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JDK Thread #24


16 years ago 0 97 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi JDK, Might I add articulate, self-reflective, and endearing to that list?! Sometimes I think there's too much discussion about what one should and shouldn't be doing. I am a firm believer that what you are doing right now, in this moment, is the perfectly right thing to do. I think Lizzie nailed it when she inferred that you are so in the thick of things that it's difficult to step outside yourself, look in, and see just what you HAVE accomplished. You are doing famously! You may be a little tentative about your quit, your life at the moment, etc., but all this stuff will sort itself out. I found myself feeling so lost at this stage in my quit and thinking, "Is this all there is? I've done it but is this all I get?" It's hard to believe now but what you've done for yourself is very empowering and will manifest itself slowly and in subtle ways. Give it time. Hang in there, kiddo, you're awesome! All the best, Luna [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/28/2004 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1257 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 25,140 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $6,285.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 147 [B]Hrs:[/B] 11 [B]Mins:[/B] 13 [B]Seconds:[/B] 36
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16 years ago 0 1356 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Kev, Marks and Sparks!! whimper. I am jealous :( Buy some Cadbury's for me please, the stuff they sell here is a poor imitation mfg in PA, no offense to PA, but it doesn't taste the same. I am suffering Kev. Carpe Diem - Seize the day mate, when you do you will attract like happy adventurous people who want to hang with you orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr date you :D I believe in you Kev, follow my lead :D Sue [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/3/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 218 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,180 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $381.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 20 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 45 [B]Seconds:[/B] 21
16 years ago 0 1113 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Brenna. Yes very good point about the chemicals. I keep this in mind for the rewards. I don't think there is a set day that the brain starts to make the chemical without stimulant so it could happen sooner or it could happen later. Until then, rewards are very much my best friend. One of my favourites is a nice warm bath. I conciously split the 'why I quit' list into two halves. The first being the stuff that you could say 'I did it for me' and the other half could be 'I was forced to do it'. A quit based on the former is a good. A quit based entirely on the latter may not. Sue, glad you liked the list and did you notice you lifted me? I will be shopping tomorrow morning in marks and sparks for xmas stuff. :) I always rememeber it is one thing you miss. I think only the brave shop nearer christmas. Grandma, JFDI = Just Flippin' Do It. It is a philosophy I aspire to that I got taught here. What it means that you don't think about it too much, you just go do it. There is no regretting something you haven't yet done or going through 1000 scenarios of how things might work out. Simplicity is the key. A JFDI'er will be half way up the mountain before the deep-thinkers. But they might be only in their under garments because they didn't prepare for anything else. The deep-thinker finally catches up with the JFDI'er and hands him/her some spare clothes (he/she packed for every occasion of course after thinking deeply about every climate situation). Some deep thinkers will never make it up the mountain mind you. After going through all the scenarios they decided it was too risky :) That either confused you or made it really clear. On a more serious note. I am only every doing a quit like this once, so if this plan doesn't work then it is think up another and see if that works. I'll try JFDI, IFDJ, JDFI, and any other combination that I get told. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 148 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,700 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �621.60 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 18 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 35 [B]Seconds:[/B] 40
16 years ago 0 579 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Kev, I don't think any of us were really prepared for what happens when we quit. You hear about the physical withdrawal, but not about all the other stuff. It's OK if you still feel that you want to smoke. When I was where you are now, I was still wanting to. The big difference is that even though you might have emotional feelings about wanting to smoke, you stay quit because you choose to stay quit. You choose to stay in control of the addiction. One day you will be free of the longing. You also appreciate the gift that you have given yourself - the gift of freedom. I know it is a leap of faith for you to believe that right now, but it is true. It is something that gets better progressively, in steps. Here is a slogan for you: I'd rather be a quitter who still thinks about smoking than a smoker who is always thinking about quitting. Another thought: Did you know that smokers have more cravings than quitters? If you are smoking full time, then you will be craving every 30 minutes or so - that's well over 30 cravings a day. How many craving sessions do you have a day? I am down to about 1 a year now, but even in the first year, I was down to 1 a week. I'd also like to add to your self-esteem list. I like the fact that you are funny, honest and kind....and that's better than being able to iron a shirt. Lizzie :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]4/23/2003 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 1689 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 25,335 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �6,333.75 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 168 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 45 [B]Seconds:[/B] 36
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16 years ago 0 1356 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
that is a lovely list Kev, great job! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/3/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 218 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,180 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $381.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 20 [B]Hrs:[/B] 17 [B]Mins:[/B] 37 [B]Seconds:[/B] 51
16 years ago 0 1153 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
JDK, I don't see any negatives in these list. It sounds like you quit for very positive reasons and have seen very positive results. Keep on reading this list. Your posts are very useful for new and old quitters a like. They are very informative of what you go through on the journey to becoming nicotine free. For some people the adjustment period may be very short but for others it takes time, even years to adjust to living with out nicotine. Nicotine is a stimulant and releases hormones into your body that create a happy feeling. It varies from person to person how long it takes to restore this feeling of natural happiness without nicotine. So keep on pulling through these down times and share your feelings and updates with us. Brenna, Bilingual Support Specialist
16 years ago 0 1113 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Penitent, I know where you're coming on re the plate spinning. The self-esteem, self-confidence, JFDI, not smoking, etc. My plates have a habit of smashing all over the place. I'm really only working on two plates right now. I gave up on the self-confidence plate and the JFDI plate for the time being. So that leaves - self-esteem (how I feel about myself) and not smoking. The two are very closely related. If you don't feel good about yourself and what your doing, then you are going to stop what you are doing. Thats what I am working on to resolve. Hows your teeth now btw Pen? I have sympathy toothache! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 148 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,700 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �621.60 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 18 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 28 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19
16 years ago 0 562 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Kevin, so glad your spirits are up some now. I think you need to meet a nice girl. There must be one in your neighborhood. One thing I don't get and I've heard you mention it for weeks is JFDI could you say what that stands for? Just another naive grandma. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]8/3/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 126 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,008 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $252.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 18 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 8 [B]Seconds:[/B] 34
16 years ago 0 2534 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Nice post Kev; I am pleased that you are taking positive steps. I'd just like to share two things with you. Firstly, self-esteem is all about how you feel about yourself. It really is that simple. Secondly, I admire the lists you have been working on but you remind me a little of the spinning-plate man. He has so many on the go that he's dashing round just maintaining them. As fast as he maintains one, another is about to fall and he dashes off to address that one. I like the idea of picking one or two plates, getting them spinning really well and then standing back and admiring them for a while Just my observation on the story so far. Good Luck Penitent d1298 :)
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16 years ago 0 1113 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks Sue. JFDI'ers rock! Its what I would like to be and I am intending to get there. Not too worried about K2, maybe just out on my own shopping for a morning :) As promised, here is my list. The first two parts are totally positive. The third part is the real reason why I quit. I will be reading and re-reading the positives (putting the good roots in). The latter part is a reality check. I had a long hard think about it. Next up is for me to list all the real topics that cause me to want to go back to smoking and tackle them one by one (one topic at a time). This is the mega important part to moving back up the spiral I think. Notice I only listed actual noticable things, not what we're told. I can see that I have whiter teeth for instance. Below are the real and noticable positive reasons for staying quit : Money :- I save �30 a week minumum from not smoking. This can either be saved or go on rewards. Health :- Less coughing. More awake and alert in the day time. More relaxed sometimes. Whiter teeth. Not physically craving a cigarette every twenty minutes. Misc :- Praise from family for sticking with it, which feels good. More time to surf on SSC / play chess. Showing my workmates the way forward. *** Below are the good things about me / stuff I like about myself : I am kind. I am generous. I can play chess. I am generally placid and soft. I am patient. I am helpful when I can be. *** The real reasons why I quit (positive and negative) : I wanted to be a non smoker. I wanted to control what I do instead of being controlled by cigarettes. I was worried about throat and mouth cancer (lots of sore throats). I wanted to spend more money on lasting things such as music. I wanted to go on holiday and not be outside smoking and hiding cigarettes under each stone outside the holiday home. I wanted to no longer stink out the house (even though I smoked in the garage). I was getting nagged by mum on a daily basis to quit. I was being semi-threatened with being chucked out. I felt an embarrasment to the family. I quit because to continue smoking in nice warm pubs was now illegal. My comfortable world was about to disappear. I quit because I wanted to impress a girl. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/12/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 148 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,700 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] �621.60 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 18 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 20 [B]Seconds:[/B] 32

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