Hi Stormy - I'm afraid I'm nowhere close to your stats so take any words from me with a grain of salt. I'm a little wobbly right now but I do remember some of the best days being when I got out of my rutt. Trying to quit smoking while doing everything else the same is a fight all the way. Taking the time to go shopping to "pick" out rewards, buying things I "wanted" and not just things I needed....getting out of the house to the gym, the mall, friends, etc., crawling in bed early with a good book AND the remote control - all things that I never did before. Have you rewarded yourself? Of course you want "something"...we need things/people/activities in our life that make us feel happy, relaxed - what does this for you? I'm not sure if you can just MAKE yourself be positive...but doing things that make you feel good leads you in the right direction. I know I'm moving forward but it's 2 steps forward, one step back and I get tired of the steps backward. I wish I had a magic formula.........but all I have to offer is my support and wish that there was something I could do. Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 60 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,217 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $300 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 36 [B]Seconds:[/B] 59

Thanks, Stormy, for sharing your experience. And also thanks to other friends for your valuable advice. In my own experience, I think that we should be more patient in our quitting process. It may take several months to heal the wounds, both physical and mental, caused by smoking (in my case, 35 years of smoking!). Cheers, nmc [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 8/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 78 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 782 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $390 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 14 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 35 [B]Seconds:[/B] 9

Stormy, Don't beat yourself up! You're still quit and that's what counts. Yes, I have done stupid things like that too like destroying pictures of people that I was mad at at the time, and then regretting it later because they are the only things I will ever have to remember those people and I destroyed them. So yes, I COMPLETELY understand where you are coming from. As to the hard time, yes, I think that it can and probably does have a lot to do with your attitude, but you're also just past the 100 day mark, which is often a VERY tough time for many people. Lots of quitters quit their quits at the dreaded 100 day mark, and you might just be hitting this low a little later than most. But hang in there... it does pass! Congrats on almost 4 months!!! :) Crave the Quit! Pam [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 10/28/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 378 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 9,469 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1561.14 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 27 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 46 [B]Seconds:[/B] 37

Ever regret something that came about as a result of simply having a bad attitude? Well today I managed it. Because of this bad attitude I have been dealing with for a few days now, I did something really stupid. I have been keeping a journal for years now. Today, I was re-reading some of it, and my "attitude" decided it was worded dumb, lame, and rediculous, so I destroyed it. Yep, shredded it...page by frickin page. Now I REALLY feel badly. I had written about so many wonderful memories in there, along with a few not so wonderful ones. I was mad at myself before, but now I am outraged at myself. For several days now, I have had a hard time in dealing with my quit. It has been 116 days now and quite frankly, I thought that at this point into it, that I would be doing much better by now. I am learning the hard way I suppose, that stopping smoking is at the very least 75% positive attitude in how you perceive yourself as well as your abilities to accomplish goals. This bad attitude is like dealing with a rebellious child. Just try and get it to do the right thing and watch it do the opposite. I have even managed to get on my own nerves! At this point, if the opportunity presented itself, I would probably cave. I know what you are going to say, "You would toss away 116 days so easily just so you can start back on day 1"? Well, at this point, if I started back smoking, I don't know that I would even try to quit again. I am just so tired fighting this battle, as it seems that it never lets up, never gets easier with each day that passes. My resolve to beat this just keeps getting weaker and weaker. I only want to feel like myself again and get over that "something's missing" feeling. I feel that this quit has become more about expectations of me than what I choose. Yes, this is an issue that I wish wasn't, but I cannot wish it away, nor can I force myself to feel something that I don't. See, I don't believe in living my life in a hypocritical manner. To say that I am "hanging on" is putting it mildly. I do not know how to look at this quit anymore. The only thing I hang on to, is not wanting others to lose faith in me, especially my husband, and I do not want to be a big disappointment to them either.. I ask you...Does this sound somewhat hypocritical to y

Hope you feel better soon! I'll be thinking of you! Stay strong. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 64 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,200 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $512 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 59 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24

I am really sorry to hear about what happened to your journal. Don't beat yourself up over it as it will not bring it back. Learn and move on. That is really all we can do with anything in life. [quote]I am learning the hard way I suppose, that stopping smoking is at the very least 75% positive attitude in how you perceive yourself as well as your abilities to accomplish goals.[/quote] This is awesome. If you are in fact learning this, then hang in there as your journey will get easier the more you apply this new found knowledge to your life. [quote]This bad attitude is like dealing with a rebellious child. Just try and get it to do the right thing and watch it do the opposite.[/quote] The trick is to not punish the inner rebellious child, but to redirect them into a more positive direction. *repeat as necessary ... hehe! [quote]I am just so tired fighting this battle, as it seems that it never lets up, never gets easier with each day that passes. My resolve to beat this just keeps getting weaker and weaker.[/quote] Stop fighting and start doing. Meaning don't concentrate on fighting the addiction, concentrate on living life. Just do it. *no, I don't work for Nike ... lol! [quote]I only want to feel like myself again and get over that "something's missing" feeling.[/quote] Think back to when you smoked. Do you really want to feel like that again? Out of breath? Out of shape? Stinky? Paying $3.50 - $7.00 a pack to kill yourself? Avoiding emotions behind the cloud of addiction? Is that your old self? What about smoking is good for you? How does it help you mentally, physically, or spiritually? How? It doesn't. Nicotine addiction is nothing but a big lie. Dissect the lie & focus on the truth. [quote]I feel that this quit has become more about expectations of me than what I choose.[/quote] I'm not sure if I totally understand what you are saying here. Is it that others are placing expectations on you and your quit? Do you think that you are not doing this for you, but for someone else? [quote]Yes, this is an issue that I wish wasn't, but I cannot wish it away, nor can I force myself to feel something that I don't. See, I don't believe in living my life in a hypocritical manner. To say that I am "hanging on" is putting

Stormy, You've received some really GREAT advice from your fellow quitters!! I can only echo them. It's okay to be on the pity pot, you've reached up and we will help you get off. Chin up. Danielle _______________________ The SSC Support Team

I am so sorry you are having such a rough time. I have now words of wisdom, just concern. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 11/7/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 3 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 38 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $9 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 7 [B]Seconds:[/B] 25

stormy, it does get better. I'm barely ahead of you quit wise but it does. Last weekend it hit me aside the head and I'm a non-smoker now, NOT an ex-smoker but I feel like I have never smoked. I had a rough day today but I"m back full strength and in time to enjoy the weekend. Time for a reward because that is what I was lacking in. Please keep at it and ride this out. I'm on the new im if you want to chat further. Hugs Kim [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/7/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 156 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,920 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $631.8 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 13 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 7

Big hugs Stormy. Oh how I remember hanging on by my fingernails. Wishing to be anything but quit. Wanting that just one cigarette but know that just one meant I would smoke forever because I wouldn't ever have the courage to quit again. Knowing I wouldn't ever have the courage to quit again is what kept me quit. It was now or never. And yes I felt that way at the stage you are in now. There have been several times along this journey I wanted to quit quitting. I kept telling my self that I have come to far to give up now. I started telling myself that on hour 11 of my quit and I still tell myself that today. Trust me, you will not feel this way forever. It jsut seems like it. That is why we say just quit for today. Today is probably about all you can handle anyway. You are doing great and you have almost reached that point where the quit gets so much easier. A lot of people are fine by this point of the quit but I was one like you are. One of those that struggled along the way. Keep your chin up and keep putting one foot in front of the other. I know it doesn't seem like it, but you will be so glad you hung on. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 497 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 9,958 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1739.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 43 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 6 [B]Seconds:[/B] 36