Sirius

Changing yourself is always the most difficult thing a person can do. To become something new requires some part of you to die. You can't become a non-smoker without annihilating the identity of you as a smoker. You want it both ways. To be a non-smoker and occasionally going back to being a smoker, however briefly. It looks to me a hi-wire act fraught with tension as you struggle to maintain a duality over an abyss of remorse and addiction. Focus on what you want to be and move forward with it. The rest is a distraction that will rob you of your dreams.

Thanks Sazerac and Warbelian. It gets to the point that you no longer crave cigarettes but you do remember the craving for cigarettes.

LOL, I'd completely forgotten. Thanks everyone.

um...unstinky?

oooh I'm an Avenger? I'll need to put a "No Smoking" sticker on my Iron Man suit.

Being alone tested my quit the most. Just me and my addiction....

Tobacco Co Creed: "A man has the right to dig his own grave and I have the right to sell shovels."

I believe its right next to Humptulips, Washingon

retracted.

This catchy video was banned from MTV. Not certain why as the lyrics are hardly explicit.

Jillar, Thanks for posting this. People start their quit full of enthusiasm, excitement, and/or terror. As with all things wherein we clock the hours it can become a grind. .

She tickled my funny bone.

Question was raised so I will answer here. in formal attire.

I don't experience cravings anymore. Let me rephrase that. I have not experienced a craving in quite some time. Same with the smoking dreams. That stuff is in the past. If I am around people who smoke there is no trigger. Just a mild annoyance. You are free from smoking when its no longer a question you bother to ask. As Sazerac says, it just takes time.

People putting disgusting things in their mouths is hardly new if there is a perceived benefit. Also, I noticed you didn't say ex-wives... so... umm... you from Utah?

Sgt. Barney, I gather from the fecal matter present in your posts that you have nothing but contempt for verbalized commitments. I did quit and I did, on occasion, pledge. It can help us conceptualize what we want (or don't want) and help to renew our commitment by making it a daily, verbalized, focus of attention. By making the pledge in public we magnify the commitment as we incur social expectations and well wishes ...or disappointment. A pledge is just another tool in our arsenal. I confess that I am morbidly curious how you might value the concept of prayer in terms of its usefulness in defeating addiction as, while very similar, a prayer is an externalized plea wherein a pledge tends to be more of a internalized affirmation.

Redemption 3, You say that you want to restart smoking, but I'd like you to look a bit deeper. You want to quit smoking. If you didn't, you would never had quit to begin with. It's actually the addiction that wants you to restart. The longer you abstain from smoking the more removed the addiction will be from your person. Never think for a moment that you want to smoke.

While I don't recommend this practice to stop smoking (Bakon, go ahead). It worked for me.

blur, To break a habit you must create a new habit. Paving over the old with the new. First thing in the morning you stare into the mirror and tell yourself NOT...ONE...PUFF...EVER. At night, as you wait for sleep to claim you, tell yourself you can do this. That it's all just a repeat. Yes, the cravings can be tough but remind yourself that nobody dies from a craving. They don't last more then a few minutes so keep the goal firmly pictured in your mind. Carry gum, cinnamon sticks, mint toothpicks; whatever. Smoking will pick your pocket and rob you of your dreams. Get on the train and post often. We're all rooting for you but we want to hear some success. Give us a day without smoking and how your going for day two! When I go into a sundry store I see all the packs of cigarettes behind the counter and it means... it means nothing to me. No reaction at all. You can have that as well. A freedom from addiction.

I'd like to add that helping others who are struggling is a great way to maintain your quit. Doubly true if your quit is new. The new quitters feel the pain while the older quitsters can only remember it.

The patron saint of addicts and addiction.

When it comes to breaking an addiction like smoking, the shortest path is through the mud. You're gonna be a mess before you're through, but when you're through you'll be pristine.

A week not smoking (based on a pack-a-day habit): A day of your life saved. Saving 35 USD or 27 GBD or 2 troy ounces of triple 9 fine silver (that's 10 pounds of pure silver yearly!). Approximately 16 hours doing something else besides smoking. Oh, the possibilities....

Sister blue bird, flying high above! https://youtu.be/Yu9ykgGUm1w

I'm going to guess they took the song to heart.