hello from Texas

[shecan14]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site. My name is Sheila and i have smoked for 20 years. I've quit before, but always went back to smoking. Because of bad health I'm finally really ready to quit for good this time. My brother died Dec 7th, smoker...Heart Attack....I didnt quit then. I've had heart attacks, strokes, on my 2nd defibrillator. Two stents in my L.A.D., a week ago had balloon angioplasty...am i just stupid or what? I'm ready to Quit! 2-28-15, is my quit date. Thanks, Sheila

[Storm.3.1.14]

  WELCOME to EX! You’re here because, like us, you want to be rid of cigarettes. We can help you with that, yes.

  There is plenty of useful information and activities right here in the EX program, and there’s plenty more information at other websites that many of our most successful quitters will mention to you. Explore every resource made available to you, and use the ones that work best for you.

  Please, do all the exercises here, in the time required, especially those that ask you to PRACTICE quitting BEFORE you actually quit. You’ll be asked to skip that "after-lunch smoke", for example, in order to figure out how you feel about that and what you’ll do instead to make it better. Then, you’ll skip a "bored smoke" and a "stressed smoke" and other smokes to PRACTICE being without them, and to PRACTICE doing something in place of them. The last thing you want to do is quit without having any skills under your belt.

  Finally, you don’t have to do this alone. We're your support group, so communicate with us, be sure to leave comments of support for other people (it‘s a two-way street around here), report your progress, and let us help you. 

[Ms.J_11-10-2013]

Yes Sheila after reading your page you MUST QUIT.  And you know what, you can!!  Education is key to a solid quit`so you have to learn about the addiction and how it has a hold over you, and  to find the best way for you to beat it.  An Elder ( someone on this site that has a year or years quit) will be along and offer reading material for you.  Suggest different sites and offer encouragement and support.  Come here often read, learn, blog and support.  It is so doable and for the love of those grandkids its a must!!

Welcome!!

Jackie

Ms J

471 DOF

[shecan14]

Thanks to both of you, Storm and Jackie, I will follow your advice. This morning instead of having a cigarette as soon as I got up or with my coffee...I waited over 2 hours, then lit one and drank water, smoked half and put it out. Then brushed my teeth. I so admire all the sucess stories on here. I will support others and practice and i will quit!

[Diane145]

She can and she will!!

It's unfortunate that you are having some health problems.  Becoming a non-smoker will only make you healthier.  I wish you health and happiness! 

Keep in touch we can can all help you progress!!

God Bless!!

[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 highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. Here is a link to a free PDF version of it:

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

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.

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

[prjimm01]

You will so enjoy your new life and health.  Welcome!

[Magstoyou]

Welcome to the site Sheila

The people are very loving and caring people. We really want you to stolp too and it is doable. I know I couldn't have done it with out this site. Stay close and read the blog's and don't hesitate to ask questions. Also Blog too. Educate yourself about the nicotine addiction!!!

Best wishes for a great quit!!

Mag581DOF

[shecan14]

Thanks to all of you for the tips, and advice. Thanks for the book link. I'm going to download it. I'm blessed that my ex-husband is quitting with me. I will try to help all of you too. I can do thid one breath at a time, thanks, Sheila

[SkyGirl]

Hi, Sheila, and welcome to EX!  This is a great place and you will find so many new friends and amazing support.  You CAN do this.  If we did it, you can do it, too.  Because your nicotine addiction is no stronger nor harder to beat than any of our nicotine addictions were!

Don't worry if you feel reluctant, worried, scared and not even wanting to quit.  That's how most of us arrived here on EX!  

Successful quitting is mostly found in how you are THINKING about quitting.  You don't have to want to quit when you begin your Quit.  (The "wanting" will come later, I promise)  But you do have to do three very important things:

1) You have to DECIDE to quit.

2) You have to COMMIT to that decision.

3) And you have to HONOR your commitment every moment of every day, even when you don't want to.

Youngatheart (Nancy) has given you the link to the most important reading to start with.  That book "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr, will flip your thinking around from feeling like you are "sacrificing" something, "giving up" something or "doing without" something you love into feeling that you will be gaining your FREEDOM from nicotine.

Preparation for your Quit is essential.  Think about giving yourself a few more days to prepare, Sheila.  Your Quit Date is set for just four days from now.  It's up to you, of course, but most people say it takes about two weeks to get a solid foundation of preparation in place.  Remember, you want to be free of cigarettes forever, right?  If it takes a few extra days to get ready to do that successfully, it's worth it.  

I'm going to give you a few blogs to read that might also help you get ready.  I'm lousy with doing links, so I'll just give you the titles of the blogs.  If you enter a title into the Search box at the top right-hand side of the page, it should pull it up easily.  (If not, let me know by sending me a message on my message board on my page.)

1) "Forewarned, Forearmed, To Be Prepared is Half the Victory"

2) "To New Members: About All That Reading We Keep Telling You To Do"

3)  "About Being Afraid"

4) "Sky Girl = Broken Record"

5) "How I Learned to Stop Smoking"

6) "A Smart Turkey"

Of course, there are hundreds of great blogs written by many of our Elders.  Just start browsing people's pages and their blogs.  You'll get inspired.

Again, welcome to you, Sheila!  You can do this!

xxxooo,   Sky

[Summer-Rain]

((((WAVING))))) Hey Sheila, I am a fellow TEXAN as well.  welcome to the site.  I am 49 days smoke free.  If I can do it so can you.  Just like everyone said before me do your reading, visit this site often, and blog about your feelings.  We are here to help each other.  We owe it to ourselves and our family to kick this nasty habit of smoking.  Take one minute, one hour, one day at a time.

The journey continues ~ Summer Rain~

[shecan14]

Been reading, I'm ready...day 1 here I come....wouldn't be ready without all of you! I want to be one of you a real EX!