Starting day 2
You've made if through the most significant day. The first day smoke free means you've begun your journey to be a successful non-smoker. One day at at time and reach out if you need support along the way.
Barb
Crossing your fingers is for good luck. Quitting smoking isn’t about luck, it’s a choice. If you truly intend to quit smoking it’s about attitude and shear determination. It’s making a conscious decision to never smoke again and is totally up to you. You and only you have the ability to do this.
My biggest piece of advice is to stay out of your head. Your physical cravings will end soon enough but the mental will test you on a daily basis.... Life can be rough and chances are you’ve never had to face anything without the comfort of a cigarette. But you are so ABLE to do this cause you are amazing. You will not die from a craving, but you might if you continue to smoke.
We are all here for you!!!! Congrats on Day 2
Beck
It's a tough choice... I didn't smoke cuz I craved it. I just liked the activity itself... But don't like being winded at times and don't like the smell and don't want the wrinkles around my lips!
Welcome to our community!
Welp - if you keep your fingers crossed, you can't actually light a cigarette - now can you? Luck, however, doesn't really do anything for you in quitting smoking. Education and commitment DOES. I can help with the first; you must provide the second.
The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance.
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
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. Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. 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!
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.
Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!
Nancy
Welcome to the community you've made the best decision that you'll ever make in your lifetime and it's definetly the best gift that any of us will ever give ourselves which is the gift of LIFE please read the links suggested above me and keep reading everything you can about quitting smoking and remaining quit because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb permanently it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination BUT it's absolutely Doable and totally worth it ,stay close because we're all here to help you in any way we can.
Hi there !
I agree with Beck37 ... quitting smoking isn't about wishing or hoping, it is all about your choices, and you can do this!!
BUT, I did want to say... keep those fingers well crossed while you make the right choice (not to smoke). It is very difficult to hold and smoke a cigarette with crossed fingers!! LOL!
Best wishes to you on this eventful journey you have begun
being winded, yucky smell, wrinkles......
All good reasons!!!
One day at a time..........
Smoking Is Not An Option
Congratulations on Day 2 and Welcome to Ex's...
If you haven't already done so, might I suggest you read
It will help you through many craves and triggers along this journey...And yes, I will keep my finger's crossed and even my toes...lol...Enjoy the Freedom...You are taking your Life back...~ Colleen
FANTASTIC! CONGRATS AND GOOD JOB!
Welcome to EX, please pay attention to what Youngatheart.7.4.12 has shared with you and know that we ALL want very much for you to succeed! This is a journey and it cannot be rushed but it CAN be taken one day at a time and each day makes you stronger.
Ellen
Day 3... having some temptation and “excuse making” going on in my head. Was hoping today would be easier than yesterday- starting out feeling harder!?!? Keep telling myself that I chose this and I’m glad I did. I know if I slip it’s not going to feel
good afterwards and I will be mad at myself. I’m off to a good start- why stop now? Can’t come
up with a good reason so I decided to post here and hope this urge passes quickly!!
Good to come to the site when having a craving. I would come and read/post and before I knew it the crave had passed. You're doing great. Just know that it will get easier. Day 3 will be another success--one day at a time.
Barb
335 DOF
What does DOF mean?
Sent from my iPhone
Liar, Liar, pants on fire. You craved it. Do I hear an addict speaking? Yes I do. I am 327 days into my quit and one of the most important parts of the quit for me was aknowledging my addict. learning to recognize the voice of the addict. That addict is not you. Leave it behind. You craved it.
Quitting smoking is a journey of self discovery, and it is all good. All good. I look forward to meeting you again on this page, you and your addict. Karen and her addict (who is mostly silent these days)
DOF - Days Of Freedom TBoyette another one that I like is S.I.N.A.O - Smoking Is Not An Option & this one too - N.M.W - No Matter What .....
DOF means days of freedom. you are well on your way, day 2. Fantastic!!!! So much better than day ONE. Did you set up your stats on your profile page? I found and still find it very helpful... as of today I have avoided 9,733 cigarettes, imagine... my poor lungs.... I has some mercy on them. You are doing the best thing for youself that you have probably done for years. Years. And for people who love you.... you are saving your life....
and also N>O>P>E not one puff ever.
❤️ that one!
Sent from my iPhone
I have a pack stashed in my car- PLEASE let me have the strength to throw them away when I get in there to go to work today. I didn’t drive anywhere all weekend and the car is a trigger for me... will be my first drive in years without smoking!!!
I would do it right away. Get them and run them under water. It's too much of a temptation so early your quit.
I wish there were a magic pill or spell I could give you to make this easier, but, alas, there is not. This is difficult in the early going, and it won't get better for a bit now; the first two weeks are pretty bad. Then it's your body getting used to life without the drug which takes a week or two of physical withdrawals. Then it's relearning how to deal with the triggers and associations with smoking you have built up over the years. Changing up your routines will help with that.
Just take each day as it comes - this journey is likened to a roller coaster ride with ups and downs and twists and turns. You will have an easier day soon. Enjoy it and get ready for the next not-so-easy one.
I promise you this will all be worth it - just hang in there!
Nancy
Here is a blog I wrote with tips for getting over driving in your car without smoking: Driving Quitting Tips. Get rid of that pack of cigarettes NOW - keeping them around is giving yourself permission to smoke them. Run them under water and put them in the trash - NOW!
Stashed pack is wet and in trash; fresh apple slices under seat; bottle of water in cup holder; audio book in que... I will do this - just 15 minutes to work and I’ll be out of the car!
101 Things to Do Instead of Smoke
Quit Kit aka Tool Box
TBoyette Hugs
Kim