Hi everyone, wishing everyone success in this and other endeavors

[taja]

I've taken a break from the website because i found it difficult to discuss quitting when i was not ready to, but there have been reminders from the website that this is a goal of mine that i intend to achieve. I'm beginning to realize how serious this addiction is and how much i do not want to be apart of it any longer. I dread the anxieties and fear of what could push me to smoke what will be the failure than i erase that and see the opportunity in being able to say no, because every single time i've been able to say i'm not going to buy a lucy (1 single cigarette), or i want to stop feeling this want ; it becomes wow i overcame that nasty feeling. and my goal is to have this as my new habit living a healthy life where i am a responsible adult in charge of my life and can't pacify urges that ultimately cause me the worse heartache of not being in control.
I read someone's blog where they described their life before cigarettes and it was the same for me being able to go about life without this nagging but life is challenging period and this is mine. I've had this habit which has interfered with my health, relationships with those who hate smoke, and i've delayed being a mother because of this.
Thats hard to see but i don't want to be pregnant and have children depend on me to be healthy and i'm unable to do it for myself. I've found cigarettes to be selfish, it was a way in which i'm trying to stop- of telling others i don't care.
The last cigarette i've had was Friday at 11 am, i'm working on that to be the truth forever. i know its high hopes but it is attainable, everyone who puts how many days they've gotten through encourages those who can't imagine starting a quit date. thanks for the support.

[Sandra3]

This is attainable for everyone who chooses to do it. It is not easy by any means and I have come to accept that if I fail in this quit, it will because I chose to. No one can force me to smoke. If I do it will be because i knowingly put the cigarette in my mouth and light it. I take responsibility for this addiction and I take credit for my quit (with the help of this site). I hope that you choose to be an EX.

[pam20]

I have said this so many times since I quit...even typed it here a few times for various reasons...sorry to anyone that has to keep reading this...i can't say it enough though. You are NOT giving anything up...there is nothing nothing to fear! You are taking back your life...your freedom...you are no longer a slave to Nicotine. I will no longer let nicotine tell me how long I can hang out with my family or friends before I have to get my fix, or make me avoid some events all together because I know it would mean hours of no nicotine. That is not how I want to live my life...and I refuse to do it. So, I am not giving up smoking...I am taking back MY life! It looks like you are on your way.

I think you should make a nice LONG list of why you wanted to quit and remember to keep adding to it. I have more than doubled my list since I quit...almost every day brings a new realization to me as to why being a non smoker is so much better. Money cannot be your biggest reason for wanting to quit. Sure, it's a plus...but not a big motivator to keep you going.

You are absolutely right about each time you say NO being a great feeling. Be sure to keep congratulating yourself for that.

Good luck to you and I wish you well. 😄

Pam - Free and Healing for One Month, Seven Days, 6 Hours and 58 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 3 Days and 1 Hour, by avoiding the use of 882 nicotine delivery devices that would have cost me $231.93.

[laura30]

Don't think of it as "high hopes" - tell yourself you can do this. You have since last Friday at 11 am, right? Congratulate yourself on each day of success. Get up each day and make a commitment not to smoke that day - it makes it easier for me when I think about my quit in terms of days and not "forever".

And Taja - NOTHING can push you to smoke, but YOU. No one's going to hold you down and force you to inhale nasty, life-ending chemicals - the choice is all yours. This can be a little scary - we have to accept the responsibility and accountability in our lives and acknowledge that we have the power to choose.

Each day we successfully go through without a cigarette is so empowering.

Quitting is not as complicated as we make it - it's a conscious decision not to smoke. It's no fun going through withdrawal and learning to live life as a non-smoker is "interesting" to say the least, but so worth it!

If we put things in perspective, not quitting is way more frightening than quitting.