Do you crave a cig... don't go to the Plaid Pantry!

[Rain Forest]

Yesterday my husb wanted Chinese food, and while going to get it, I sure got to thinking (no, not about the food… lol)

 

This restaurant is on the opposite end of town from where we live now… when I quit smoking, we lived in that old neighborhood… well, they have the best Chinese food there, so I decided to take the drive yesterday.

 

This is what struck me:  I drove by THE Plaid Pantry and felt the past 5 years kinda slip away for a moment… I remembered my huge struggle and fight within myself one day at that place.  I was around 2 months quit at the time and I really thought I wanted to smoke… so I got in the car and headed to the Plaid Pantry… when I got there, I sat in the parking lot a few minutes, fighting this crave… I then pulled out of the parking lot and spent the next hour literally driving around the block and not being able to decide if I really should buy smokes or not… I’m glad a cop didn’t see me, they would have thought I was casing out the joint! lol

 

Anyway, I finally left and went home, no smokes bought.  That was one of the biggest days of my quit because I walked away from those ugly smokes.  When we do this, we become stronger in our quits… for me, the first 3 months were the worst, yet each day became a little easier... and each time we say NO, we win a little bit more of freedom, and before you know it, freedom is total and it's awesome!

 

So if you are craving right now, do not let it win… make yourself the winner instead.  Kick that ugly cig habit to the curb like a bad relationship and take control of yourself.  You will never regret it.

[IamDoingIt]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! What a powerful story! I have the EXACT same story, except mine turned out a little differently. Needless to say, I committed myself back to nicotine addiction. I wish I would have pulled out of that parking lot just like you.....smoke free and with freedom from nicotine.

 

You have almost 5 years. I only have 1 day because I got out of the car and went inside. Now, I have to start over, and you are 5 years ahead of me. Well, 5 years is only time. My next 5 will be smoke free.

[MarylandQuitter]

Wonderful post.  Thank you, Rain.

[Donna10]

Awful to say but I was relieved to read you were 2 months into your quit and found yourself sitting there debating going in to buy a pack.

 

I am a month into my quit and still have to fight with myself some days (like today) not to fly off to the gas station because I've got myself convinced that I NEED one.

 

You give me hope that its still normal to feel these brutal craves and that it'll eventually go away.

[bakon]

I do that are old girlfriends houses but the police call it stalking. I tried to say I was just making up my mind, but they don't buy it.

[El Bandito]

Little moments - I have always believed that it is those little moments....or looooong moment in this case that we look back on.

 

Great post Rain!

[Paul723]

Great post!

 

You never did NEED a cigarette Donna10, nicotine just made you think so.

[Rain Forest]

IAmDoingIt, be proud of yourself for choosing to become a non-smoker now.  By the way, I would have been over 7 years quit, but I did relapse.  Don’t be too hard on yourself now… it’s time to look ahead and not look back!  Have a plan of something else to do when you crave: I smoked “pretend cigs” (plastic straws cut to cig-length)… and it worked… my brain actually believed it because I would get the same ritual including flicking fake ashes… lol

 

Donna, the longer we’re quit the easier it becomes.  After a month, I didn’t have many craves, but when I did get one, it was really powerful.  You’re doing really good… believe in yourself… make YOU be the WINNER this time, not the cig… you can do it!

[Trish]

Great story, Rain...thanks for sharing!

 

The last time I had a crave as I pulled up to the gas station and had to go in for something, I smelled my ashtray.

 

It worked.  The thought of buying cigs left my head just as quickly as it appeared.  

[Paul723]

Bump!  Good advice from Rain who is now past a decade!

[Mee]

I used to buy my smokes at the corner gas station.  I would never buy any more than one pack a day because I was always going to quit.  That meant a visit to the station every day because I never could quit.  I did become good friends with the man that owned the gas station.  I enjoyed talking with him every day.  

I am ten months quit and often think I should stop and tell him I quit and miss talking to him.  Every time I pull into the station to tell him, I pull right back out.  I do not want to visit my old haunt.  I will always keep him a pleasant memory but I have no need for his store.  The gas is cheaper on the other side of town.