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Archive of Daily Pledge, Bonfires and Quit Celebrations

I'm back on the train to freedom....

Pops
Member
15 36 785

Good evening friends.....

I know it's been awhile, and I'm apologizing for that.  My head just wasn't right, and I was not ready to resume my quit.  I'm happy to say that I am now done, and am now back to day "one"...I've been here before, and I know what I'm in for.  I can only hope that it won't be as bad as it certainly can be.  I have quite a bit of experience in not smoking, and at one time I was committed to the concept of "NOPE".  That is the only way that this quit will survive.  I will do my best, and just keep plugging away, one moment at a time....I certainly am looking forward to the days that I rarely think about smoking at all.  My experience has taught me to focus on the positive, and stay away from the victime role of being chained to nicotine.  I will do my best to break free of that bondage agaion, and with alot of diligent work and prayer...perhaps those chains will loosen up sooner, rather than later.  

I would like to thank all of you for all of your well wishes that you sent me while I was out there.  I read each of them, and they are a huge part of why I am back here at all.  God bless each and everyone of you.....

Pops, on Day One!mac and cheese in a tree.jpg

36 Comments
kristen-9-7-15

Welcome back bud!

YoungAtHeart
Member

And - just think how thankful Mac and Cheese are not to have a stinky Pops!

Glad you are back at it!

Barbara145
Member

Thank God  Good to see you.

TW517
Member

Glad you're back!

rosemarymom
Member

Glad to see you back, Pops.  Your kitties are just adorable

Sandy-9-17-17
Member

Welcome back!   Never quit quitting until you get it right!   It'll happen!

Brenda_M
Member

Good to see you, bud!!!

sweetplt
Member

Welcome To Day 1 ... glad you are back on the Freedom train ... cute kitties ...  ~ Colleen 114 DOF 

Jennifer-Quit
Member

Welcome back! 

JACKIE1-25-15
Member

Congrats on day one.  You can do it. 

Deena-A-Yenni
Member

!!!

indingrl
Member

In HIS love I love you Pops! HOORAY FOR OUR LORD JESUS!!!! Welcome and WAY TO GO!

elvan
Member

Prayers coming, Pops.  You KNOW you can do this...you are way too good for this addiction.  Thanks for sharing the picture of Mac and Cheese.  They could not be any cuter.  Stay close, you know that helps and you help OTHERS!

Hugs,

Ellen

Sootie
Member

Hi Pops!!! Good to see you. Thanks for the pic of Mac and Cheese---we missed them too! Good to have you back with us. It isn't the same without you!

Bonnie
Member

God bless you, too, Pops...good to "see" you again....you know how cunning, baffling and powerful an addiction can be, but taking it one day at a time, and doing N.O.P.E will get you to where you want to be.  Love and a big hug, Bonnie

Giulia
Member

'Bout time.  (grin)  You've been missed.  

You don't need this bugger on your back, Ken.  You don't have to fight it - just .. let it go.  Finally.  Once and for all.  You don't ever have to have another Day One if you just cling to the smoke-free day you have when you go to bed and awaken with another chance at it tomorrow.  

As I've said many times, my quit is now my rock, not the stone that sinks me.  Depression, I think, comes from not being the best that we can be.   Or from not at least striving for that.  We know better.   (That Best of us won't stop it's whisperings, thank God!)  Self love comes from that striving and especially from each day of that accomplishment.  No matter how small the step.  

You've been here before.  You know how to do it.  Your support on here has been sorely missed.  You have wisdom and experience, and now moreso because of your relapse, and it's time to re-affirm all that.  Teach and learn and teach again.  

Time to get back to that NOPE commitment.  Accept the truth of that and you will never need go through another day one.  

Daniela2016
Member

Welcome back Ken, I thought of you about 3h ago, on my drive from work.  Very happy to see you here, looking forward to see you in May.  Try not to worry, not to fight it, everything will work out.  You know the drill, you have the tools, use them and start counting up every day, we'll count with you!

Meditation helped me at the beginning of the quit, and for now more than 30 days I make time for it every day, first thing in the morning, 15-20 minutes.  It provides a calmness I never felt before, a totally different prospective and it has been proved to help our addicted minds.  There are tons on YouTube, most of them training in using mindfulness, or a mantra, or chanting. 

Never mind my suggestion if it does not appeal to you!

Just happy to see you here, hugs!

Christine13
Member

Very Happy to see you Pops, glad you are back!

RachelMB
Member

Hi Pops-

So glad you're back and ready to kick *ss!  We missed you.  You know how to do this my friend.  We are all here for you! xoxoxo

Rachel

MarilynH
Member

Welcome back it's really good to see you and Mac and Cheese BUT it's even more great that you are back and on your precious quit journey.......

Pops
Member

Good morning all!!  I started the day turning it over, with a grateful heart ♥️. I also put away all smoking paraphernalia and cleaned house beforehand. I will be in classroom training for the week. I will catch you later. I just don’t do that anymore.!

Pops with 1 day!! 

indingrl
Member

COOL!

Ladybug--7-3-12

The Stay Quit is doable (otherwise long termers would not exist).  Your reasons for quitting need to be etched in concrete.  I encourage you to pledge daily here for at least the first year.  Accountability to yourself & others works.  Best Wishes.  

Roller831
Member

Hi Pops‌!  Welcome back!  Good to "see" you here and back to Freedom!

Roller

SimplySheri
Member

Glad to see you!!  And Mac and Cheese

Sheri

MNJen
Member

Congrats!  I know that it's a slippery slope when you start up again.  I'm on Day 51 and so happy I recommitted to my quit, and glad you did too!  Now about those cats....their names are Mac & Cheese??  SO CUTE!!  Cats for life!  

IrishRose
Member

It is about time, Pops !  

Big (((((hug)))))) for you!

Irish Rose 

djmurray
Member

Welcome back, Pops.  Happy Day Two!

ShawnP
Member

Big smile on my face. 

indingrl
Member

Big smile on MY face - good to hear from you Shawn and NOT just on bonfire party- in HIS love I love you n miss you too. Thanks for visiting. Gentle hug. 

maryfreecig
Member

Welcome back aboard! Pops was missing and the seat was empty waiting for you. I'm, so glad you're back.

Pops
Member

Update:  Day one was not so bad. I had to remind myself that I no longer smoke    and then I resumed my daily task. All said and done...the day ended perfectly!  I mean after all, tomorrow I will be talking about day two!!!!

Thanks    for all of your support. 

Pops with two days of freedom!  

shashort
Member

Yay Pops back in the house!! you have been missed. Hey quit buddy glad to hear your back on the road to freedom. You CAN do this quit thing!  NOPE NOPE NOPE = FREEDOM

Barb102
Member

Oh Pops I’m so glad you are back. I’ve missed you and Mac and cheese. Please stay with us you are so loved

virgomama
Member

Welcome back ,pops.  You can do this.  I know you can. 

Cindy

meWisconsin
Member

Glad you're back Ken.

Terry

About the Author
Hi, and thanks for stopping by to read my page....My name is Ken Bishop...aka, Pops. I am a stubborn older addict of nicotine....I have quit on numerous occasions in the past, and have experienced great rewards as a direct result of not ingesting deadly toxins into my bloodstream. One of the curses of having a strong constitution that seems to be able to withstand much more than others can...is this...my body would still be able to move around, and get things accomplished even after I was poisoned by the harmful effects of nicotine addiction. Eventually, the harm became so significant, that not even I, with all of my denial...could avoid the truth that to continue to smoke, would most assuredly be the death of me, and in short order as well. On Sept 1st, of 2018...I found myself in a rehab facility for alcohol abuse, and came very near death. I quit messing around, and had a deep and moving spiritual encounter, and have remained sober without one single urge to pick up a drink since. That was after consuming copious amounts of booze for many years in the past. After a short while.. I asked for spiritual help from my creator to make it possible for me to get the same amount of conviction towards finally being able to successfully put down nicotine once and for all...As of....(September 14th, 2019)...I have 17 days of living smokefree! Woo Hoo!!! Friends and family are all very proud and happy for me. They have asked me what I thought was the turning point, after having experienced so many failed attempts before. I simply reply, "I took the God Shot". xoxoxo Pops update: in Dec of 19 when the stock market started going nuts...I used that as an excuse to start smoking again. I see-sawed back and forth for severa months, and when the COVID crisis hit, I simply lost all desire to be smokefree...I was going to smoke & that was final. Well, as always...the pains of excessive injestion of nicotine into my blood stream...(one puff is all it takes) started affecting my everyday life again...I knew I had to quit placating my inner child and grow up and accept a life without nicotine. The normal person would read this and say well duh...finally he's getting it. But the normally addicted nicotine addict would understand...weird huh? So now I'm back with a new quit date of July 8th, 2020 & am hoping that I can accept that as a perfect quit date that does not need to be changed. Thanks for reading and good luck to you in your quit journey. Pops w 4 DOF!