Day 3

[DonnaMarie]

I'm gritting my teeth and pulling out all the stops. No smoking today. Not one puff. I want and need to stay clean. 

There is no reason to smoke. There are only reasons to quit.

It's that simple and yet this addiction is so complicated. The nicodemon whispers in my ear that "it's okay." but it's not. Smoking is never okay. Not in my book. 

Plan for today:

1. Run errands, or at least go to the bank. That's close and it has to be done.
2. Cut fabric strips for my kitchen stuff.
3. Walk outside (it's going to be gorgeous here today in Virginia).
4. Eat simply.
5. Fold laundry... again.
6. Go to my volunteer thing tonight. It's also close and I won't stop for cigs, daggumit!
7. Brush my teeth.
8. Break out some of the mints I bought for this occasion. It is an occasion, after all. A celebration. It is not a wake. It is not a funeral. 
9. Reread the how and why of it all as much as I need to.

I feel a cranky time coming on. I don't feel deprived. I do feel like I need to be completely on guard today. 

I know I'm not alone when I say I wish I had never started smoking. 

Okay, off the pity train and back to reality. 

[Chuck-2-20-2011]

Wow! Day three! 

 Kind of a hump day for you. This is the day that the last of the nicotine leaves the body, and the physical part eases. Good job! Next comes the commitment. The physical cravings will ease, but the internal argument remains. Please be careful today. I'll be thinking of you!

ONWARD TO FREEDOM!!!

Chuck

[elvan]

You certainly are NOT alone when you say you wish you had never started...I cannot count the number of times I have said that out loud and to myself.  You are doing well...planning your day is a positive thing.  I also live in Virginia and I would LOVE to get outside and go for a walk, I used to do that all of the time but then my COPD progressed and I simply cannot exercise outside because I cannot breathe.  I DO exercise indoors and I take better care of myself than I think I have at any other time in my life.  This is a journey, it DOES get easier, we need to celebrate our smoke free experiences.  

We are here for you, my friend.

Ellen

[DonnaMarie]

You live in a beautiful part of the state. I hope you're able to go on the porch and enjoy it before the pollen sets in. Get that bottle of bubbles ready   My husband is headed for Roanoke in a couple weeks for a car show. I'm not ready for that kind of car ride yet, but I will be!

[anaussiemom]

 I wish I had never started smoking. " DonnaMarie

Always wished my parents were smarter and educated me and my sibling on smoking.  I blame them!!  LOL

But day 2 and 1/2 almost cold turkey.  I'm kinda diggin" the cold turkey way.  (for myself).

Know if I could get some house work done....

Donna your doing fabulous.  Kudos!!

Hugs
Kim

[anaussiemom]

NOW*

[DonnaMarie]

We're at the same point   Come holler at me instead of smoke and I'll do the same, okay?

I'm 62. If you do the math, everyone smoked when I was a kid and it was almost a rite of passage to smoke and then smoke in front of  your parents and then smoke everywhere, including stores, hospitals, and doctors' offices. Both of my parents smoked and so did my older sisters. I, like most people, snuck one here and there, stealing them from my parents' packs. You know the story. 

We got this - 2-1/2 days will be a week before we know it, and I'm not gonna bust a week quit!

[Daniela2016]

I had the same conversation with mom just the other day.  When I started I was about 20, I was hiding it from my parents, but one day I asked her, and she said I was a good kid, doing well with school, not getting in any kind of trouble, and at that time, everyone else was smoking (not my parents though), so she said, go for it.  She is now sorry she did not know more about how the addiction, if she had said no, I probably would have obeyed.  So I am free to blame her, but I know better now. 

I know it is on me to stay an EX, I know it is feasible, I know every one here is here to help.

And you should rely on us for help, but you'll be the driver of your quit!  Congratulations on day 3, please try not to be scared of the craves; they come and go, they are not invitations to go buy cigarettes, you can deep breathe through them, and will find yourself at the end of the day a happy EX for making it!

You can do it DonnaMarie‌, we'll be here to help!

[anaussiemom]

Well of course I don't really blame, my parents.   I dont know what possessed  me to pick up a cigarette???? Anyway..

[Daniela2016]

Kim, anaussiemom  please don't take it the wrong way, of course I don't blame mom.  But you know how addicted people find all kind of EXcuses for the behavior.  And maybe for years, in my mind I thought "if only mom said NO back then", but no one will never know.  She might have said "NO" and I could have been already addicted at the time and would have not stopped anyways.

The point I was trying to make is that our own mind, if we can get it straight (and I am not that much ahead of you, after all I quit just a little less than 2 years ago), is going to help us see the clear picture, the picture of us being the only responsible party for the addiction, as well as our quit. Why did we start? For me it was pure peer pressure; I was going to University, and was amongst the very few kids (18-19 years old) who did not smoke; I wanted to fit in, I wanted to be accepted and not being made fun of as "daddy's good little girl"!  Another factor was the extended family, most of them were smoking, and mostly women. My husband used to smoke but quit before we got married.  I smoked 33 out of our almost 35 years together, how crazy is that???