Goodbye Story

[ahadylailla]

Letting go was really hard but I have a big family and I want to live with them for as long as possible. I am able to move forward now and heal my lungs, mind, and soul thanks to quitting. My relationship is better as a result of my decision and dedication. My husband never approved and now I am free

[Barbara145]

You are doing great.  Congratulations on quitting smoking !  Stay close to this site.  We are here to help you make it permanent. Keep it up.  It just gets better.  Enjoy your day.

[jonimarie]

@ahadylailla letting go of the addiction is hard. It is a journey that is individual to all of us. But as part of the EXcommunity it is nice to know you are not alone.

[Barbscloud]

@ahadylailla Welcome to the Ex and congrats on 9 days of success.   Glad you found us to share your journey and receive support anytime you need it.  It's the best decision you can make for your physical and mental health.

Consider joining many of us on the Daily Pledge to stay on track one day at a time.!

Stay busy and stay close.

Barb

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome!

This quit journey is like a roller coaster ride with ups and downs and twists and turns.  You are riding it like a champ so far!!!  You have almost joined the DDC (Double Digit Club)! Congrats!

An important thing you can still do  is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. I was amazed when I learned that the stress reduction you feel when you ingest nicotine is caused by the brain receptors calming that have gradually built in volume jonesing for their next fix!  I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking”  that brings light two other things you might not know.  You can purchase a digital version online or borrow it at your local library.  Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: Nicotine and Your Brain.

To make it easier going forward, you might want to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your walking shoes on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! .  Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.

After you have eliminated as many associations as you can, it is helpful to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. You might visit Games: The active ones are at the top of the list going down the left side of the page.

Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke - EX Community

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

You might want to join other site members by taking the daily pledge when you quit. It helps to hold yourself accountable and also accountable to others here. Find it at Home (top left), then first box titled Take the Daily Pledge.

Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

Nancy

[CommunityAdmin]

Welcome @ahadylailla! My name is Quiana, and I am a part of the EX Team. Congratulations on your decision to quit! I wanted to reach out and personally welcome you to the EX Community! We are so excited you have joined us. This is a very supportive community so feel free to keep us all posted on your quit journey reach out and let us know if you need anything.

Here are some articles that might be helpful as you prepare for your quit date: 

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/right-before-you-quit/

https://www.becomeanex.org/ex-resources/about-quitting/get-ready-to-quit/3-ways-to-get-your-support-...

Quiana, EX Team