At this moment, life is good.

I've come to see that there's a lot of value in a few moments of feeling good and right with the world. At day four in my quit...chances are pretty good that I'm going to have some challenges today around my quit. I'm going to have some cravings, at times I'm not going to feel all that comfortable in my own skin,... I'm going to find myself mentally reaching for that cigarette (that isn't there)... and drawing back, reminding myself that I don't smoke anymore. There's going to be moments or minutes of anxiety, grief, anger, sadness, disorientation... But in the midst of all that... there will also be periods of hope, gratitude, perhaps a sense of 'normalcy'... At this moment I feel good. I'm writing this and I'm focused on my vision for the future. At this moment... the craving isn't there. I can appreciate that my body is healing, my identity is changing... the ways I relate to the world around me is becoming healthier and less self-destructive. This moment is the reward that I kept looking for in a cigarette, and never found. The cigarettes gave me artificial relief, a false sense of satisfaction and affirmation... they gave me a lie, and then asked me to pay for it with my health, my quality of life, my self-image... and ultimately my life itself. Today will have its challenges. I'm learning how to live life on different terms, and there's going to be some pain. But there will also be moments like this, when I'm happy to be alive, and becoming more 'fully alive' than I've been in almost 34 years. For today, that's enough. It's a promise of things to come. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 4 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 113 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $37 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 47

To those who quit in March 07

March-Mellows :)

Day three. Me no like.

Thanks, Nonic! Not even my ex-wife ever called me beautiful. I'll have to work on getting my head around that one. :) But thank-you! This morning is much better than yesterday, but I have no illusions. I'm probably going to be on the roller-coaster for a bit, and that's fine. No matter what... I'm in this for the long-haul. I didn't do this to fail, and I knew what I was in for. Reading all the posts here is a super support for me, and I thank you all for being here and sharing this journey with me. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 4 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 114 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $37 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 49 [B]Seconds:[/B] 37

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Agreed Lainey! And here's another well-seasoned thread that every newbie should read, from the 'long-timers' to those struggling through the initial stages of a smoke-free life: [url=http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/support/viewmessages.aspx?forum=1&topic=17451]Long-timers[/url]

Bump and Grind (day two)

Sounds good, Joe! Sorry that your quit is starting out with the extra complication, but you sound like someone who's determined... like you've got your eyes on the prize. Good on ya! And we'll be here to hear you complain as much as you like. :) It's part of the service. LOL!

To those who quit in March 07

March 6th here. This is my 4th full day (and I won't add "if I make it" because I know I will. The door is closed. There's nothing to go back to.) Rachael, I'm on the patch and I put it on right after my last cigarette. That worked fine for me. It's wonderful to read through all your posts. They're a real shot in the arm. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 4 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 111 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $37 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 29 [B]Seconds:[/B] 1

Day one down - Still alive

JoJo, I hate to say it but day one wasn't that tough for me. Day three (yesterday) was considerably worse. But I'm sure that everyone experiences the first while as a non-smoker differently. You may find that the first day was the worst. I was here at SSC a couple of years ago and I remember that there was a lot of diversity in the way people experienced 'hell week'. Some suffered like crazy from the get-go... and some handled it a lot better. I didn't even join SSC until I had a full week in, and as I remember it, that first week was easier for me than it is this time 'round. So I think there's a lot that factors in to how we're effected, not just the first week or two, but well into our quits. I remember reading posts from people who were a month in and were feeling terrific; they we're managing the cravings well... and really enjoying their lives. While others at 6 months were still dreading every day. They felt that they were under a constant barrage of overwhelming cravings... and they wondered if it was ever going to end. I was one of those who really felt good after a couple of weeks. By the time I hit 90 days... I was feeling very comfortable as a non-smoker. So, why did I go back smoking? Well, suffice it to say that I encountered the one thing I always knew would be my ultimate trigger, and when that happened... I didn't even try to overcome it. I think I was actually looking to kill myself at that point, so the cigs just seemed like a good idea. Anyway, over two years later... I've moved on, my life has changed, and I'm back to a place where I feel good about my chances to become a non-smoker. More than that, really. I've laid the groundwork and created a life that will support my decision to become a non-smoker. Perhaps I could have achieved that even in a more tenuous and chaotic environment, but I decided to wait until things stabilized. Now that they have, I need to quit smoking, and that's why I'm here. This support group was a wonderful aid for me 2 years ago, and I believe it will be again. My prior experience taught me some very painful lessons, and I believe that they will hold me in good stead as I enter into my second major attempt to free my life from this addiction. Anyway, this is day 4 for me. I can't live my

Prayer

Mercy, I don't know if SSC has a position on this or not, but I do. I fully intend to use prayer, and anything else that makes sense to me, as a quit-smoking aid. :) One of the reasons I'm quitting is because I've come to understand just how precious life is, what a gift it is, and I want to honor that. I also want to experience my earthly existance for a while yet. Smoke-free.

How far have you come ?

End to end? I think I could get out of the computer room. :)

Day three. Me no like.

Last night was tough, and I woke up with stronger cravings this morning than I have since I first quit a few days ago. I won't have a smoke today, no matter how bad it gets...but I'm just saying... it's not a lot of fun right now. I'll keep doing what I know to do, and hopefully I'll get a little more comfortable with being a non-smoker soon. I think what sparked these stronger cravings is that, all of a sudden, I have more on my plate. The busier I was, the more I smoked, so now as things are getting busier, as the demands on me are increasing, I'm feeling more compulsed about smoking. I'm going to make a concerted effort to slow down a little, and take things a little less seriously today. I'm glad that you're all out there, and I take courage in the fact that I'm not the only one going through this. Many of you are struggling, and succeeding, as shall I. It's all about this moment... that's all any of us have... 'right now'. So, like so many of you, I'm going to seize the moment and live my life the way I truly want to; smoke-free. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/6/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 3 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 82 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $27.75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 0 [B]Seconds:[/B] 12