This article help me a lot, enjoy: Think for a moment of your life as a tightly woven piece of fabric. Each thread represents the events and experiences you�ve had. And running alongside all of the many "life" threads are threads of a finer gauge. So fine in fact, they�re impossible to see with the naked eye. Those threads are your smoking habit, and they�ve become so interwoven in the fabric of your life, you find you can�t do anything without thinking about how smoking will fit into it. The associations that we build up over a lifetime between the activities in our lives and smoking are very closely knit. Once you quit smoking, your job becomes one of unraveling those smoking threads, or associations, one by one. How does that happen? And how long does it take? Practice Makes Perfect Recovery from this addiction is a process of gradual release over time. Every smoke free day you complete is teaching you how to live your life without cigarettes. Bit by bit, you�re reprogramming your responses to the daily events that trigger the urge to smoke. The more practice you get, the less urges will plague you. Over the course of your first smoke free year, you'll encounter most of the events and situations in your daily life that you associate with smoking. Some smoking triggers are seasonal in nature and can create strong urges to smoke months into your quit. For instance, if you quit smoking during the winter and you're an avid gardener, you could find yourself craving a smoke break the first time you're out digging in the dirt the following Spring. It may hit you with an intensity you haven't felt in months. Don't worry! Once you make your way through the trigger smoke free, you'll move on with ease. The first year is all about firsts...experiencing the many daily events in your life smoke free for the first time. And, it's all about practice. You built your smoking habit through years of practice. Now, build the nonsmoking you the same way. Practice is a necessary part of recovery, so try to relax and let time help you. The more of it you put between yourself and that last cigarette you smoked, the stronger you�ll become. It�s All In The Attitude With that said, there�s another step in finding permanent freedom from this addiction that is ju

I got to around 100 + days before, and yes I didnt think about smoking hardly ever at that point which was fairly amazing. It does get easier - but as you said, you smoked for 20 years... therefore you can hardly expect a 20 year habit to go away in 20 days!! give it time!

Hello I have been smoking for 20 years and this is my first quit that lasted more than 7 days. Yea, I am so excited to make it this far but.... Will I ever wake up, have coffee and never think about firing one up?? Will I always want a smoke in the back of my mind? What is with this part that I can not let go???? THis is going to be a long day! mon [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/22/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 30 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 608 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $90 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 4 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

thanks guys i really needed that articile and the encouragement from everyone. I need know what to expect and that article really explained the first!! I feel like an island right now, I do not have any friends that know what i am going through. My parents are so sweet and listen.. they do not have a clue. I try not to discuss it with my hubby, he is still smoking. what a crazy habit / we all started... thanks again mon [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/22/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 30 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 615 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $90 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 3 [B]Mins:[/B] 59 [B]Seconds:[/B] 8

Good Morning Oodlechick, I think today is day 40 for me. Guess what the first thought in my brain was this morning when I opened my eyes? My first thoughts were about smoking, about my recovery process ... it is downright tiring to be so consumed with all this. Are you thinking about getting a cigarette and lighting it up and inhaling the smoke? Is that what you are wanting to do? If so ... please stop thinking you are missing something by not smoking. You aren't. Cigarettes are nothing but a pack of lies. Literally! They offer you absolutely nothing! Start looking at putting the smoke down as a gift to yourself, because that is exactly what it is. OR... Are you just thinking about the subject of smoking? If this is the case, realize that you are probably going to be thinking about it for awhile ... you are recovering from a drug that you used over and over and over again for many years. You do not have to WANT the drug though. But you do have to put nonsmoking memories on top of smoking memories so that one day you DO NOT think about the subject of smoking all the time. If this ^^^ is how you are feeling ... I understand and you are not alone. I get tired of thinking about it as well. I find it very irritating. I wish it could just be over and I could just get on with my life .... but I have to take deep breathes and step back and realize Rome was not built in a day. We can build Rome though ... together ... one day at a time. Thinkin' of you oodlechick ... hope you are doing better. You are a May Quitter ... you rock ... don't forget that! (((((hugs)))))) ~Breaking Free~ [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/12/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 40 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,221 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $160 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 11 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

oodle This to shall pass. Reward yourself bigtime for getting to where you are, refocus on you goals and benefits. You can make it through. 30 days can pass to 60 in the wink of an eye or in a heartbeat. Stay Strong Stay Quit Phillip [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 124 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,488 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $930 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 20 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 36 [B]Seconds:[/B] 27

oodle, This is great progress and it will go away :) Take that time to make a list of hobbies and activities, even chores that will distract you. This is a life change for you and you will become a healthier better you! Keep Strong, Josie _____________________ The SSC Support Team.