[quote]In my case, it was hearing my Sweetheart planning our life after retirement. He kept repeating, to no one in particular, "please give us ten good years together after we quit working". And here I sat, slowly killing myself. How selfish! [/quote] Wow - that was a powerful quote, in more ways than one! Mercy, I too had more reasons than I can count. The thing is - nobody REALLY enjoys smoking. Some say they do, but they are just addicts like you and me. Everyone wants to quit - nobody would ever choose to spend that much money on something that smells, tastes and looks so horrible. We are a very "appearance" orientated society - no (adult) body looks at a smoker and goes "Wow - loooove the look!" So, we've spent years wishing we could quit, fearing the quit, wanting to quit, and having dozens and dozens of reasons for it. Then, one magical day something happens that gives us the courage to go through the effort. For me it was a day in a restaurant (before it became illegal to smoke in restaurants in AZ). I had just dropped my husband off at work, and decided to go out for breakfast with my baby boy who was just a year old. My son didn't want to get in the high chair, so I decided to hold him on my lap through breakfast. He was on my lap and we were having such a nice time playing and cuddling together, and then I REALLY wanted a cigarette. I could hardly go more than 15 minutes between smokes, so i was really starting to feel it and hurt. I looked around at all the people around me in the restaurant, some smokers, and some non-smokers, and I considered my options. I could leave. I could go outside. I could put my son in the high chair and risk him fussing. Or, I could light up with my baby on my lap. In a moment of.. something.. I don't even know what it was.. I just decided to not smoke. I made it through the wait for the food. I made it through the meal. I made it through waiting for the waitress to bring the check, and I made it all the way home before I lit up. I decided that day that I had what it would take to quit, and I decided that if I quit now, my son would never even know I had smoked. I quit 3 days later. That was it. My baby is now 2 and has no idea what a smoker even is. My 17 year old son is proud as punch of his mother, and leaves me "anonymous" gifts and notes around the house telling me so. The rest of the kids, "Just don't want you to start again - that's all" You parents out there ever go to an event, soccer game, or show or something that the kids are doing and hear some other kid say "... yea, you know that kid... the one that always smelled like cigarette smoke"? I heard it at LEAST 3 times as a smoking mom. I always wondered if they were talking about my kid. You know? [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/17/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 370 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 27,750 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $6,937.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 32 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 27 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

Mercy, I don't know if any of us can narrow it down to only one event or fact. It is usually a combination of things, including timing, don't you think? In my case, it was hearing my Sweetheart planning our life after retirement. He kept repeating, to no one in particular, "please give us ten good years together after we quit working". And here I sat, slowly killing myself. How selfish! It was also my personal challenge. There have been 2 or maybe 3 times in my life when I did something that others thought was foolhardy, and something at which it was not expected that I would be successful. I was always successful, but in hindsight I was very foolhardy in at least one of those things (truth told...probably 2 of them). This is another challenge, but with only positive results. NOthing foolhardy in this quit! Interesting question...thought provoking. Nance [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]2/14/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 158 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 4,740 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $766.30 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 22 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 41 [B]Seconds:[/B] 17

I have wanted to quit since I first became addicted as a teenager. I have never enjoyed smoking. I always hated the taste, the smell, the control it had over my life. The last 30+ years have been a constant love/hate realtionship with the deomon lover nicotine. How can you do something you hate to do, for over 30 years? Hell if I know but I could never give it up for good. This time, it was a combination of health, my kids, vanity, social pressures, and self-esteem. I can't say one thing that had a bigger influence than another, it was just time to end it. I don't really care why, only that I'm finally doing it. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 70 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,400 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $770.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 7 [B]Hrs:[/B] 0 [B]Mins:[/B] 29 [B]Seconds:[/B] 48

For me it was a combination of things. I was increasingly worried about my health - after developing bronchitis 3 years ago, I realised getting ill from smoking was beome more of a reality for me - one that negatively affected hope for the future. I mean I used to think about a future event (like grandchildren) and think to myself I would not be there. I had almost resigned myself to this way of thinking at the same time feeling very fearful and depressed about early separation from my kids. Earlier this year however, my thoughts started to change and I realised I could do something to change this outlook. I started praying, and one prayer time in march, I had a date in my head. That date, 21st June was to be my quit date. I could do it and I would! I would do my bit - I would put the legs into my prayers and trust God for the rest! Well, ten minutes before midnight on 20th June I had my last cig, and here I am 31 cold turkey days later, and my life has turned around! My breathing has improved, and yes I've gained a little weight (prob around 3-4lb) but I am no longer depressed and I am hungry for life!! You see quitting smoking is so much more than for our physical health. For me, quitting has quite literally turned the lights back on in my life!! So event or facts - I think mostly facts with a sprinkling of events :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 31 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 465 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �77.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 3 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 35 [B]Seconds:[/B] 6

All the above Mercy. But in getting more detailed to be honest I don't know what it is that makes me what to improve myself and grow up emotionally & take better care of my health. Ok well after typing that I guess that's not really true. I do know... I know what it's like to play the victim, be the victim, be very unhappy and not see any light whatsoever at the end of the tunnel. So the reason I've chose to not continue to pay to kill myself is because I want to live long, healthy life & have a chance at real happiness in this life-time.Also the person whom I'm learning that I'm very co-dependant to is my Mother, ugh....so hard :( But one time she looked at me with tear filled eyes and said, I don't want u to die. That's also helped in building my desire to quit smoking. And also when that nurse told me that quitting smoking was harder than quitting heroine it made me see just what a bad addiction this is. And whenever I hear the statistics of how many people die every year due to smoking, it hits a nerve. And also b/c I like to be able to smell good things, like candles, my hair conditioner, perfume (without putting on so much that u can smell me across the room!). When I smoked I know I put on too much, lol, cuz "I" wanted to be able to smell it, lol. So I guess there's plenty of reasons I want to quit and that's why I did quit :) I'm sure I've left out a few more reasons but those are the main one's that come to mind :) Oh & if I didn't quit, Ms Lady probably won't let me in her house when I go to visit her, LOL. Just breathe....... [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/7/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 14 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 280 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $67.20 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 1 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 38

Mercy, I had just decided I had it with being so tied to cigarettes. I was alway planning when and where my next smoke would be. Once they eliminated smoking in resteraunts I found myself standing outside with a bucket filled with sand and said to myslef this is it. I also made no preperation for the quit other than getting the Chantix. Not the smartest idea but was lucky enough to find this site or I would be smoking today. The quit I have to say was all about me. When I decided to quit I really never considered anyone elses opinion I just forged ahead. I still look at the quit as my quit it is mine to keep or give away and I hope I always keep it. :) Congratulations again on 6 months [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 122 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,440 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $793.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 17 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51

What made you want to quit? Facts/statistics about cigarette smoking.....or an event in your life? Just curious? also: Did a person...huband...boyfriend....friend...significant other...relative...(whomever) have any basis for your quit...or was it ALL ABOUT YOU. Mercy :quest: [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 181 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,620 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $809.07 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 23 [B]Hrs:[/B] 20 [B]Mins:[/B] 29 [B]Seconds:[/B] 5