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Tired of Stumbling, Quitting in a Few Days

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 796

Hey QFG,

Big congratulations on your latest milestone!!

Be sure and reward yourself for all the effort you've put into it. Maybe a nice new pair of running shoes? It helps to re-enforce your commitment to your journey. Its good to hear that the wedding went off without a hiccup for you.

"I'm so grateful I'm a non-smoker" It is an awesome feeling isn't it?

I think you need to change your mental picture from an ashtray to a garbage can too!!!!! I don't know of any ashtray that can hold that many butts.

Stay strong you quitter!

Not One Puff Ever

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$23,183.60

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Days: 771 Hours: 10

Minutes: 6 Seconds: 21

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Stay safe & Strong.

Not One Puff Ever (NOPE)

Tim

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 180

Wow, you're going strong! It feels so good to be in personal best territory, doesn't it? And to realize that it's easier to simply keep going than to give in :) I was wondering about you after not posting for a while, but I guess you were out there simply living your life, free of smoking. I'm glad the wedding turned out to be no big deal, and I hope you post about your time abroad as a non-smoker.... I'm very curious to see what that's like.

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 14

Hey everybody,

So I'm officially in 'personal best' territory every day I don't smoke. I think today is 36, and still going strong.

The wedding over the weekend turned out to not be difficult at all. As I expected, there were maybe 3-5 smokers there, and these days nobody feels comfortable smoking directly around non-smokers, so they just headed off down towards the lake. I actually even rode to the wedding with my sister who is a smoker and was smoking in her car, but nah, not appealing.

Ten days or two weeks ago I was dealing with an intensely stressful situation that went on for a couple days. Couldn't sleep, a bit nauseous, just stressed to the max. The urge was there, as my custom would've been to simply chain smoke under that kind of stress, but it would've help absolutely nothing and got me all down on myself again for throwing in the towel.

Almost every time I think about smoking (which is less and less) I try to couple that thought with 'I'm so grateful I'm a non-smoker.' I now seem to genuinely feel that sentiment every time I say it or think it. I really do feel like I've escaped just he worst habit and addiction and I was so demoralized towards the end of it that I'm still happy I'm sitting here at my computer right now and not smoking.

This morning I slept in a little bit, in and out of sleep for an hour or two, and not to bore anyone with dream details, but like an old 'using' dream I dreamt that I was at my Mom's house and had been smoking for two days straight. In the dream I woke up as if it was morning, again totally demoralized and felt that old familiar 'you're a failure and you blew it' feeling. I was so mad in the dream. I had a pack of smokes with a few cigarettes left in it and I threw them in the trash quite furiously, but still knowing I had to start from ground zero.

Then I woke up - and I'm so happy I'm a non smoker and don't have to deal with that anymore! I've further than I've ever been and I'm just pushing this thing forward.

Still going abroad next month but not too worried about it. I started looking at these runner sites for great runs around Paris and that now sounds more enjoyable than smoking 40 a day ;)

Thanks guys. Hang tough.

QFG

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5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 796

Hi QFG,

Sorry I missed your 1 month milestone yesterday. Congratulations!!!

Hope you're still on your journey, haven't heard from you in a while but I know you've been busy. If so, you're going to break your old record in FOUR more days. Enjoy your cousins wedding today and no sneaking off behind the building either.

Stay strong.

Not One Puff Ever

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$23,183.60

Amount Saved
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Days: 771 Hours: 10

Minutes: 6 Seconds: 21

Life Gained
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3832

Smoke Free Days
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84,304

Cigarettes Not Smoked

Stay safe & Strong.

Not One Puff Ever (NOPE)

Tim

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 796

Hey QFG,

Three weeks is great and soon you'll break your old record it sounds like.

"It's funny how regarding some settings the thought of smoking is still really strongly associated" Yes it is, but you've got to remember that you associated smoking with those situations for 15 years and it's going to take a while to reprogram your brain. My 5 year anniversary is coming up next month and every once in awhile I still get a "notion" that I should be having a cigarette while doing this or that, just out of the blue. Don't get me wrong, I will NEVER smoke again, even the world is coming to an end!!!

Sounds like you've got a lot of things coming up soon that's going to test your resolve. Stay strong and keep thinking about that over flowing ashtray.

Not One Puff Ever

Quit Meter

$23,183.60

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 771 Hours: 10

Minutes: 6 Seconds: 21

Life Gained
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3832

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

84,304

Cigarettes Not Smoked

Stay safe & Strong.

Not One Puff Ever (NOPE)

Tim

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 180

Wow, 800 not smoked. That's a hefty visual. I just tipped 500 myself, and it's funny how each one always felt so innocuous. .. Traveling abroad is one of my remaining fears in this quit. For some reason I'm having a hard time visualizing myself not smoking in other countries. I guess it'll look much like it does now - me, going about my life, simply without the smoke albatross hanging around my neck. Happy 3 weeks tomorrow!

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 14

Three weeks tomorrow. 800 cigarettes not smoked!

Still going pretty well. The savings are adding up, not thinking about it most days, but still being very careful.

It's funny how regarding some settings the thought of smoking is still really strongly associated. I'm going to my cousins wedding on Sept. 22nd. Three weeks ago I thought I'd never make it and that it was going to be a smoke out. In reality, there probably would only be a small handful of smokers there (out of the 175 people or so) and they'll likely be sneaking off behind the building to smoke em down. What about that seems appealing? Lol. If you substitute any other addiction for nicotine it's obvious how sad that looks.

Then I'm planning a trip abroad to see some old friends, and for some reason the thought that 'oh I'll definitely be smoking over there' flew through my head. But Why?! I think the friends are all non smokers, with the potential exception of one. It is France, and they do rip em down, but still. Rather I should envision going through this setting and being stronger as a result. Or instead of smoking two packs a day I can continue my jogging routine on the streets of Paris. I think that sounds a lot better than smoking.

Most days it goes through my head once or twice, but none of the cravings have been obsessive. I just try to focus on gratitude that I'm a non smoker, picture how many cigarettes I would've smoked, and take some deep breaths. Contrasting my day to day with the insane habit of chain smoking makes it pretty clear which is preferable. I went to the dog park the other morning right after getting up and realize I would've smoked 5-6 cigarettes by that point already, and been gagging and hacking it up as I got the day rolling (which was my usual custom).

Anyways, thanks for staying tuned in everybody.

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$35,292.00

Amount Saved
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Days: 279 Hours: 8

Minutes: 23 Seconds: 31

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2076

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83,040

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5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 175

Hi QFG, congratulations youre now past the hardest part. Well done! Its strange how you had the difficult days out of the blue. I guess thats normal...l wouldnt know. Please keep posting to keep newbies like me inspired. It feels like yesterday you were here saying it was your first day. Time really does fly....if only l did the same back then ld be on 2 weeks already. Keep it up

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5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 180

Over two weeks, that's awesome. You're now in the period of time when I had to be very vigilant. Day 14-30 were challenging for me as the sense of immediacy and urgency were gone from the quit. But then it got SO GOOD, so keep going!!! I'm glad my tip about not focusing on the thoughts is helping. It makes things so much easier for me, to just observe the thought and then move on. Don't get personally or emotionally invested in the craving and it just sort of *poof* disappears.

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 14

Hey guys,

Makes me smile getting on here. I appreciate the support. We made two weeks! And today is day 15.

I'd like to say feeling stronger, but yesterday and today were unusually difficult. Well, I guess if I'm honest, it wasn't that bad, but just seemed like the thought of lighting up was continually running through my head. Ya know how it just pops out of nowhere like, 'where's my cigarette.' Doing my best not to focus on it though (that's a tip from you Stella), and just moving forward.

The running for nervous energy has been good, though I am doing it as straight up addiction replacement, lol. That's okay though, if I've just traded the problem of compulsive running for that of killing myself slowly and spending a fortune doing it - I'll take it.

And I see my quit tracker thing has 600 cigarettes not smoked. In 15 days. Holy ****. Lol. Just picturing that.

Thanks for being here guys, and I'll catch you soon.

Quit Meter

$35,292.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 279 Hours: 8

Minutes: 23 Seconds: 31

Life Gained
Quit Meter

2076

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

83,040

Cigarettes Not Smoked

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