How realistic were your expectations of what you'd face in the process of quitting smoking? And what difference did it make, if any, in your success? What is the contrast between what you anticipated, and what you ended up experiencing.
Is there such a thing as new quitters knowing "too much" of what to expect? Or is every quitters experience so unique... that nothing can be realistically forecast about their future experience anyway?
From where I stand... most quits are difficult and lengthy. I think quitters are better off to be prepared for that, to be committed to dealing with that... then going in thinking that they'll feel like their old selves again in fairly short order.
For some, it happens like that. Quitting turns out to be much easier than they expected it would. But for most... it doesn't happen that way. For most... there needs to be a willingness to endure a lengthy period of emotional and psychological discomfort... often considerable discomfort.
And of course, there's the folks that would say our expectations create our reality; that our quits will be easy... if we only believe they will be.
So, what's your take? What's your experience? What is quitting like? ...Really?
[B]My Milage:[/B]
[B]My Quit Date: [/B]3/6/2007
[B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 135
[B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,375
[B]Amount Saved:[/B] $1,248.75
[B]Life Gained:[/B]
[B]Days:[/B] 21 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 22 [B]Seconds:[/B] 40