Determined

[Brenda-T.]

I have smoked for 36 years.  I have tried to quit many times.  I was a chain smoker.  Whenever I smoked  it was one after another.  I don't even know how many cigs I smoked a day.  I have major depression, diebetes, arthritis, colomostomy, ostomy and diebetic nerve pain.  Only you people know what I am going threw.  This is the only place that I can go to and express and understand what I am going threw.  But I am willing to go threw whatever I have to to stay quit.  Today is day two. I plan to vacume, and wash windows and finish laundry.  Today is a wonderful day.  My grandsons birthday is today.  I know that this is a long jounery but excited to experience it and take control of my life.

[smorgy8513]

Brenda, I know it may feel like things are just way too big and too painful and that going back to the familiar of smoking will feel like the "right" thing to do......but it's not.     When we start this journey we think it is going to be impossible, that "my situation is different", that "these people don't get it".         You may or may not be thinking those exact things but they are common.

I say this because the past and current situations of other EXers are not so different from our own.      I came to realize that my addiction was no different (bigger or smaller) than any one else here.       That the day to day medical, family, work (etc. etc.) that people were experiencing was as much or more of a challenge than what I was experiencing.   So, I realized that if these people could do this (quit!) and stay quit for the time they were......why couldn't I?     What were they thinking, doing, saying, living that was making their journey a success when I had had so many failed attempts before?

And I was encouraged......if Dale, Thomas, Nancy, Sheryl.........(and on and on) could do it than I could too.

So, I read...I blogged....I listened and I believed them.    

Find why being quit is important to you......build on that.       Can you share the top 5 reasons for your quit?      Can you share with us the top 5 things you will gain from staying quit?    Will you share the top 5 things you will do to distract when you want to smoke?      These are all important.

And go to some of the profiles and read...read....read....Friend people, get your lifelines in place.

And KEEP 'EM AWAY FROM YOUR FACE!!

Stay strong!

Sharon 249 days of Freedom!

[rosemarymom]

I know it is hard to get started - it was for me. Cigs really were my way of life.  Couldn't let them go. . . I tried SO many times . . .

 It seems like once you truly make up your mind, it is easier.  Coming on this site was the best thing I ever did.  You can and will do it.  We will all help each other

[tambolina]

Stay strong. Think about that Grandson. Take it one second, minute at a time. 

Come here every hour or so for a little encourgement.

[LouiseR]

Brenda you can do this.  Come here daily and read all the blogs and take what you feel will help in your quit and apply it.  Its not always easy but it is so doable and worth it to be smoke free. Drink lots of water and when a crave hits, do slow deep breathing, walk around, put your head in the freezer, do whatever until it passes.  Come here and post and let us know how you are and how we can help! 

[JRC]

Today is a wonderful day and you are smoke free!! You certainly have health issues to deal with every day, but I can't think of one reason why smoking would help any of them.

I have found so much inspiration from reading blogs and comments, and alot of wisdom. Even if I don't blog, I need to come here and connect with my mind.

Minutes lead to hours lead to days. You can do this and you are doing this!!!

[katjus73]

I lived for a year on the TN/KY border and I loved it there!  Here, where I live in AR, we have to have huge closets because you can't put summer/winter stuff away for months because AR weather changes its mind often! LOL.  When you feel that urge, take a breath, go out into that wonderful KY air, and just breath.  You would be surprised what standing there with your eyes closed, feeling the sun on your face, and breathing in and out can do-- it's like a mini-meditation.  My quit date is approaching, so I'm not there yet, but I've been there before-- I want to make sure this is my "last quit" so I'm going to use everything in the past that helped me get through it and remember everything that caused me to "relapse" so I can avoid them.  

One day at a time: that's what they say in Narc/Anon, and let's face it-- we're fighting an addiction.  One second, one minute, one hour and before you know it, the nicodemon, as they call it here, is becoming a memory!  KUDOS for you!