I know I can do this!

[oohla]

Hi all! One week to go to my quit date. Excited about it, but nervous, too! Last time I tried this, I started out strong but lasted only a month. This time, I know I can defeat this monster! Today is my MServersary. Thirteen years of having MS. I am dealing with it better and better, although the disease does slowly progress. Perhaps quitting cigarettes will give my body just the boost I need to continue my fitness routine and I just may find out I am stronger than I knew and walk without my walker.  Perhaps I will one day I will find myself walking without any assistance! These will be long range goals... My first priority will be to quit next week!

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Welcome to EX   

You have come to the right place if you are making the decision to commit to quit smoking.  At EX our resolve is to never smoke again.  NOPE “Not one puff ever.”  I suggest that you follow the steps on the web site pages along with reading, writing, studying, researching and blogging if you like.

This is all about you and what you are willing to do to be a nonsmoker.  If you haven’t read it or have not been informed here is a link to Allen Carr’s book, “Easy Way to Quit Smoking”.  It is an easy read suggested by the “elders” (those with 1+ yrs. quit).

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

Also check out www.whyquit.com.  There is a lot of additional beneficial information to read and study.  Look for Freedom From Nicotine My Journey Home and Nicotine Addiction 101. Both were extremely helpful for me.  Stay close to the site and learn, ask questions. Read the blogs and most of all enjoy your commitment to quit smoking.

If you should need something to do here is a link that will help

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...).

 If you t ake the time to do the work you will have success.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

you have come to the right place for a forever quit. 

[kristen-9-7-15]

Welcome! Definitley read the Allen Carr book! Jackie gave you the link above. I'm glad you're excited and it's okay to be nervous.

When exactly is your quit date?

[oohla]

Dec 23rd quit date

[carolynt]

Congratulations on your commitment to quit.  I'm on my 97th smoke free day and it's not been too bad.  Mornings were my hardest times but I kept a jigsaw puzzle going all the time for the first 2 months.  I would just get up, pour my coffee and start working on the puzzle.  I think this helped me a lot to have something to do with my hands and also kept cigarettes off my mind.  also came to this site every day and read all the blogs and that encouraged me to keep fighting the cravings.  You can do it too!

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

The most important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I also highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read.

As well, read the sections on this site, and read the blogs, responses and pages of folks you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com and quitsmokingonline.com for the good information contained there. You should also do the tracking and separation exercises suggested on this site

After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. But – any method that you think will work well for you will be best for you.

The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.  Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different.

You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around your head alone.  Get busy!

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.

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

[Strudel]

Welcome to the site! You have come to the perfect place for support on this journey! Be sure to do the reading mentioned above - the Carr book totally changed the way I thought about smoking! After 40 years of smoking - I quit! You can too! Stay close! Read! 

[Danno_11-10-12]

Education, commitment, and attitude are the keys to success.  This place is an excellent resource and among friends, you will find all of those things you desire.  Live by NOPE:  not one puff ever.  This takes the excuse out of smoking again

[TerrieQuit]

Welcome! This is a great community and a great place to stop smoking! I am glad you have made the decision to quit!

Terrie 163  DOF

[Puff-TM-Draggin]

RE: "I know I can do this."

Yeah.  Right.  That's what JACKIE 012515, ~kristen~ 9.7.15, CarolynT, Youngatheart (7.4.12), Strudel, Danno (11-10-12), Terrie quit 07-06-2015, and I said when we found this site too.

And we did.  I know you CAN too.