SEVEN YEARS

[Storm.3.1.14]

I bet there are folks here today who are passionately yearning for their first 7 days. Or their first 7 weeks. Or 77 days. And, yes, their own 7 Year Anniversary!

Good! We want you to be passionate about your quit! We want you to be passionate about your milestones! We want you to be as passionate about winning your first month as you are about winning your first year (or 7 years!)

But, have you noticed yet that your passion wants to run faster than your quitmeter? The milestones seem to drag their way to your door, even though your passions are running weeks and miles ahead. So, why does it feel like the early milestones take forevvvvver to arrive?

Easy: Your passion is always waiting for your courage to catch up.

It takes courage -- and astounding doses of patience! -- to live your quit one day at a time. Your passion wants 7 years -- right now! -- but you need to have the courage to get it right -- just for today.

So, how about this compromise: Be passionate about your courage!

Be strong today.

Be stronger tomorrow!

Be passionate about next week.

And about next year!

But...

Cultivate the courage to get there!

One...day...at...a...time!

STORM

2557 DAYS OF COURAGE

[Giulia]

Happiest of 7ths to you Storm!  Celebrating with you today.  We definitely got it right.  Here's to passionate quitting!  

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Giulia‌!!!!!

[JACKIE1-25-15]

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, JACKIE1-25-15‌!

[sweetplt]

Congratulations on glorious years quit...way to go...Storm.3.1.14 

~ Colleen 

[Barbscloud]

Congrats on 7 fabulous years.

Barb

[Storm.3.1.14]

My quit buddy, Derek, texted me this badge this morning...

We met here on EX, and we have the same Quit Day, but he stopped being active here years and years ago. Instead, we text weekly, and we have face-to-face reunions once a year! Either here in The Carolinas, or in Florida.

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Barb!

Barbscloud‌

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Colleen!

sweetplt‌

[RachelMB]

Awesome job!  7 years is truly amazing!

Rachel

[Legend]

Yay!!!  Congratulations on your 7 years today.  It sure is nice not to have to go outside to smoke in this weather anymore I’m happy to see you still going strong with your quit.

[indingrl]

Storm - I am SOOOOOOO glad for YOU

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, RachelMB‌!

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Christine! Legend‌

It's always good to see you again!

(Yes, I was glad I'm not in Texas!)

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Diana Joy! indingrl‌

You're such a positive force of courage around here!

[Jennifer-Quit]

Hope that all is well with you!

[Trisha76]

Congratulations on 7 years!!

[elvan]

CONGRATULATIONS, Storm! I could not be happier for you. I LOVE the badge that Derek sent you & l love the fact that you two share your quit date & that you have kept in close touch. One of the highlights of the texts l get from you is the amazing way that l can travel vicariously to all of the beautiful & historical places that you find & celebrate! Thank you SO MUCH for giving me those precious gifts! Happy seventh, here’s to the NEXT seven! I remember messaging someone on here when we both hit 100 days & then it seemed as though time stood still, it’s funny how that happens with our quits but then, in other ways, life FLIES by. A great big masked & socially distanced hug to you, my friend!

Ellen

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Jennifer-Quit‌!

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Trisha76‌!

[Storm.3.1.14]

Oh, it's always a pleasure sending you my travel photos, Ellen elvan‌! I'll be strolling through some Revolutionary fort or some such, and I'll suddenly stop and think, "Ellen would love this!"

You and Derek have been such constant forces of friendship and support -- for 7 years! I simply couldn't imagine my quit without you two in it!

Thank you for stopping by to celebrate with me, my dear friend. Always a pleasure! 

[Storm.3.1.14]

I celebrated my 7 years tonight with this dinner of Chu Chee Thai Salmon...

[Strudel]

Oh Storm - how wonderful! Happy 7 year anniversary to you! Great to see you. 

[Sootie]

NICE GOING STORM!!!!!! Hope you celebrated big time!!

[Storm.3.1.14]

It just wouldn't be the same milestone if you didn't stop by, Kathy! Always good to see you!

By the way, I am still mulling over a summertime road trip to Greensboro & Winston-Salem, Strudel‌. Let's see if we can't socially distance somewhere outside? I'll keep you posted...

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, Sootie‌! I've been eating little rewards just about all day! 

[Bonnie]

Wahoo!  Seven years of smobriety!  And a great blog post, too! When I grow up I want to be just like you!

Bonnie  ~1150 days of freedom from nicotine (but I had this many quit days before in my 20's and blew that quit for a really stupid reason.  I will NEVER take this quit for granted. I'll be 76 when I have 7 years (if I'm fortunate to live that long ). N.O.P.E works for me, one day at a time...

[Bonnie]

YUMMO!  Thai food is my fave!  I'll have to try this!

[Storm.3.1.14]

Bonnie‌, I could eat only Thai food for the rest of my life! 

[Storm.3.1.14]

Bonnie‌, I made all my stupid mistakes before I came to EX, so all I really had to do was get smart enough to not repeat my past here. (Of course, that means retraining and support, and that's why I'm grateful for this community.)

See you at 7!

[MarilynH]

A super congratulations Storm on your fantastic fabulous beautiful glorious wonderful humongous ginormous magnificent amazing spectacular splendiferous stupendous 7 precious Smokefree years and counting YAY for each and every YEAR WON!

[Mike.n.Atlanta]

Well, sorry  I'm 2 days late for your celebration but that doesn't make my feelings any less sincere.

Huge congratulations on your

SEVEN YEARS OF

FREEDOM!

It's seven right...

[Bonnie]

Me too!

[Storm.3.1.14]

Thank you, MarilynH‌!!!!!!!

[Storm.3.1.14]

Hey, Mike.n.Atlanta‌, I'm just following your lead, and working to stack up 17 years --- like you! (almost!)

Thanks for the huzzah, big guy!

[indingrl]

Awe thank you for your kind words Storm

[JulieSw]

STORM !!!!!! How are you doing???? I hit my 7 year mark a few days after you on march 4

[MarilynH]

A super congrats to you JulieSw on your fantastic fabulous beautiful glorious wonderful humongous ginormous magnificent amazing spectacular splendiferous stupendous 7 precious Smokefree years and counting YAY for each and every YEAR WON with many more to come!

[JulieSw]

Thanks so much

[elvan]

CONGRATULATIONS on SEVEN glorious years of freedom! So good to hear from you.

Ellen