"If I had a cigarette, I would become a full time smoker again."

[JonesCarpeDiem]

because I would have chosen to do it.

No one forces us to smoke.

Willpower wont stop the memories.

Willpower won't stop us from thinking about smoking.

Willpower means you're trying to not think about something.

It becomes an effort in futility.

Try not thinking about a hairy pickle.

Unlearning smoking is the only way to disconnect.

How do you do that?

You make new memories without smoking

until it clicks for you.

[elvan]

You are SO RIGHT.  Every quit I have lost has been because I picked up and smoked that FIRST cigarette and I promised myself that I would NEVER smoke like I used to...yeah, right, usually lasted a few days and then I was right back to wherever I started.  

[virgomama]

Me too.  Exactly.  Cant say how many times I said Oh just one, or just one puff.  Got me every single time.

[DavesTime]

Ditto.  I'm a slow learner.  AND an addict.

[SaraCorinne]

A smart man once told me:  Willingness NOT Willpower!  Those 3 simple words have helped me immensely with my quit!

Sara 70 DOF!!!! 

[JonesCarpeDiem]

You're welcome. Congratulations on 70 days.

Have you had any days where the next day you realize you didn't think of smoking at all the day before?

[SaraCorinne]

Yes, only a couple but I'll take 'em!

[JonesCarpeDiem]

that's about right. I know some people have them as early as the 60's. I don't recall having them until the 80's.

this is how you know you are progressing.

Those are the days that will grow in number.

this is how it works once that happens.

[SaraCorinne]

And when I do think about a cigarette, it's attached to something like: we opened all the windows last week to air the house out, I didn't usually smoke inside but when all the windows were open and there was a nice breeze, I would.  I can easily dismiss the thought now!  How dumb was it to open all the windows to freshen up the house then smoke in it.........duhhhhhh 

[JonesCarpeDiem]

I usually went outside but when I was first learning the computer in 1995, my wife and daughter took a 3 week trip to visit her family in Michigan, Kentucky, and Florida. I had an open widow with a fan that pulled the smoke outside and I would blow the smoke toward the fan. It actually worked quite well.