Rough morning

[beccalynn35]

My 1st morning without a cig. It's rough. 

[YoungAtHeart]

The FIRST day of the rest of your free life!  Try to think of the POSITIVES of not being a slave to your addiction anymore - and there are many,

You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.

Hang in there!

Nancy

[Roller831]

You can turn this day from Day One to Day WON!

I am just putting the links below as a refresher and to give you something to read and take your mind off of smoking.

A list of our Elders /blogs/Giulia-blog/2017/06/18/elders-list-ao-december-7-2016 

 Some of the things I read in my first few days that helped me:

Dale’s Welcome to New Members My Welcome To New Members (10 Years Of Watching) 

Nancy’s Blog /blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instead-of-smoke 

Dale’s Blog /blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-in-the-first-four-months 

Visit Best of EX     

And read what has been posted there.

JACKIE1-25-15  gave me the link to Alan Carr’s book, “Easy Way to Quit Smoking”.  I actually didn’t read the online PDF, but purchased a book on CD from Amazon and listened to it in my car over and over again for the first two weeks of my quit.  The link to the PDF:

http://media.wix.com/ugd/74fa87_2010cc5496521431188f905b7234a829.pdf

Keep this site close and keep posting and asking for help.  You will get it.  You will get things you like and things you don't like, but don't give up!!!  We have been through similar experiences and can share our strength and hope.  We are here to support you!

[beccalynn35]

Thank you!

[elvan]

Stay close and do what you just did...you reached out.  We have ALL been there, there is no other way than one step at a time.

[ahkhippiechic]

Hey there beccalynn35 !  Just reaching out to encourage you to get through this day.  I have been there more than once, have several quits that I messed up!  I still remember how hard my first quit was and it seems like HELL trying to get through a moment at times...

but YOU can DO THIS.  Take a moment, a second, a millisecond at a time.  Delay, go somewhere you can’t get to the evils, call someone, log on here, scream, cry, go for a walk or a run, get a hug, give a hug, breathe in and out, go shopping, shop online and put a ton of things in your cart you have always wanted.  It doesn’t really matter what you do (as long as it’s legal and doesn’t include harming self or others! I used to think I wanted to hurt others in the midst of a quit) As long as it does not involve SMOKING.

You are going to make it to the end of this day and you are going to be SO PROUD and then you will KNOW in your own heart that you really can QUIT FOR GOOD.

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Some days will be rough.  That is why it takes planning and preparation for those rough days.  What's in you tool kit that you could use today?

[JACKIE1-25-15]

Example of quit kit

A list of why you quit

Book to read

Chrystal light

Cinnamon sticks

Cinnamon toothpicks you can find these on amazon.com

Coloring Books

Deep breathing

Emails of people that are supportive

Exercise videos

Fresh Fruit

Frozen grapes

Games

Gum

Hobby have a hobby to keep you distracted

Ice chips

Lemon bit into it  (I think this one is from Dale what he tells people to do)

Links to a funny video to get you into a good mood

Licorice

Meditation

Mints

NRT gum

Other web sites you can find your friends at for support

Phone numbers of someone supportive

Puzzle book

Raw Vegetables

Red hots

Straws

Sunflower seeds

Tic tac

Tooth picks

Vicks vapor rub put a little bit under your nose during craves

Water bottle to keep with you all times

[beccalynn35]

Hi ya All! I made it through my morning craves, and then took a nap! Now it's afternoon. Had a crave but it wasn't as powerful as the morning ones were. 

I do have a quit kit. It has 

Deep breathing 

Honey sticks

Cinnamon tooth picks 

Coloring books 

My kindle

Easy way to quit smoking i have on audable 

Patch

I want to put more in it, and Jackie gave me great ideas, thanks jackie

[Roller831]

I listened to Easy Way as well.  And then I listened to it over and over for the first week or so.  It really helped me out!  Carrot sticks helped me and so did straws.  Learn to (I call it) square breathe.  Breathe in slowly for a 2-3 count and out for twice as long.  It will stimulate the breathing you do while smoking and can help craves.  You've got this.  Turn Day One into Day WON!