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Share your quitting journey

No Man's Land Weekly Blog -- Celebrate NML!

SarahP
Member
0 2 24

We do this blog every Wednesday afternoon to offer encouragement to those in No Man’s Land -- months 2-3-4 of a quit, give or take a couple of weeks. This community has chosen to put a big, bright spotlight on NML – we’ve chased away the shadows, taken away the mystery, and put a lot of effort into bringing people in NML together. Because we understand that quitting isn’t over in a month.

Everyone who goes through NML blazes a trail for those that follow. You are not alone on this journey, and you never will be!

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This week’s topic: Celebrate NML!


I have something to say that might surprise you – I enjoyed No Man’s Land.  Really!  We talk about the “dangers” of NML so much that some people think it’s a scary place, but the truth is, No Man’s Land is something to celebrate!


You’re getting back to your life. Putting the roller coaster behind you. Your quit meter is really adding up, you’re feeling better and looking better. You’ll probably have your first encounter with a doctor or dentist, and you’ll get to tell them you quit – I promise you, their response will make your day! You’ll start to feel a sense of freedom that can actually leave you a bit giddy. You’ll do the math on how much money you’ve saved, how much time you’ve saved, and you’ll start to feel like that smoker you remember was a different person. I made some of my closest friends on this site during our time in NML.


Of course those bumps in the road are still there – quitting isn’t over, but you know how to deal with them. Because you took the time to learn and prepare. Most of the other blogs in this NML weekly series are about the bumps – let’s not forget to enjoy the rest of it! NML is an important part of your journey, so celebrate it!


And one day, maybe in month 4, maybe in month 6, maybe even later, you’ll have an Ah-Ha Moment that will make you laugh out loud. Dale and I want to share ours with you.


Dale’s Moment:

No Man’s Land ends when you realize smoking doesn't matter anymore because you haven't thought about it or being a smoker hardly at all. My moment was when I was driving up the familiar route to a jobsite I was on before I quit. I reached for my pack on my truck seat out of habit because I had done so many many times going up that hill. I like to call it "the ghost pack" and, I laughed because right at that moment I knew I was through.


My Moment:

Mine was at the Atlanta airport, one of the last airports in the US at which you can smoke. I had an hour between flights, and the gate I arrived at was right next to my departure gate. The only thing separating them was the smoking lounge. I thought “too bad I don’t smoke anymore”. That random old junkie thought startled me so much that I laughed out loud. That was when I knew, truly knew, that smoking was behind me.


If you’re out of NML, please share your Moment with us in the comments. If you’re in NML right now, never fear! You will have this moment! You will laugh out loud! You will smile as you say “whoa, I’m out and didn’t even realize it!”

ENJOY the journey!

                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

 

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If you're in NML right now, speak up!  Tell us how you're doing! 

 

Click here to read the original No Man’s Land blog on Dale's page:
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/05/24/no-mans-land-da...

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