Are you ready..... does one have to be Ready ???

[bonniebee]

   I think  of my  past failed quits as steppingstones to this final quit ( dare an addict ever say final ?) . Does this mean the first 5 or 6 tries were just practice and I was not "ready " to quit ? I wish I had not waited so long between quitting the first time was in 1989 and then 5-6 tries later  led to this quit which has been 769 DOF  (Truthfully I lost count but only 2 times amounted to anything significant in the way of numbers ). 

   Each quit was very different but the last one this one seemed so much easier then all the rest . I never thought i wold be able to quit while living with a smoker but i did it and it did not even seem very difficult was that because I had reached a point in my life and in my addiction that i was really ready to let it go ? 

   What do you think about readiness and what makes one ready ? 

[Jennifer-Quit]

For me this quit was different because of this site and the education that I received on nicotine addiction because of this site.  In the beginning, I am not sure that I was ready or that I believed that I could quit.  The more time that I spent here educating my self and reading other people's success stories, I started to believe that I could be successful.  Believing in myself made the difference for me.

[Sootie]

I have never felt sure enough of the"readiness" part to comment to others. I know that this time.......my final quit..... and yes, I can say that with confidence........somehow, I suddenly realized what a stupid, ridiculous act smoking was. I finally realized that I only "needed" it because of addiction---not because it actually did anything for me. On every other quit even my longest one of 13 years, I always "missed" it. I looked at people who still smoked and felt jealous, sad that I could not do that, upset that they seemed to smoke without worry. I acted like not smoking was a sacrifice. And so, of course, I failed-------because I thought smoking was something I wanted to do.

I have none of those feelings now which is why I say with confidence I won't smoke again. I look at smokers, smell smokers, watch smokers and I can no longer understand it because I now find smoking to be so ridiculous. When I see pictures of myself smoking....I feel like that is someone else and I try to look at her and figure out what was I THINKING???!!!

So---is that ready? I'm not sure. I only wish someone could have "taught" it to me long ago and I only wish I could pass it on to every smoker.

Stay Strong. 

[MarilynH]

I had a half dozen or so halfhearted failed attempts over 25 yrs or so before this my Forever quit but up until this time and finding this site and educating myself and realizing that I wasn't invincible and I was putting my health in jeopardy so I knew in advance of my quit date that I was never going to smoke again no matter what, thanks for posting this my bonniebee

[gregp136]

Yes, I hear what you are saying.  I learned a ton from each of my other quits.  And yet, if I am honest, I felt each of those was my final.  As I do this one.  

I must also agree that this group is what I was seeking for years.  I am so happy to have found you all!

[bonniebee]

I failed to mention how much finding this group did for me too ,I was always missing the support that I have found here Thanks all of you dedicated Elders and the many other ex'ers too ! Friends were supportive to a point but lost interest fast figuring after a few weeks you were on your own and they were sick of hearing about the withdrawal etc especially my friends who were still smoking !

[constanceclum]

I never even tried to quit when I wasn't ready and didn't have health issues. It wasn't until the first time I was put in the hospital with a COPD flare-up that I started taking it seriously. I found this site and tried to quit several times but relapsed every time. I just couldn't picture myself as a nonsmoker and most of the people I knew smoked. I continue'd to feel as if I was missing out and had the jealousy. After moving out here last yr and meeting people (women) that didn't smoke, (my best friend said I couldn't ride in her car as long as I was smoking even though I didn't smoke in her car) and my flare-ups were getting more and more frequent that I'm quitting again and I do believe this is my forever quit.

Connie

[JACKIE1-25-15]

I was just tired of being tired of smoking.  I vowed if I ever got on a quit again it would be the last time.  I made up my mind that I was not going to ever put another one to my mouth.  I guess I was ready for a forever quit.  With determination I believe this is forever because of the knowledge and support that I now have that I never had before. It is easier to smoke than not to smoke in the beginning but as time passes its a wrap. NOPE Thank God I have arrived. 783 DOF Congrats my quit buddy. 

[prjimm01]

you are so awesome!

[elvan]

I tried to quit many times in the past and I do not think I failed because of a lack of readiness.  I think I failed because my addiction was so strong that as soon as I started to feel better, if I was sick, I told myself that quitting just wasn't that important at that time.  I didn't have that feeling better thing after I quit this time.  I would say that I actually got worse as time went on.  COPD is progressive and quitting smoking SLOWS it but it does not stop or reverse it.  My body was ready, probably a long time before my brain was.  I like Dale's suggestion that we have to be WILLING, that it is all about that willingness.  This is not an easy journey to start and to stay on but I hate to think where I would be if I had not stopped smoking.  I don't think it would be on this side of the grass.