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Why not take a seat and join us .... You,ll be surprised how better it is ,with friends who understand your fears and concerns ... Quitting can be fun ... What you waiting for

6 months!! I never would have actually thought I would make it this far! One thing is for sure, looking back…I’ll never go through that again!!! Smoke free for life!!! Thanks everyone for all the support and advice along the way! QuitTrain, her crew, and fellow passengers are the best!!!!

OK so it's not the one year or two year, but I'm so happy to see 1 year six months! (And a few days) Eating Hagen Dazs strawberry vanilla ice cream to celebrate.

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

Ohhhh boy do I have a story to tell. Some of you know me and some of you don’t. However, I can’t expect you to remember me. It’s been an incredibly long and arduous journey. But it’s been my journey and it’s been a decent one so far. I’ve gone by many names in the past; some born from shame, some merely from forgetting my login information. Probably the most prominent username I’d been known by was HonorAmongstThieves; although many of you endearingly referred to me as HAT. Well, I could not pinpoint any username on this website, so I had to make a new one some time ago, which, as per usual it had remained dormant due to being a smoker. You see, my quit smoking journey unintentionally began on 1 January 2011. It was New Years and I only hd a couple cigarettes left but I didn’t want to go out so late to buy more. I decided to see if I could quit. And I did for about 4 months. I relapsed; which I would soon learn would be a recurring theme in my life. On the first night of my quit I came across a now defunct website, the QSMB, which is where I met many of you trying to accomplish the same thing that I was. I didn’t make an account until I was 72 hours free of nicotine in case I couldn’t hack it. I learned many techniques and coping skills that did help me through my initial 4 month quit. But alas, I was weaker than the cigarette and I fell back into my old ways. This is much how the past decade had gone for me. When I got wind of wanting to quit again, I’d lurk around, quit, be active for awhile, and then eventually relapse again. I met so many wonderful people through that website. I was even around during the great migration to this website, though I relapsed and when I came back, that website, to my surprise, was completely gone. But that’s alright because change is good. I began doing the same things here, lurking, quitting and being active here, and then relapsing. So many amazing and wonderful things have happened in my life over the past 11 years that I have tried to quit. I have worked incredibly hard to make changes in my life and I’m proud to say that I am not the same immature young adult that I was 11 years ago. Even then, I still kept smoking. Quitting. Relapsing. It’s a vicious cycle. Through all the personal struggle, the drama on the QSMB, the difficult and often painful pangs of growing and maturing, it’s all been worth it. But like Frankie said, “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, to few to mention.” Still, if there was one thing I could change about my life, I would never pick up those first cigarettes. They took too much of my life, my health, my money, my looks; too much of everything. I always wondered if I would ever be back to this place, other than lurking. Even now, I still do. It’s been hard. So many countless, blurry nights where I told myself that I hated myself. That I would never change. That I told myself I didn’t have what it takes to be a better person. Even those days aren’t that long ago. But I made gradual, sometimes baby-step, changes in my life and I’m a better man now. A better husband, father, provider. I often look back to that fateful night, 11 years ago and cringe with regret. If hadn’t relapsed, I’d be preparing to celebrate 11 years of freedom from nicotine. It was exactly that thinking that kept me bogged down, unable to advance. It seemed so far away. So impossibly out of reach. I’ve honestly had to fight myself from coming back to this board and posting, and being active. Not because it’s bad, lol that is NOT the case. I learned so much about quitting smoking from the people here…but I also learned about myself. I didn’t come back because I wanted to do it on my own. With my support group at home; my wife and children; my family and friends. My mentors and peers who believed in me. But I did tell myself I would be back. I told promised myself that I would not forget the people who helped me get to this point in my life, which certainly consists of many of you who tried to educate me. For those who believed in me and never gave up on me. I came back for you. Because I believe that I owed it to you to let you know how things have been. How much my struggle with nicotine impacted my life and my decisions to this point. But most importantly, I believe I owe it to you to tell you that, as I submit this post, for the first time in my life since I began smoking, I can openly and honestly say, unequivocally, that I am happy to be here to celebrate with you that I am officially one year free from nicotine! I have waited more than a year to share this post. It is literally 11 years in the making. I don’t expect to be a full time poster here, but I will try to check in from time to time. Just know that I am finally free from this beast. It’s an amazing feeling and I cannot imagine going back to it. I know it happens. I know that people who are many years quit sometimes relapse. Just know that I am doing well, I am happy, and I am nicotine free. What a time to be alive. Thank you for never giving up on me after my many relapses and thank you all for teaching me how to kick this habit. For any new quitters, it gets better. Take it one day at a time, or one minute at a time if need be. It’s invigorating to finally be on this side of the quit. For anyone lurking, what are you waiting for? The water is perfect, come on in. As Sarge always used to say, “eazy peazy.” Very Respectfully, Your old pal HAT

One week until 20 years. The life we all live has/had nothing to do with smoking tobacco. It never did! Smoking was incorporated into our lives and only brought weeds. Wastage of time, money, health, addiction. Quitting is/was never a problem. It is only a process we all go through. If someone had told me when I was 39 that I would quit for 20 years I would have raised my cynical eyes more at myself than the statement. Having “giving” up smoking over a thousand times in various increments of time. I deemed myself a weak, spineless jellyfish. My friends had quit for 15 years over a £10 bet; yet I an educated person could not find a logical/spiritual plan. If someone had asked me at 40 that I would quit for 20 years. I would probably have agreed. What made the difference was not a convergence of the planets or meeting a guru. I realised that the problem was right under my nose. I kept smoking! I kept smoking after various holidays from smoking. From a minute until a year.... Why did I keep going back even when I had gone through the initial turmoil of early quitting? My answer was I must not smoke ever again in my life. Eureka! What ever happened I would not smoke until I died. The idea clicked. This was before I had ever heard abut NOPE. I love NOPE and what it means. There is no reason why I can/should/will ever smoke. As the months passed it dawned on me that not only is there a chasm between life and quitting smoking but they are only connected by a memory. Quitting plays no role in heartbreak/love within your life. It is a process that goes along like breathing and your heart beat. You have to stay still to detect it. It gets much harder to detect the “quit” after 2 years. You can even forget the date you quit. Hard to believe after 3 months. For me it felt “normal” not to smoke after 7 months. Life just went on... After 15 months it felt “natural” to be a non smoker. I felt like a non smoker.. Only 15 months and since then I have felt the same way. It does not get better and better. IMO eventually you settle into being a non smoker. The best celebration without a doubt us the first year. So much has happened. 4 seasons and so many things have changed in your conscious/unconscious life. The pinnacle as your so aware of it. Bathe in it..... By now you should have encompassed some extremes in your life. If not remember life and quitting are not entwined. You made your decision to quit and life will throw an extreme event. Once you have traversed this- you are practically there. Last month I carried my mother's coffin into church. 13 years I did the same with my father. Smoking and grief are not compatible to a non smoker. I saw that NOPE means “Never”. YOU>QUIT>LIFE Protect your “quit” from the endless events of life. This board is really for people in the first year and especially the first few weeks. It feels like being in a fog the first few weeks/ months. You must have faith that the fog will clear. It always does.... It is not a cliché, “ if I can do it , anyone can”. Most people looking back feel how fragile the start was. A minute/hour/day is often what matters in the beginning.. The same for me and everyone but it does change and quicker than you think, but the first year is critical. As the years go by you forget but I gave upon my birthday, so a double celebration. 20 years quit and 60 years of age. NOPE

I quit my 1 pack a day habit cold turkey on Sept 7 at 6:30pm. I actually had a pretty easy first 3 days. a) I had my wife (who does not smoke) hide both sets of my car keys so I could not drive to get cigarettes and told her I was not to get them back until 3 days were done. (I had here write location and seal in an envelope just in case of emergency). Except for long walks, that stopped me from having access to cigarettes. Nicotene is only in the system for 3 days, after that, it is all mental. b) I bought a bunch of cold red mountain dew to deal w/ any tiredness. c) I printed a calendar of the month for putting my red x's on. d) I decided my visualization to fight urges was that I could smoke, but I would have to pay $4000 for that 1st cigarette and accept being handcuffed to a barrel w/ 7000 cigarettes in it that I would be required to smoke. It was realistic because I know I never am able to seriously try quitting again for at least a year and that would be cost and approximate # I would smoke in a year. I believe there is no such thing as a "minor" slip up. When a junkie gives in to the craving, they have quit their quit. Its interesting how easy it was to get through the first 3 days when your access is cut off. All my previous quit attempts would result in irritability, tiredness, dizziness, and other issues during the chemical withdraw. This time, I had some slight dizziness a couple times and minor irritability, but nothing major like in the past. I think the symptoms were inflated in the past just like when I have my "man" colds. Since I had no access, the mind did not seem to get as bent out of shape over not getting the nicotene. Now I have to get through the more long term issue the constant cravings. They aren't huge cravings, more like having a child poke his finger into the back of your head every hour to remind you that you haven't had that nicotene you've been taking 20 times a day for the last 40yrs. And that's why I'm here. Just wanted a support group to turn to and share the pain some. And give encouragement to others if I can.

The fact that I don't remember to post a pledge every single day is testimony that I don't think about smoking on those days. I can't even believe I ever smoked. And NOPE, yet another day. Stunning, peaceful photo

Thanks everyone. Great to hear there is a lot of support hear. Plus, typing is something to do when times get tough, rather than reach for a smoke. I already walk around the block about 10 times a day now. Neighbors probably starting to think I'm scoping the neighborhood for a breakin. lol

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOPE…

NOPE!

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required) Minnippi parklands

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

G’day Start the day with NOPE

NOPE Where is this?

NOPE! Not today.

NOPE!

NOPE…

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required) cobwebs n dew ........or dreamcatcher

NOPE!

NOPE!!!!!!

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

NOPE…

NOPE

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

NOPE!

NOPE!!!!!!

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

NOPE!!!!!!

NOPE!!!!!!

Support is everything and this is an awesome site with awesome people Realizing my goals as i'm taking it one day at a time. Thank you all

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

nope

NOPE Really enjoy the pics, @Cbdave. Thank you for taking the time to post them. I need every bit of calm and serenity that comes my way.

NOPE!!

NOPE

G’day NOPE .....Not One Puff Ever.... (replace Ever with Min,Hour, Day as required)

NOPE!!!!!! (As our photographic travel log continues)

NOPE!

NOPE…

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOPE!

Brisbane bay side. Low tide from the mangrove walk. Suns up at about 6:20 am