so you want to stop smoking ..

[sherry]

Good for you!

 

After 9 months smoke free, I can tell you it will be the best decision you ever make - Hands down.

 

Will I tell you it will be easy? No. Will I tell you it can be easy? Yes. My dad put down his cigs about 20yrs ago and never looked back, for him it was easy, maybe you will be one of those who can just walk away, .... if you're like me, some days will be better than others... but oh sooo worth it!!

 

Some advice,

 

Once you put down your last cig, say to yourself and others "I've quit smoking".. DON'T say "I'm trying to quit"... once you put out that last cig YOU ARE QUIT.. ..unless you light another one and smoke it - you are quit!! ,..own it.. be proud of it..

 

Don't be afraid to ask for help, support, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, whatever it is you need in that moment to get you thru - ask,.. this addiction can be tough,.. but it can be beat, and we are here to help, so let us know what you need.

 

Mark Twain said "It's easy to quit smoking, I've done it a thousand times"... a good number of us here on the QT can say the same, .. we've stopped only to start again,.. until we came here ... here we have the support when we need it, -  the laughter and silliness when we need that - distraction when we need that...

 

You can quit today and next year at this time you can be celebrating your one year quit...

 

 

  One way I look at my quit is that it has been a lot  like the wheels on the train,...they moaned and groaned and spun wildly as they tried to grip the rail to gain traction at the beginning,.. but slowly it got easier, the wheels took hold, they turned faster as one day turned to another.. I worked hard to move ahead and not look back, .. there where a few "hills" that were hard to climb and to be honest I really thought of taking the easy way out a few times, but I didn't.. I dug deep pushed forward and with encouragement and support from the QT family I made it to the "top of the hill" and then coasted down the other side..

 

I didn't give up on me..they didn't give up on me... and they/we won't give up on you... 

 

Only you can put that cig in your mouth and light  it.

 

Only you can decide NOT to light the next one..just that next one

 

........make that decision and  we'll be here to support you  ... 

 

 I promise  :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[El Bandito]

Fantastic Post Lace.

[Doreensfree]

A brilliant honest post lace.....

[Sazerac]

Good for you!

 

After 9 months smoke free, I can tell you it will be the best decision you ever make - Hands down.

 

Will I tell you it will be easy? No. Will I tell you it can be easy? Yes. My dad put down his cigs about 20yrs ago and never looked back, for him it was easy, maybe you will be one of those who can just walk away, .... if you're like me, some days will be better than others... but oh sooo worth it!!

 

Some advice,

 

Once you put down your last cig, say to yourself and others "I've quit smoking".. DON'T say "I'm trying to quit"... once you put out that last cig YOU ARE QUIT.. ..unless you light another one and smoke it - you are quit!! ,..own it.. be proud of it..

 

Don't be afraid to ask for help, support, a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, whatever it is you need in that moment to get you thru - ask,.. this addiction can be tough,.. but it can be beat, and we are here to help, so let us know what you need.

 

Mark Twain said "It's easy to quit smoking, I've done it a thousand times"... a good number of us here on the QT can say the same, .. we've stopped only to start again,.. until we came here ... here we have the support when we need it, -  the laughter and silliness when we need that - distraction when we need that...

 

You can quit today and next year at this time you can be celebrating your one year quit...

 

 

  One way I look at my quit is that it has been a lot  like the wheels on the train,...they moaned and groaned and spun wildly as they tried to grip the rail to gain traction at the beginning,.. but slowly it got easier, the wheels took hold, they turned faster as one day turned to another.. I worked hard to move ahead and not look back, .. there where a few "hills" that were hard to climb and to be honest I really thought of taking the easy way out a few times, but I didn't.. I dug deep pushed forward and with encouragement and support from the QT family I made it to the "top of the hill" and then coasted down the other side..

 

I didn't give up on me..they didn't give up on me... and they/we won't give up on you... 

 

Only you can put that cig in your mouth and light  it.

 

Only you can decide NOT to light the next one..just that next one

 

........make that decision and  we'll be here to support you  ... 

 

 I promise  :)

 

 

I hope Lace's post gets pinned.

[atmos]

Amazing post..

[Jenny]

Bravo Lace!   Love this post.  xx

[Nancy]

I hope Lace's post gets pinned.

Wonderful idea.  Beautiful, thoughtful post, lace.

[MarylandQuitter]

Excellent, excellent post, Lace.  :)

[Tink]

Brilliantly said ms lace x

[Doreensfree]

For newbies..

[jillar]

Great post for all our newbies, guests or anyone who needs it

[KEL]

@jillarThanks for bringing this back around. I am at 100 days in a couple of hours. Last 48 has been a struggle. Not worth an SOS so I didn't post. But I'm definitely moving through something heavy and there is what I would describe as a "low-grade" crave. I'm trying not to judge myself for it and to understand it is a defense mechanism that arises when I struggle emotionally. Its why I used cigarettes in the first place; why many of us did, i.e. to mask pain. 

I'm under no illusions that actually smoking would assist the process. I've been triggered on some things I thought were in the past. Once again the onion analogy. Keep peeling the layers and the tears flow until its done.

I am trying to practice gratitude and do the next right thing which has meant a number of visits to the QT today, reminding myself of how far I (we all) have come (together). My next stop is the gym. 

Thank you for listening.

K

[jillar]

@KEL I'm glad you're not in an SOS state and 100 days is a huge milestone to be super proud of

 

[intoxicated yoda]

@KEL That's great that you've made it to 100 days.  I'm at 130 something and I can tell you I went and am still going through what you are describing.  I had about a week of what I would call relief and then the crave started to build.  Feelings I thought I had beaten soundly started to pop back up.  Nothing has been really intense but it's noticeable and annoying and slowly building.  It's almost like my body is missing something and doesn't know how to ask for it.  I guess it's just part of the process but it's still a pain in the rear.

[jillar]

@intoxicated yoda, your body IS missing something.... Its fix! And its going to keep bugging every chance it can get, especially the first year quit. That's why we have the One Year Pledge. 

https://www.quittrain.com/topic/318-the-one-year-commitment/

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by jillar

[Linda]

@KEL You are doing great!!! I know how hard it was for me!! I guess I'm a slow learner lol

You have the determination to do this!! Hang in there and beat the nicotine monster!!!

You got this!! I know what you mean about the triggers, smoking was always my go to

when I had a problem. But we have to learn to deal other ways because smoking did 

not make the problem go away.

[KEL]

Thank you all for the support. Life and its challenges don't stop just because we quit. And as I try to remind myself, its a (f-cking) process not an event! But we do got this because it is a WE thing. 

@jillarHeaded over to the one year pledge! I NOPE daily but I am gonna just go ahead and nail this a-hole down. 

Potty mouth tonight-hope I do not offend.