The Big decision

[healthynewme]

I woke up today an hour "later" than I normally do...thanks to Daylight Savings.  For the past week I've been doing 10-30 minutes of Yoga per day but today I am running behind so no Yoga.  I've noticed over the past week that I am short of breath 5 minutes into any given session.  After noticing this, I also noticed that I am short of breath going up the stairs, bringing in the groceries and various daily activities...so I've decided to quit smoking. 

I don't like the thought of using patches, lozenges, or any other nicotine aid because in my opinion I'd rather rip it off like a band-aid.  BUT, I've tried to quit before and I know I need to be prepared this time.  So here I am, I've set my quit date for May 1st of this year and I've just started to track my cigarettes. 

I cannot wait to be able to move and breathe better. 

I wasted so much time clinging to this last addiction...2 1/2 years ago I quit caffiene, 2 years ago I quit alcohol and now I've got my sights set on nicotine...I am strong, I can do this. 

I had my first cigarette 20 years ago, with some friends behind our school.  I started smoking daily 4 years later.  When I got pregnant with my daughter 2 years later I quit because it made me sick and I had no choice, if you had a cigarette within the last 2 days and came anywhere near me I thew up!  Anyway, as soon as the sickness went away I picked it right back up. 

I loved smoking, at one point it made me "cool" or so I thought and now....well now it just makes me smell, I feel like an outcast, running outside in some gawdawful weather to have a smoke and having panic attacks if I don't time my drive right so I can have a smoke and "air out" before an appointment. 

The time has come to say goodbye to my cigarettes, we've been together off and on for a total of 20 years now and I'm ready to move on.  I look forward to breathing easy, smelling and tasting more and just a general better quality to my life without worrying about when I can have my next butt. 

And so I begin my journey with Day 1 of tracking my cigarettes...

[Thomas3.20.2010]

WELCOME!!! You found the perfect place to get the support you need to quit smoking! Just one thing - we (the community at large) hang out in the BLOGS! So click that BLOG button at the top and look for the little red X and the words ADD A BLOG! Click and repeat your intro!!! You'll instantly meet lots of great folks who'll help you with your quit! Best Wishes! If I can quit then you can too! My name is Thomas and I quit 358 Days ago!!!

[healthynewme]

Thank you Thomas!

[tatumferguson2]

Just remember that there is a community of quitters here and you are now committing yourself to becoming one too. Congratulations on your steps on initiating your quit, I have personally found this site very supportive, and just know you are not alone on your journey. You can totally do this. My name is Tatum....90 days and counting!!!

[healthynewme]

Thank you Tatum, congratulations on your quit!

[galaxian]

I just stopped on Mar. 12 at my Mom's, because she quit 6 years ago & there is no smoke in her house & I was spending a week vacation there.  I didn't want her to see me sneaking out for cigarettes.  When I got back to Utah, I told & committed to people not to smoke anymore.  I don' know if I will keep this promise.  I am afraid.  This is my 5th quit.  But I am going to stay away from the first puff until I go to bed tonight.

I know this battle will be harder than it's ever been.  I want to win it.

You look a pretty young, middle class lady with nice smooth skin & hopefully decent lungs.  That's pretty good for 20 years of smoking.  It won't get better with another 15 years of tobacco on top of that.  I still have a fairly good health, too, but the likelihood of some permanent damage is there, due to having started in 1976.

Do go ahead and quit on May 1.  Since I wrote you, I have a reason to stay quit.  If I do this, I'll have some news about it somewhere on this web site.

Best of luck to you.  This can be done.  It's very hard, but other smokers have done it.  Cheerio!