Okay, this is really cool! It is now day 11 and here is what I have found:
Everything has a smell and it's great (even when it's terrible!) I just go around and take deep breaths of air and try to see if there is something new to discover. It's pretty nifty. It's like some subtly reward the world has given me.
My mood swings (which i was once famous for) have disapated. I have been pretty high strung ever since I can remember and that's why qitting didn't really make me any worse but now I feel soooo mellow. I'm at ease and all the little things that used to really spin me up just slides over me and all I can do is grin. I feel so much happier and I really can't remember a time in my life that I was so happy and thankful for the person I am.
My appetite has now ballanced out and I'm not cramming food down my throat every time I get a craving and I have noticed that my taste has not only returned but my cravings have changed. A lot of the food I used to want as a person who smoked are kind of unappetizing to me now. I have been craving healthier alternatives and I really don't know why that it...maybe my body is wanting certain things to help it repair itself. Something else, I used to get really really light headed when I got hungery, sort of like hypoglacimic (spelling) and then the shakes and the really bad mood. That has gone away. I read that a lot of the chemicals in cigarette smoke, not only the nicotine, inhibbit the blood from absorbing glucose efficiently. Crazy stuff.
Coffee and beers (two of my favorite things) taste so much better now! I'm not a Folgers and Budlite kinda guy. Since I have coffee and beer in moderation I tend to get the "good stuff". So for those of you who are fooling yourself into thinking "oh, it wont taste right without my cigarette" you're full of it! That's right, I said it! FULL of IT! There is this wonderful boquet of flavor and aromas and it is such a shock to the system that I often feel light headed! Wow, it's great!
My attention span has greatly increased. I don't feel so fidgety and i can sit through a whole movie or show without feeling like there is something else I can be doing. Not only that but I have managed to get a lot more things done not having to take a break every hour to go smoke. Smoking was always a way to procrastinate and now I don't have an excuse not to get things done. This will be helpful in many aspects of life.
i feel more connected to people...which is strange. Not really typical of my personality type. Most of the people I know don't smoke. I always felt like I was a visitor in the circle because of my habbit but now I feel fully intigrated into the clique. I'm part of the fold, haha!
Driving is much more relaxing. I'm not in a hurry to get where I'm going and lately I have been taking the long way to my destination. I don't know why exactly but it's nice. I was always white knuckled by the time I got where ever I was going but now I arrive with a grin.
My energy level is much much higher! I feel 5 years younger (or maybe I just feel my age and cigs were making me feel 5 years older...whatever). I can get more work done, run without getting outa breath and I don't feel anywhere near as lethargic as I used to. It's pretty great.
My complexion is healthier. Even one of my guy friends noticed an commented on it "Damn dude, you look great! You look so much healthier!" It's strange. I have noticed the same thing with one of my frineds who is quitting too. There is a certain glow and it's great! My skin doesn't seem to be developing as many blemishes lately too. My fingernails look a lot better too.
So, if you are on the fence about quitting or have just started and having a hard time finding something to look forward to (or, if like me, are really tired of hearing people preaching to you about how bad smoking is for you and would rather hear something positive to motivate you) then here you go. Results may vary blah blah blah disclaimer etc. but it has only bee 11 days! 12345678910 11 days and I feel fricken great! The thought of "Gee, I can't ever smoke again if I quit" is out of my head. My thought is now "Wow, I never want to touch another damn cigarette again! Why didn't I do this sooner?!"
I wish all of you the best of luck with your quit no matter how many tries it takes to do it! If you want it bad enough you can do it! I believe in you! You'll be amazed at the changes and your body will thank you in the most wonderful ways!
