Growin' up is hard to do.

I hope I didn't give anyone the impression that I expected to do all the work and reap all the benefits in the next ten minutes. :) It's going to be a process, and likely a very long process. Life long, I expect. But I have some added perspective about just what has welded the addiction to my identity. It's not just a biochemical thing. it has served a purpose... I've used it as a tool to harm myself in many ways. My grandmother used to tell me that I should never pick up that first cigarette because, amongst other things, it would stunt my growth. She was right. It has stunted my growth. Fortunately, that doesn't have to be permanent. :) Thanks, Jaz. "Empowering" is good. Growing up is good too. Heck, I was in the process of doing that even before I quit. It's been a life-long pursuit of mine. And unless I plateau out somewhere, I'll still be growing up the day I leave this orb. At least, I sure hope I will be. Angellcapp, I like your attitude! "A day in hell?? Sure, and so what?" That's sometimes the price of admission. We don't get to see the goodies unless we pay the price. And it's not like smoking was a laugh-riot. Then we suffered to get progressively worse. Now we suffer to get well. That seems like a far better deal to me. Changing, we'll become the beautiful butterflies we really always were. And you know... I don't think that's far from the truth. I think there's a certain joy of living that many of us have robbed ourselves of for a long, long time. I'm going to experience it. I hope we both will! Casey, I read something the other day about embracing the cravings, rather than running from them. Embracing them and watching as they die in my embrace. I love that. For me, I think it's the way to go. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 171 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $55.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 45 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

Taking the Time

Amen to that. They are the living testimony that it can be done, and that's the conviction we cling to; that we can be free too.

Caught in the crossroads

It's an old time-worn adage, Joe... but that's because it's true. There's no sin in falling down. The sin is in staying down. You're obviously not content to stay down. You're going to beat this. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 171 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $55.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 46 [B]Seconds:[/B] 54

To those who quit in March 07

Rachel, day three was my worst day so far. Day four was almost too good to be true... and that didn't last, but I knew it probably wouldn't, and I was fine with that. Day five started as more of a struggle but I was in good shape by 3 that afternoon. Today hasn't been great but it's definately been OK. So no... if I were you I would expect that things will get quite a bit better soon. Not that it matters... because you're gonna stay quit no matter how bad it is and no matter how long that lasts...right? :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 170 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $55.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 46

Life Overhaul

Jaz, I'm definately seeing some things differently... or more completely. I teach at an inner-city school, dirt poor kids of drug-addicted/alcoholic parents. Probably 80% of them anyway. So...no, this is the work I've always wanted to do. There's not many jobs out there I'd rather do. I'm dad to three amazing human-beings, who live with me about 60% of the time. (With their mom the rest of the time) And that IS... the best gig I'll EVER have! Being my children's father is the most incredible, most fulfilling thing I've ever done or will ever do! But what I do see differently is how I want to function in the midst of all that. How I want to feel about my life and the way I'm involved with it. The smoking left me feeling defeated. It had robbed me of my vitality, my enthusiasm and my vision for the future. It was not only poisoning my body, but my life as well. That's what I want to change. I want to experience life as fully as I can. I want escape the prison of my addiction. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 6 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 172 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $55.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 25

Growin' up is hard to do.

I see that there's a lot of issues that I haven't faced head on. Rather, I've turned to cigarettes, as a buffer, as a distraction... as solace. Now that dubious luxury is gone. I'm left standing out in the midst of the elements, exposed to the wind and the heat and rain. I've lost my refuge, and I'm left with the cravings... the panic. Maybe the real challenge for me is less the cigarettes than it is learning to face life on life's terms, unbuffered, in all it's glory. Not out of my peripheral vision as I peer through exhaled smoke, but directly, eye to eye... and with nowhere to run. Maybe I just need to grow up.

Life Overhaul

Wow... Well, you're right. I don't see myself that way. And I'm very humbled that you would see me that way. It's funny... actually, what I see everyday helps me in my quit. As hard as withdrawal from cigarettes is... the worst of it doesn't last for more than a few weeks, and that's usually followed, in fairly short order, by a life that feels pretty good. I mean... it may take a year or two before the adjustment is complete, depending on the variables, but as a rule... things get much better before long. And usually there's a very large pay-off that justifies the effort. What I see in a lot of young lives is a daily struggle that goes on for many years, and too often never gets better... even into adulthood. I could go down the list of injustices and abuses that many of these kids have to live with... but you probably have a pretty good idea. Anyway, the stuff I see way too much of, everyday, helps to put my current battle with addiction to cigarettes, in perspective. When I come out the other side of this (and I will), my life is going to look and feel very good. I have much to be grateful for now, and once I'm free of this addiction, my life will be even better. And the thing is... it's all in my control. A challenge? You bet! But I can do it. But many of the kids I work with have almost no say over where they find themselves or the challenges they're faced with. But they're resilient. They may have almost nothing, not even the basics... but they can still laugh, they can still create, they can still hope... they can still find meaning in their lives. Yeah, they make it easier for me. If you think I'm inspirational, you should meet them. :) Hey, Jaz? We're doing this. It's been a long 7 days...for both of us, but we've made it this far... and we're not looking back, right? There's just the road ahead, and a new life. I'm glad you're here. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 196 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $64.75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 37

To those who quit in March 07

LOL!! Lucky, you're doing all the things you're supposed to be doing! (The dumb things included) :) And you're attitude is great! Keep it up!

I'm scared

Hi, Denise... and welcome! Sure, I was scared. And sometimes I still am. Scared I can't adjust to living without cigarettes... because that's the way I've lived for so long. But everyday that passes makes me a little more confident, and a little more accepting of myself as a nonsmoker. If this is what you want and if you're willing to walk through the fire for a short while... you can have a new life, a better life. But you have to accept some pain. You have to be in this for the long-haul, or you won't make it. There are things, like Zyban or Nicotine Patches that will alleviate some of the physical withdrawal, but there will still be the psychological changes... and they're usually a bonafide challenge. It will take a sustained effort and a committment to stay with it. But many of us are doing it. Some, like me, for only a short while, and others for several years. It's being done all the time. Millions of people have proven and are proving that there's life after addiction to cigarettes. So, welcome aboard. You can do this, and we're all rooting for you! And we're here to encourage you, to support you, as you go forward. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 196 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $64.75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 42 [B]Seconds:[/B] 3

To those who quit in March 07

And oh...by the way... [color=Red]That's ONE WEEK for me!!!![/color] Also, congrats to Roz who has also arrived at that lofty milestone!! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 184 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $64.75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 54 [B]Seconds:[/B] 50