52 year smoker...it's never too late to quit...

it might feel uncomfortable at the beginning..but wow...the beniefts far out weigh this...

I feel better now than I did 20 hear ago..

Make a decision never to smoke another one ..ever...read everything you can here...

Post daily.. Pledge daily... All the support you need is right here...

Alan Carr The Easy Way to Stop Smoking..is a great book...this has helped millions ,including alot of us here..

You can do it...because I did...

[Joybella]

You people are great. So much support. All you tell me gives me hope & so much more confidence that I can do this. Big nope Today. For sure I do have a 14 mg patch on but I don't think I'll need them for long. Cooking healthy soup today &I can find plenty to do around my apt to keep busy. Also I gotta remember to keep socializing as I tend to become a hermit while going thru this & I read last night that is a sign of relapse. GOD FORBID. I got Jesus right here with me too

[Nancy]

You people are great. So much support. All you tell me gives me hope & so much more confidence that I can do this. Big nope Today. For sure I do have a 14 mg patch on but I don't think I'll need them for long. Cooking healthy soup today &I can find plenty to do around my apt to keep busy. Also I gotta remember to keep socializing as I tend to become a hermit while going thru this & I read last night that is a sign of relapse. GOD FORBID. I got Jesus right here with me too

Good for you!  You CAN do this!

[Doreensfree]

Well done...one day at a time...don't think beyond this...

Keep busy...don't let your junkie brain win...NOPE !!!

[Reciprocity]

Glad to hear this Joybella. You're determination sounds just right. Like Doreensfree said, one day at a time. Don't overthink it, just don't smoke. We're all cheering you on ..... Go Girl!!

[AgaveGirl1]

That was wonderful. Very moving and awesome of you to put out. Good job. Let's hope it moves a lot of people to join us and continues to help us stay strong. I know it was a help to me this a.m.

  

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't-------you're right".  Henry Ford.

[Giveintowin]

I definitely relate to that Babs, I'm 45, I wish I quit sooner but I didn't and now have more consequences to deal with from smoking. If I continue smoking it will only get worse.

[hford]

Why does our brain or mind or sub conscience tell us to go ahead and just have one cig? Is it the addiction talking?  

[Reciprocity]

^^^  Yes, it is the addiction. It is a strong addiction and it is very crafty but you CAN beat it and already are by coming here and educating yourself about the addiction. Your addiction wants to be fed nicotine. It can't get that unless it convinces YOU to take a cigarette, put it in your mouth and light it so .... YOU have ALL the control here. You also know from reading here and maybe other places too that "just one" is a lie!! It's not possible. Just ask anyone who has relapsed. 1 cigarette or 1 puff - doesn't matter. It feeds the nicotine back into your body and awakens the addiction again making it stronger and you weaker.

 

Don't ever believe what that voice is telling you! Read your list of reasons for quitting and stay strong. That voice will eventually get weaker and weaker - that's a promise!!