Nixter

Thanks everyone!!! My races went well, I finished them all upright, and that was my goal. lol actually I did fairly well, top 25% for my age group in all of them.

Hello everyone! Just dropping in to say HI! It's been a while since Ive been here. Mostly I just wanted to see my ticker and check out my stats since I still am smoke free! It looks like I do t have a ticker anymore though. Boo. Oh well I'm coming up on 6 months.

Literally. It stinks! Hi everyone just checking in here. I'm still smoke free and so happy to be! Today I ran 3 miles. I would have never guessed I would be able to do that 6 months ago! Anyway most days I hardly think about it at all. Hope you are all doing well.

That's great. I've recently started running myself and each day gets a little better. My goal is to be able to run a race someday. Right now it doesn't seem possible but I will just keep working at it and being grateful every day that I don't smoke.

Nope!

NOPE!!! Not a chance.

I'm going to hold you to the gets better everyday part.

That was a great book. A book in the same vein is The Invention of Wings. That one made me cry!

Nope!

Wonderful post. Thank you.

Anyone read any fantastic books recently? I am still healing from surgery and am still lying around quite a bit. Would love some suggestions for a good read. I've just finished Dark Places (meh) and In the Unlikely Event. (Good) There is not just one genre I like, if it's a good book it's a good book! I do enjoy action adventure quite a bit, I've enjoyed all of James Rollins books. Any suggestions?

Nope. Not gonna happen.

Nic, Come on. Really?!? Quitting this time wasn't painful enough? Seriously, think about how GOOD you feel not being a smoker. No more wheezing, no more shit breath, no being embarrassed all the time about how you smell, about strangers looking at you and judging. Do you really want to go back to worrying about a stroke or heart attack all the time? Did you forget how it sounded when the respiratory therapist was suctioning dad while he was intubated? How the therapist said he could tell dad was a long time smoker even though he's been quit FOR 25 YEARS??? How about when dad couldn't walk fast enough to get to the boat because of his emphysema. His pained, red face and raspy breathing. Why would you throw in the towel when you've made it so far?? Been through the hardest part? Just remember. If you smoke, it will not be just 1. You. Are. A. Freaking. Addict. And if you smoke, you will not enjoy it because you don't smoke. It will not taste good. You will probably cough. It will feel repulsive. You will not enjoy it!!! Please don't smoke. PLEASE DONT SMOKE! Love yourself enough for the first time in your life to respect your body. Think about Sydney crying the last time you relapsed. NOPE!

Thank you all so SO much! Exactly what I needed to hear. Actually had a dream about smoking last night after I posted this. Except in the dream I was repulsed by smoking and so angry at myself that I had a puff. Feeling much stronger today!

Alright I'm not sure this is an SOS or not but maybe it would be eventually. I just want to know why, when you are so dang determined to never smoke again why do you start to miss it?? I know I am not physically addicted anymore but the last few days I have been thinking about smoking more and more. Not in a craving kind of way but in a "I miss my friend" kind of way. It's really frustrating and making me mad! The only thing I can think of is that I had surgery a couple weeks ago and still feel a bit down from that. Maybe my missing the cigs is me just wanting to go back to a time that I felt better and was doing things instead of laying around. I don't know. Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks Joe! That looks like a good program!

Oh man. I want to be a runner again. I ran about 2 blocks yesterday and thought my lungs would explode. :( why did I smoke for so long?!?!? Ughhhh

So basically what I'm figuring out is that cigarettes and nicotine are big fat liars. For all those years they kept me at their beck and call by making me afraid. I was afraid to quit because I thought I wouldn't be able to have fun without a cig. LIE. I was afraid to quit because I thought it would be too hard. LIE. I was afraid to quit because I thought every day would be like day 1. LIE. I was afraid to quit because I wouldn't be "me" without my smokes. LIE!! I am telling you, I feel more joy at social situations than I ever have!! Why? Because I can concentrate on having fun instead of worrying when I can sneak outside for a cigarette. I physically feel soooo much better already. And I'm also really proud of myself. But I have to be honest and say I'm a little pissed that I was duped for so long. Anyway, I'm so happy to be a non smoker. Thanks for being here for me!

Hello friends, Just wanted to pop in and say hi! And let you all know how I'm doing since I've been off the boards for a few days. :) so it's been just over a week since I've had nicotine in my body. I don't think I physically crave it anymore but my brain makes me think I do. It's actually not too often and I just blow it off with a "yea right..I miss injecting toxins into my body 20 times a day??" Uh no. I don't. I would like to come to a point where I don't think about it every damn day though. I want to think wow!! I haven't thought about smoking in a whole week!! Lol. Overall, feel good and strong and know that I NEVER want to smoke again. NOPE!

Also, I love smelling good.

So here I am, a couple days out. I haven't really struggled per se, just an odd pang or longing here or there. Whenever I start to think that I want one, I just try to remind myself I don't actually want one, but my stupid junkie brain does. Anyway, today I'm sitting on my front porch, enjoying the sunshine, the breeze and the birds. I didn't think I would be able to sit out here without a smoke. But I am! Hoping that every day just gets easier and easier.

Thanks everyone! I'm glad I found this place.

Marti is there some specific reading material regarding addiction that you would recommend? I think it would be helpful to see why I literally feel like a junkie.

Hello everyone! I just found this site yesterday and I'm glad I did. Lots of good info here. Today is my first day as a non smoker. It's quite daunting. I am quitting because I have a major surgery next month and need to be off the cigs to do so for healing purposes. Anyway, some of the first few days advice like juice and eating every couple hours I can't do. I'm on a high protein liquid diet in prep for surgery. Ugh. So not eating and not smoking!!!