First of all congrats on the new baby on the way. I can tell you that after smoking 30+ years quitting was not an easy decision for me. I have been some free now for 15 days and am also using the patch. It will get easier. For me the first week was the most difficult. Try to change up your daily routine and do things in a different order. To keep my hands busy I use my car keys and just shuffle them in my hand. As silly as that sounds it just keeps my hands occupied and my brain off the habit of thinking about smoking. Pay attention to what your triggers are and make changes as needed. For me I focus on staying smoke free one hour at a time, one day at a time. YOU can do this, don't give in to the nicotine devil!!!
I know I talk much about taking this one day at a time, but I just can't help but thinking about how I am going to deal with one of my biggest triggers tomorrow. I go to visit my grandchildren tomorrow which is always a wonderful experience. My issue is not the visit, but the 2-1/2 hour drive to and from their home to make that visit. Driving is a HUGE trigger for me and to this point I have been able to keep my drives to a minimum distance while in the early stages of my quit. I am just trying to think of things I can do while driving to help keep me distracted from any thoughts of smoking. Any input here from the community would be greatly appreciated.
Just an update to yesterdays visit with the grandkids. Well....still smoke free!!!! Great tunes for the long drive help keep my mind in a good direction. So I am proud to say that I am now 17 days smoke free.
Nice job. Congratulations on making the decision to quit. There is a lot of great information here, make sure to use it. I have found the information and support from other members to be very helpful and inspiring.
Hi Timbo! Actually it was easier than I imagined it was going to be. I should have already realized from my own experiences that using distractions, even small ones are a part of my success for quitting. I know it's just my mind playing games with me telling me I need to have a smoke to relax, when in reality I know better than to let the nicotine devil have the last word. It had become such a HABIT to use my smoking as a crutch for every aspect of my life that now it's like learning how to walk again. I just need to remind myself that this is a two part addiction. The physical addiction and the mental addition as well that is just going to take time to beat. One minute, one hour, one day at a time!!!!! Let's face the facts I had 30+ years to perfect this addiction, I am not going to change it all in one day.
Thanks Sparrow, I really appreciate your support!! It is so helpful for me to have a place where I can go (SSC) to find the support of others facing the same challenges. I have the support I need from my family and friends but it is still hard for them to completely understand how this addiction can grab hold of you and not want to let go. Each day gets a little easier and as I am sure you are finding as well. Just the daily activities of life that 18 days ago I never imagined doing without having a cigarette hanging out of my mouth are now smoke free. Something I have noticed just in the past few days is that my sense of smell is beginning to return. I am excited about that because where I live here in the States, spring is just around the corner. I will actually be able to appreciate all the wonderful smells of that season that I have been missing for such a long time.
Nice Job !! The best any of us can do is to take this one step at a time. I have found for me that the best way to take this is one minute, one hour one day at a time. Tomorrow is another day that I can't predict what challenges I will face, so there is no sense in worrying about the things to come. Your doing great, don't let the nicotine beast beat you. You can do this!!!!!
19 days smoke free. 380 cigarettes NOT smoked. Wow when I look at that number that was a lot of cigarettes. Feeling strong, feeling great about myself.
HI Stella! In the amount of time I have been a non-smoker (3weeks tomorrow) I have sure noticed that my wallet is getting fatter. What a great feeling to regain the money that I was once using to feed an addiction that was slowly sucking the life out of me. But even more important for me is how I am noticing in such a short period of time how my body is beginning to heal and that I am actually beginning to notice the wonderful effects of being a non smoker. It continues to motivate me even more to kick this addiction even harder in the a@#.
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