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I used to think I did not have the willpower to quit smoking. Every attempt, my thoughts would drift back to needing that cigarette and the excuses of why I could not quit. Last night, as I lay in bed, I could not get this word out of my mind. I realized that, over the past year, this word has really changed meaning for me. I always had the willpower to quit smoking, I just did not know how to do it. Stumbling across this forum was a life changer for me. We all have the power to change our lives for the better, but many times we do not feel we have the strength or "will" to do so. That has a lot to do with our self esteem. How can we not feel lowly about ourselves, when we are addicted to a behavior that is destroying ourselves. Know that you can change your life and , in my case, the meaning of this word. Now that I have quit smoking, I have the willpower to do anything I want. I have the willpower to stay in control of my life. What a wonderful feeling.

Nope!

Nope not today!

NOPE

G’day NOPE

Absolutely NOPE!!!!!

nope

Nope

NOPE

NOPE...

This is my favorite part about being here, watching people begin to trust themselves, care about themselves and make even more changes in their life to nurture themselves, to make themselves better humans. I couldn't agree more .. It's wonderful to watch a newbie travel on their road to Freedom...Growing confidence ,and strength in every aspect of their lives.....

NOPE!

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

NOPE - I don't smoke anymore.

Your transformation has been so encouraging, Linda. This is my favorite part about being here, watching people begin to trust themselves, care about themselves and make even more changes in their life to nurture themselves, to make themselves better humans. I am so happy you continue to shine your light on us and encourage us all. Thank you so much. Quitting smoking is the best thing anyone can do for themselves and their friends and family. The lessons learned lead to an inner strength and a great compassion also.

NOPE

This is a huge red flag. This trigger, if not stomped out, can lead you NOWHERE. Do not let smokey thoughts get any kind of traction in your brain, Roark. Flush them out and replace them with thoughts of kindness, thoughts of beauty, re-visit a treasured memory or, 'move a muscle, change a thought'. These thoughts are junkie thoughts and all about addiction...nothing about YOU. Your emotions will settle down and you will learn how to care for yourself, how to trust yourself, how to listen to yourself. Please treat yourself with extra kindness through this time where you may feel very exposed and vulnerable. Bank up the fires of your inner strength and power. Protect your quit. You are winning. You may find this post about Red Flags helpful.

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE

NOPE ...Not Today !!!

I find I can deal with life challenges better now I don't smoke ,I don't have the nicotine withdrawal to cope with on top of everything else ...it does get easier R ...I've just lost my lifelong partner.... And never once thought a smoke would make it better ...it never even entered my mind ... When i was a smoker ..the least tiny problem i would smoke more ...smoking gets us all wound up ... Take some really good deep breaths ...take in that lovely fresh air ...

The best way to honour the Sarge is to stay quit ...this is I'm sure what he would want for you ...

G’day Glass Potatoe This reciepe is low on ingredients but makes a knockout spud! Peel and cook your spuds whole. Drain and let cool. pre heat your oven too 230 C 450 F (yes that hot) Pour some EVA in a baking dish bout a coupla mm deep. Arrange spuds in the baking dish squashing each one down with the heel of your hand. Forgot, you can add salt to suit. sprinkle more EVA over the top and put your dish in the oven After 10 mins drop the oven temp too 200C or 390 F then leave for an hour. Timings not critical and it pays to peak. If you get to an hour and the rest of your meal isn’t ready cause you have got stuck into the cooking wine/ held up by the tongue etc you can drop the temp to 150C and it will keep in the oven for another 1/2 hour.

Hey Roark! We all used smoking to hide from real life issues in some manner or other. Don't be sad for your past; be happy for your future because now you're quitting and that's something you can control!

Really enjoying the smoke free life I'm putting together. Wife and I rode our bikes to the community center pool today, then rode back home. Cooked outside for both lunch and dinner. Football and baseball on the couch. Starting to really see that it's up to me to invent my new life. When you quit, you are left sitting around with a "hole" in your life. You are just waiting to smoke, and can't. But six weeks in I don't even think about smoking when I'm doing one of the "new" things. Exercise. Leaving the house. The new list of "to dos" that I've taken on. The restlessness comes on when I'm doing something I used to do. Sitting on the couch in the evening with a beer watching football. And while I totally get the whole idea of avoiding things that "trigger" you early on, I think I'm to the point where I am going to draw some lines and push through. Reclaim some parts of my life from the smoky mindset and I totally now see that involves pushing through the cravings and doing those things "smokeless" until it takes.

12 hs yours without smokes

G’day Not One Puff Ever

ADVERTISEMENT Teenager left in coma after developing lung disease from vaping Jane WhartonSaturday 31 Aug 2019 8:04 am Share this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via messenger 5k SHARES Maddie Nelson was left in a coma after three years of vaping (Picture: GoFundMe/Facebook) A teenager suffered catastrophic lung damage after vaping every day for three years. Maddie Nelson, 18, started to feel ill earlier this year but last month experienced severe back and kidney pain. The student, from Utah, USA, was rushed to hospital struggling to breathe but the oxygen that medics gave her did not work. Her sister Andrea said ‘the situation went from serious to potentially fatal’ and an X-ray showed ‘severe damage to her lungs.’ The decision was made to put her into a medically-induced coma while she battled for life. Maddie was left unable to breathe on her own after developing lung disease from vaping (Picture: Gofundme) Andrea added: ‘On August 1, she officially received her diagnosis after two bronchoscopies. Test results showed she has been enduring acute eosinophilic pneumonia. ‘Her doctor suspects it’s from electronic vaping sources, this includes all supposedly “safe” alternatives to smoking such as e-cigarettes.’ Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is a rare disease caused by a build-up of white blood cells in the lungs in response to inflammation. Maddie was given steroids and was brought out of the coma after three days. She is now breathing on her own but still needs oxygen at night for the tightness in her chest. Maddie shared photos of herself in the hospital as she urged people to quit vaping: ‘I am sharing my story so you all are aware that there is something crazy in these pens that is not safe and almost cost me my life. ‘I used to just tell myself it won’t happen to me, but it can and will happen to you too…take my advice, don’t smoke, don’t vape. #vape #stopthevape.’ Maddie, 18, said she vaped for three years (Picture: Facebook) Last week it emerged that the first person had died from vaping, which is being promoted as a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes. The medical community has urged caution, saying electronic cigarettes have only been around for a decade and it is too early to promote them as ‘safe.’ Maddie’s sister Andrea said that young people are ‘the guinea pigs of the popularising of “vape life” and after only a few years, we are seeing some pretty scary side effects.’ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that in the US nearly 200 people have contracted severe respiratory illnesses after vaping. All of those affected have been teenagers or adults who had used an electronic cigarette or some other kind of vaping device. More evidence ....

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

Nope!

NOPE - never again.

NOPE -- to start the weekend with!!!!

Smoking affects so many aspects of our lives in a negative manner and we never even think about that as addicts. We use smoking to hide away from so many things in our lives. When we quit, it's sort of the same thing in reverse but all the effects are positive It's too bad we don't realize this before we quit or even in the early days of our quit. It's only after we've gone through the process that we actually get it! It's nice to enjoy life again the way it should be

-9 Back Now

I am so glad you found it useful, Roark. The more you communicate your concerns and experience the easier it is to send things that might help your way. You will also resonate with many, we have our personal quits but, we often are in solidarity over concerns and anxieties involved in all of our quits. Congratulations on your quit. Protect it and be really kind to yourself.

It should be day 2, @jillar. This is confusing. @Juanrmartino2, you must be completely HONEST with yourself, SCRUPULOUSLY TRUTHFUL ! also, you must be clear and truthful with us, your support team otherwise, this ain't going to go well at all. It is all about making a commitment to NOPE and sticking to it, that is all. Holding ourselves accountable brings many rewards.

Here are all of The Sarge's Posts over the years for you to read. His message remains consistent and ageless.

OO Off for some fishing today

Wow 19 years is a long life for a dog. Roark, you do reach a point where you can grieve without reaching for those cigarettes.

@Roark, the emotions you're feeling are completely normal for where you are in your quit. Some of us get angry and others get sad. And yes, it is much better than smoking! You are doing great and just keep reminding yourself that this too shall pass and once it does you'll see just how worth it all this misery was

This is very true. A few days ago I thought about my dog that passed over 2 years ago. I reached for my pack of cigarettes before I even realized I had done it. They weren't there. I ended up having to pull my truck over to the side of the road. I cried for half an hour. The cigarettes helped me suppress the loss. Is that a good thing? I don't know. Maybe. The loss of that sweet dog (at 19 - she was tough) almost killed me at the time and I had a hard time holding it together. But since then I have clearly been hiding from it. That's why my hand reached out for that pack that wasn't there. I've also been dragging around a craving for days since then. And I also think a lot of the depression I have been feeling since quitting isn't about "my friend, the missing cigarettes" but about all of the issues I've repressed in the 20 years I was smoking. Guess I'll get to cry on the side of the road more. Joy. Better than smoking.

I used to rock in my dad's recliner for hours listening to their l.p.'s as a kid....

Are you peeking in my window?!

I'm not getting another ticker until they start representing the $$ saved with .....(wait for it) ........ Number of Coors Light Paid For After Quitting! (No worries Mighty. You'll get that one after you've been here awhile )

My favorite from The Sarge, "Embrace The Suck'

Thank you for the article @Sazerac

this game has a 'HOT' stamp on it... -8

-7

-2...Don't tell Boo you've gone fishin !!!!

Lol - just got a 503 error when I logged in now so, you're not alone