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Letter to Myself

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 169

wow. that is a powerful letter. thanks so much for posting it. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 21 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 853 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $168 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 23 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 57

18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 3368

[quote]A sin is something -- anything -- that makes you turn away from God. Smoking undermines your spiritual growth, your connection to life. To Life. It's a turning away from the potential of your individual life, toward limitation. That, by definition, is a turning away from God, and that, by definition, is a sin. It scars your body and it scars your spirit.[/quote] How powerful ... thank you for sharing.

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$54,739.20

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18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 34

WOW!! and thank you! j [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 2 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 145 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $15 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 58 [B]Seconds:[/B] 22

18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 12

Carpepax -- Not to get overly philosophical or theological -- though quitting seems to be driving me to that a lot, lately -- I think if you strip away the particulars of most religions, they agree on a few things, maybe the most important things. That the part of life that's worth worshipping, the force outside of us that we glimpse occasionally, wishes the best for us. One of my big revelations in this quit that hopefully will make it successful has been just how much smoking was hurting my spirit. That it's not just my body that I was beating up. That I sat and smoked instead of fixing whatever was bothering me, I guess just so it could keep on bothering me. Stressed that the laundry wasn't done? Well, why start the washing machine -- sit down and work on killing yourself instead! Stressed that the bank account is empty? Well, roll some quarters to go buy a couple of packs and worry about grocery money later! It had become impossible for me to ignore that smoking was a courage-less way of killing myself, and I'm not suicidal. It wasn't just killing my body, it was killing my soul, too, because it continually gave my subconscious and then my conscious mind the message that I wasn't worthy of life. Not that my life wasn't worth living -- I own a successful company, have a fabulous husband and two healthy kids -- but that I didn't deserve even to be alive, much less any of the wonderful things I have. The thing is, when push comes to shove, none of us has earned life. It's a gift, no matter what name you put on the force that gives it to us, even if you believe that it's entirely biological luck and brain chemistry. None of us has earned the wonder of life. The right response to that is joyful thanks, not guilty self-destruction. Through a smoke screen, though, that can be hard to see, at least for me. I'm concentrating on remaining devoted to that divine spark this go-round. If I were Buddhist, I'd say that this quit has been a "waking up" experience for me. Maybe you'd say, "Blessed be!" As an Episcopalian, I say, "Thanks be to God!" I think we all mean pretty much the same thing. :) Fear Less [i]Love isn't the opposite of hate. It's the opposite of fear.[/i] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/27/2006 [B]Smo

18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 12

I quit smoking in 2003, and started again in about January of 2005. There are lots of excuses I could make for myself, but we all know that excuses are what they would be. And now, here I am again, with just over three weeks smoke-free. I'd like to save a letter to myself here, in case I get back to that same point, where I start to think I can have just one, or that I can just smoke on the weekends. Dear Me, You are an addict. The drug you're addicted to is a legal one, so being a former smoker isn't going to be the same, socially, as being a former heroin addict. Having smoked isn't likely to cost you a potential job or keep people from trusting you. On the other hand, it's going to be much easier for you to start again. You don't have to find a dealer. You can just pick up a pack when you fill the car up with gas. Temptation is always going to be there, and it's up to you to avoid it or resist it. Don't, do not, DO NOT believe that voice in your head that tells you that you aren't really an addict, or that you're an addict in a way that's different from addicts who use illegal drugs. It's the same voice that told you that other people could quit, but only because they didn't like smoking as much as you did. You've proven that voice wrong once, by quitting (despite how much you like smoking). You already know that the voice lies. The thing is, you ARE an addict. You've opened your eyes, you've faced this fact. It's an unfortunate thing to have found out, but it's true. You can be an addict who smokes or you can be an addict who doesn't, but not being an addict is an impossibility. It's not one of your options. This means that you won't have just one, you won't limit yourself to smoking when you drink, you won't be able just to lay them down again in a week or so. You'll have to get back to feeling bad all the time before you'll consider quitting again. You can't control your need for nicotine. It will control you. You'll be right back out there, standing in the rain in twenty-degree weather, hating yourself and smoking. Being an addict can, though, become a morally-neutral thing, like having A-positive blood. It can become just something that you accept about yourself and manage to your benefit. It doesn't have to

18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1070

Keep up the great work and this letter will help many, I know it! Keep on keepin quit!! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 5/15/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 4 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 89 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $18 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 39 [B]Seconds:[/B] 7

18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 547

Fear Less, This is an absolute must-read for all quitters, people who are considering it and those who have been here for a long time. It really gives you the 'reality check' that you need. [quote] A sin is something -- anything -- that makes you turn away from God. Smoking undermines your spiritual growth, your connection to life. To Life. It's a turning away from the potential of your individual life, toward limitation. That, by definition, is a turning away from God, and that, by definition, is a sin. It scars your body and it scars your spirit. [/quote] I found this part especially powerful as you have been able to put into words so eloquently and profoundly EXACTLY what I feel. :) THANK YOU for sharing this!!! Many Blessings, Eve [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/8/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 53 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 429 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $159 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 4 [B]Hrs:[/B] 12 [B]Mins:[/B] 19 [B]Seconds:[/B] 30

18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 962

Thank you Fear Less for your powerful message - it is going in my journal. I have adopted this - hope you don't mind. Island Girl [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/21/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 88 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 885 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $176 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 53 [B]Seconds:[/B] 21

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18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2614

Awesome - Powerful - Truthful - Brilliant Thank You! Keep going if this letter is what you need to stay quit then keep writing, this is powerful and strong stuff, to combat the addict and the addictive behaviour. Congratulations on making the determination, coming to the knowledge that you can not have just one, without a consequence. Peace Phillip [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 91 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,832 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $682.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 14 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 12 [B]Seconds:[/B] 29

18 years ago 0 +0 / -0 208

Well done. I'm dealing with the fact that I am an addict quite a bit today and over the past few days. I'm going to go watch 28 days again... if you haven't seen it, I recommend it. It's weird that so much of what was said in those 28 days applies to me... as a smoker and an addict. It has actually surprised me how much the emotions that a drug addict or alcoholic goes through, I seem to be experiencing. I didn't expect it. I honestly didn't think of smoking in the same way that I think of an addiction to alcohol or drugs, but after over 100 days of this, I do believe I am an addict and have similar emotions to deal with and barriers to confront and work through. Thanks for the post. Welcome back. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/5/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 104 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,138 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $728 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 4 [B]Mins:[/B] 31 [B]Seconds:[/B] 39

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Letter to Myself