WOOHOO!! LADY!! Seamus, read this carefully. This is exactly what I've wanted to say to you but I don't have the finesse that our Lady has & I would have hurt your feelings. So I will say only, "listen up to this Lady, young man." [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 59 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,180 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $649.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 21 [B]Mins:[/B] 52 [B]Seconds:[/B] 48

Seamus, Even you can quit! Your words speak volumes for the conflict going on within yourself right now. I don't pretend to know much about you but I do know what that battle feels like. All of the arguing with the junkie that lives within our minds. The one who said you can quit tomorrow. Today isn't a good day. Next week will be better. After I get through xxx then it will be a good time to quit. If I just finish XXXX first, then I will be ready and strong enough to quit. Sound like the voices you hear? There isn't ever going to be a time that quitting will be easy. There isn't ever going to be a time that the voices will be quiet. The only way to get away from the addiction is to give it up. Let it go and refuse to let it control you any longer. You do have the key. Put the cigarettes down and walk away. Get rid of all smoking materials, matches, lighters and ashtrays. Kick, scream, throw fits, cry, punch a pillow, break dishes, do whatever it takes just don't smoke NO MATTER WHAT! When you feel like you can't go another minute without smoking, go five! When it feels like it won't ever end, dig deep, dig in and don't give up. Breaking free of this horrible addiction is a fight for your life. Literally a fight for your life. Smoking doesn't make us feel any better, it doesn't make any problems go away, and contrary to popular belief, it causes stress not cures it. Get it into your head that you are an addict. REFUSE to be a slave for another moment. The only way to the other side is to go through the hell. I will not lie to you. Quitting IS hell for a lot of us. Look around at all these people who have fought the battle! We win one day at a time. You can do the same. There is no need to be embarassed. You are among many here who feel your pain. Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, dig deep, get quit, and stay that way. Lady :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/1/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 740 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 14,800 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2,590.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 66 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 24 [B]Seconds:[/B] 6

Hello all, I have to repost what nonic said to me a few days ago on this post. I have read it over a couple of times tonight and spent a great deal of time thinking about it and I feel there is a great deal of wisdom in what he said, and it should be reminded to everyone.....especially those early on in their quit or thinking about it. Thank you nonic for your words of wisdom. "...In order to do this thing we must stand naked in the harsh light of our own self awareness...That is hard to do, because to some degree and in some people (like myself)...our smoking has grown out of a rejection of a part of ourselves...Can you think of any other reason a perfectly sane individual would willingly inhale poisonous, gas on an hourly basis? I can not. I only return to the notion that smoking in many ways is a self punishing act...We are both the jailed and the jailer, the observed and the observer...Breaking free can only be accomplished by granting yourself permission to do so and that means discovering those things in us which we find unpleasant or not acceptable. And once we discover what those things are begin to accept that we are imperfect humans and one of our jobs here is to accept our limitations and use all of our potential to move as CS Lewis says "further up and further in Here's to you my friend...You can reach higher levels of liberation, the key is in your pocket, now just look around and see if you can find the lock..." Wonderful words nonic. My own two cents. We do all have the key in our pockets. The key is one step at a time, one moment, one crave at a time, the key is support, from this amazing site and all you amazing people, and anyone else who suports us, and finally the key is us - our desire. I encourage everyone who is considering quitting (including myself) to find that lock. Use the key to open it, and then throw the lock in the river, cause it need not be locked again...but you will always have the key with you. Remove those shackles of addiction that have bound your entire body, limb to limb. We CAN do this. Remember we have the key!!!!! (I say these words to myself as I type them......) Thank you again Nonic for such a post.

seamus: took me 4 times to quit finally. the last 3 times i didnt know how to deal with my stress... this time i just think of how i felt after i ran, and the craving goes away. youre heading in the right direction by going online for support, and like Osto said: something will hit in and you will wonder why youre smoking. bj: hang in there, 30 years is a long habit to give up... good luck and were all right there for you! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/29/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 10 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 70 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $22.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 19 [B]Mins:[/B] 24 [B]Seconds:[/B] 58

John, a 2 pack a day habit where I live would cost over $740 a month, enough to lease a nicer car than I've ever had! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 57 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,140 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $627.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 44 [B]Seconds:[/B] 49

You know you are not alone, Seamus, you know we're all here. Some of us were afraid, too & some of us still are. We help each other be strong. Have you begun the program here? If not, I highly recommend it, it helps you get prepared & taking action against fear will accomplish a lot more than inaction. If you have done it, consider doing it again for re-inforcement & concentrate on the components that address the things you're afraid of. Courage doesn't mean we're never afraid, it means we're afraid & we do it anyway. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/13/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 57 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,140 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $627.00 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 5 [B]Hrs:[/B] 18 [B]Mins:[/B] 44 [B]Seconds:[/B] 42

Seamus What really made me want to quit was a kid looked at me and saw me smoking one day at the park. He looked at me then at his mom and said Rangers are not suppose to smoke they might cause a fire and they are suppose to stop fires. Well that made me feel like two inches tall. I relised I had an image to uphold. And by dang if I am not going to do it. I don't want to feel that embarassed again in front of my guest. So hang in there we are with you on this one. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]7/7/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 2 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 62 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $10.54 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 28 [B]Seconds:[/B] 5

I know exactly what you are saying butterfly swimmer......there really is not "perfect" day...... I am thinking......but i gotta be honest and say that I am scared......scared of quitting again......I know I have absolutely wonderful support from you and so many others here....but it's still nerve wracking......

Yes, smoking IS embarassing because it's becoming more and more socially unacceptable. It's unbelievable that we let ourselves be controlled by the addiction for so long! But there's something that you can do about it... when you're ready. I know Seamus, you keep saying that you'll quit again when you're ready, but there's NEVER a good time to quit, and I said for YEARS that I'd quit when I was "ready." But ready never really came... it was more like playing hide-and-go-seek... "ready or not, here I come!" I encourage you to set a quit date now. It can be a week from now, 2 weeks from now, even a month from now or longer if that's what you feel like doing... but please, set a goal for yourself. Otherwise, "ready" may never come. I know you WANT to quit, and you proved that you CAN quit... all that's left is to find the determination to quit... and I know that you will... when you're ready. ;) Crave the Quit! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]6/17/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 752 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 18,800 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $3,105.76 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 53 [B]Hrs:[/B] 1 [B]Mins:[/B] 38 [B]Seconds:[/B] 16

Cigarettes are expensive up there Seamus. What costs more, smoking 2 packs a day or leasing a car? [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B]5/3/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 67 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,675 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $234.50 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 43 [B]Seconds:[/B] 1