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Exes don't smoke em

Maki
Member
3 8 109

Well one thing I'm learning is time outs are very helpful to re-energize and clear the mind . In the beginning , ( not sure anyone else felt this way ) but the more I talked or read about smoking the more I could almost taste it . I druled over it when I saw pictures of cigarettes posted . Oh my goodness!

It caused anxiety and craves and was most uncomfortable .

My mind had one path thinking only and that one path led to wanting to smoke and give up but I came into this quit from a past mistake and learned tomget through you have to walk through the doors that discourage you and keep walking . 

My mind was all over the place newbies in the beginning .  I feel for you and am excited for you both . In fact my mind was all over the place that entire first year so please know you aren't alone  . Many here have been exactly where you are . Never be discouraged that you are not as far as others. You are exactly where you are suppose to be . 

I won't forget the thoughts I had as a newbie. 

Thoughts of the past ( the mistakes I made that led me to smoking ) the blame and the shame . 

I won't forget the hundreds of excuses I used to justify my addiction,  or the reasons I procrastinated . 

I won't forget the times when I didn't see a bright future being smoke free and didn't think I was worth it , nor will I ever forget how hard the fight was to keep my quit .

I had a hard time .

Just for today seemed forever , forever was a scary thought and even just a few minutes of losing my 25 best friends took my breath away .  

I never pledged like the rest of the group because I didn't trust myself.  That's ok , we all have our own tools in the tool box . 

To get through I told myself I'd have to say "no to smoking " every single time the thought was there .

I knew that I couldn't smoke if I didn't buy them , borrow them , or smoke them . Not even those darn butts which by the way I went looking for in the grass , on the street , in the garage , in closets and cupboards and in my coat .

That folks is when your eyes are opened how sickening this addiction is . My gosh you would have thought I was nuts , and trust me I felt like I was going nuts . Don't smoke , you are fine , in fact your normal .

I'm sure others here have their stories as well , and you have yours , so just know we are in it together , we can relate , and we get through it together . 

So lol just a tip ...don't keep a can of butts around newbies . Toss all cigarettes , butts , lighters , ashtrays . All ! No safe keepings cause 

Exes don't smoke em .

The only way through this is to get through it without smoking no matter what . 

My little secret now .. cause maybe someone else out there feels the same . My biggest fear was not failure , it was actually the fear I might actually beat this . 

I wondered if I could possibly function in my daily life without a cigarette . I thought I might lose control ....and that scared the begeebees outta me ,  but life isn't about control ....it's  

about love .  Love is the greatest gift of all hands down . 

So the answer is yes you can function even better without the old ball n chain . Trust me . 

Its been worth the ride however bumpy the road was . 

Day one is the number that's of utmost importance for all of us .  Its the beginning and the end to smoking . Everything after that is inspiration . 

You can do it . Believe it , strive to achieve it . Be grateful for it . 

Post , don't smoke , we got each other . 

Maki 

8 Comments
About the Author
Smoker of 28 years . COPD recipient . My biggest help to quit was reading other successful quitters testimony as well as other quitters who would not give up and kept coming back determined to win . Also , some really hard work and helping others . I’ll have a thirteen years quit June 30 , 2024 . Biggest lesson learned : I learned that the “Just one” lesson is the key to everyone’s quit . Having “ none” not one puff , is the easy way to quit smoking . Post for help if it gets hard and before you have to own up to giving your quit away because if you do your quit can be saved . After the fact starts day one all over .I can’t tell you enough how worth it that is . Quit tools : Made use of my strengths and improved upon my weaknesses . Quit benefits , more time with my family , better quality of life , better self image . How I kept the quit : one day at a time , one step at a time . I told myself like a broken record : “ Don’t smoke ; Do something different “ then literally went and did something different other than smoking “ . Quitting is not complicated .It is really simply one word ( not one puff ever ) or nope , however , it will be the process of self discovery in this journey as you figure out things for yourself that can complicate things . How long will that be ? Well we are all different and we come from different backgrounds and smoked for different reasons so no one can really tell you when it will get easier for you only that it will . Be patient with yourself . Who cares how long it takes anyway because we all came to quit forever . This quit is for life , your life , so embrace it , welcome it , it’s the best thing you will ever do for yourself . The money you save get a bucket list of little rewards and big ones and do them . Change the things you can . Life is worth living . This gets easier , oh my gosh , so much much easier . Give it a season , give it two and you’ll never want to let go of your quit I promise you that . It’s wonderful , absolutely wonderful to be free . Quitting btw was the hardest thing I’ve ever done just like everyone here . I shed buckets of tears for weeks , yelled into a pillow , stuck my head into a cold bucket of water and paced aimlessly in head fog . Was it worth it , every bit of it ! Biggest improvement : , my health , the relationship with my family ( all non smokers thank goodness ) and finances . When I started 2011. I was walking three blocks with the use of inhalers for copd . Latest accomplishment : still on the inhalers no further advancement of copd . June 1 2023. Did my first 10 k . Next goal is my second 10k by the end of 2024 . I’m 68 years years young and I’m an Ex smoker . I was able to take three trips ( out of country ) with my family because I quit smoking . Time I never would have had had I not quit . Money from quitting paid for them . I want to say you are in control , take your power back from cigarettes from vaping or any addiction you might have . Life awaits you , don’t let it pass you by . Make the decision to stop and one day that light will shine upon you and make you a whole new you . Thank you to Quitnet members and Ex members for the support and encouragement to quit and stay quit . That along with my desire never to smoke again has given me a life long successful quit . No turning back , ever .