Markus - 10 Years Quit

[Markus]

Hi All!

 

I hit the 10 year quit mark February 19th. 

 

It's no secret, this game of attrition, watching the months turn to years, and seeing the years stack up.

 

 It used to be a war though, and anti-smoking militancy is very important when you quit. Passion is a must and you need to feel that and want it more than anything.

 

So this is it isn't it? Isn't 10 years the time when we are supposed to be back to "normal", and you should be as if you never smoked?

Normal is a relative term, but appropriate here given that the process of quitting views the nicotine addiction as an abnormality, which it is. If you quit. 

 

A couple of things I learned over the years is that you can't quit for someone else, and that smoking was a really bad choice,

something I started in my childhood that I carried along for decades because I was addicted by choice.

 

Sometimes it requires standing on the outside and looking in to see something for what it is. The impulse, the whim that I quit on, gave

me some precious time to unwrap my life from addiction and allowed me to try to get my head around it.

 

Being here off and on has given me a place to think,  write and read about how we deceive ourselves to perpetuate our addiction.

 

I have read that a person has marginally better odds of staying quit by belonging to, and being reinforced by the membership of a forum like this one.

 

These quit anniversaries are important, especially early on, as they reinforce the wisdom of the finally making the right choice and sticking with it.

 

Carry on and keep the quit, it's worth it!

 

Regards,

 

Markus

 

quit 02-19-2008

 

 

 

 

[Martian5]

Very well done and thank you for your thoughts.  I truly appreciate what you are saying.  Though just almost 2 months into my quit this forum has helped to learn the power of nicotine addiction and without the Quit Train and people like you I am not sure if I would made it this far.  Your post gives me that much more motivation.  Congrats and hopefully you will reward yourself with this anniversary.  

[despair not]

Wow 10 years is very inspiring

 

Congratulations and thanks for posting still.

[Doreensfree]

Wow...10 years....

Huge congrats ..your a inspiration....!!!!

[Reciprocity]

Congratulations on 10 years of smoke free life! That's amazing. Thanks for stopping by to lend inspiration to those following behind you

[c9jane29]

  

Wonderful quit!/Congratulations on your success!

[Markus]

6 hours ago, Doreensfree said:

Wow...10 years....

Huge congrats ..your a inspiration....!!!!

 

Thanks miss you

 

[Rozuki]

Congrats, Markus!  10 years....what a milestone! Very inspiring ....

 

 

Edited February 25, 2018 by Rozuki

[Sslip]

Congratulations Markus, 10 years is a huge achievement.

[Whispers]

Outstanding

[LizQuit]

What a great accomplishment

[johnny5]

That's awesome, Markus!  Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us and congrats on 10 years smoke free!

[Lin-quitting]

Wekaj

 

We newbies love hearing stories like yours Markus, it gives us faith in the future of what we're doing here. Congratulations, and thank you for thinking of us.

[bakon]

Thumbs up

[KT1973]

Congratulations!

[Giveintowin]

Contagulations Markus. This is wonderful. 

[Sazerac]

Congratulations on your first decade of nicotine freedom , Markus, 

Through the years,  your insightful posts have been incredibly useful to me and I am eternally grateful for the time you took blazing a trail.

Thank you,

S

 

[Jenny]

Hi Markus!   Very good to "see" you.   You have been missed.  Stories like yours are so important to share, for all of us, but especially the newbies who are just trying to get through each day and wondering if they will ever feel comfortable in their own skin again.  Congrats on 10 years quit my friend.  xo  

[Wee fluffy me]

Wow 10 years.. thats fantastic Markus..

[Hope2Nope]

Congratulations!!!