Boo

Congratulations QueenB. You built a rock-solid quit for yourself and have provided great support for others here on the Quit Train...Great job!

Great job Angeleek. Good news: the benefits of quitting continue to accumulate with time. Celebrate every win.

Having the last laugh. I heard the whispers. The dismissive giggling at my expense. What is Boo's deal? Is he one of those crazy survivalists? I heard he goes down to Costco every month and fills his truck up with supplies. Even heard a so-called friend say: "It's just a matter of time before Boo ends up in a bunker with a shotgun and a shit-load of canned foods." Now the virus scare is in full effect and I'm hearing reports of shortages and outages of basic essentials. Meanwhile, me and Sugar Britches are busy taking inventory here at the Casa de Boo. I may be crazy, but there's method to my madness.

Congratulations Irene. Putting that first week behind you is a major milestone.

The Quit Train does have a laid back vibe. We do joke around a lot in here. That being said, we can also be serious. One of the great strengths of this place is that it gives a forum to express whatever is on your mind. If you feel more content reading and watching videos right now, do that. I think you'll find what you're looking for here. If you feel like venting a bit of frustration, let it rip. We've had some epic rants here in the past. You're among friends here. Everybody's experience here is different, make it your own.

Welcome aboard Ace. This challenge is straight-forward and simple: DON'T SMOKE! There is only one rule: DON'T SMOKE! You will pass this test with flying colors so long as you always remember: DON'T SMOKE! In closing...DON'T SMOKE!

I almost didn't join this site at all. I'm technologically illiterate and leery of anything that resembles "social media." Four years later and I check in here most everyday. This place has a way of growing on you. Grab a seat and stay awhile...It's a fun ride.

Four years in the rearview and a lifetime of freedom ahead... NOPE!

I voted for Willie. Three reasons: (1) I really like Willie Nelson. (2) I'm sure James Taylor's version will garner the most votes and (3) I feel a bit of guilt about telling a friend of mine that I like The Mavericks version of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" better than the original. This vote was a way of making amends to Willie.

Welcome back Darcy. Smoke-free is the way to be. The authentic is the genuine, undisputed, and real. Stick with that. Everything else is just noise.

Thank you all for the kind words and well wishes. I celebrated my smoke-free anniversary by waking up early and going out for a run. Some of you may be thinking: Boo doesn't know how to celebrate things. Perhaps the early morning run was more of an observance than a celebration. Observing the fact that I'm a very different person now than I was four years ago. Back then, there was no way I was going to drag myself out of bed at 4:30 a.m. to go run in the woods. I had neither the will nor the energy for that kind of thing four years ago. It felt like a chore to do the few basics in the morning, between stepping out to smoke a cigarette every ten minutes, and not leave the house late. Now I wake up feeling well rested and energetic; that was never the case when I was a smoker. In fact, observing and being grateful for the process of quitting has been a recurring theme of my fourth year smoke-free. The first year was a baptism by fire. There were highs and lows. Excitement and insecurity...it was quite a ride. The second year was when things started to steady a bit, I was enjoying getting my sea legs under me. The third year I was pretty much on cruise control. This last year has been the most eventful year of my life. Back in 2016, I hit a fork in the road and had to make some big choices. I could have chosen to settle for less and condemn myself to a life of mediocrity. Fortunately, the prospect of bigger and better things lured me to go in a different direction. Quitting smoking was one of the first commitments I made in an effort to reach out and grab the potential that was there. Committing to the process of quitting set off a chain reaction the likes of which I never expected. The positive momentum picked up from that one decision was a game changer for me. I will be forever grateful for the process. The Quit Train was a major factor in that process and I am forever grateful for all of you fine folks who took the ride with me. I gained knowledge. I was offered support from day one. I had full confidence that I could always get what I needed here, be it a pat on the back or a whack over the head from Doreen's frying pan I knew this Train was right on track. The fear and trepidation of quitting quickly subsided as this place provided a lot of laughs and the opportunity to get to know some of the finest folks I have ever encountered. Give yourself a round of applause Quit Train, you deserve it.

I'm more of a Boo Boo than a Yogi. That being said, I do perform some yoga poses during my mobility training sessions. I take a little time each day to do the half pigeon pose. Started doing the half pigeon when I was having some issues with my sciatic nerve. That particular pose helped a lot. I'm not getting any younger so anything I can do to open up my hips and shoulders is worthwhile. I also do the following poses: cobra, bridge, low lunge, boat, and downward facing dog. Namaste...

Welcome aboard Irene. Good call on giving up the smokes. Much of the work of getting over the nagging and persistent thoughts of smoking early in the process is a simple matter of time and repetition. A real turning point in my quit was when I quit fighting the thoughts. I just let them happen and observed them for what they are. Thoughts come, thoughts go, and thoughts have exactly as much or as little power as we give them. To smoke or not to smoke is a binary choice. Take the smoking option off the table and you don't even have a decision to make. Stick with that and you're good to go.

You don't smoke anymore. Chuck 'em.

A couple of songs not so much about a specific age, but rather aging...reminiscing and thinking like we're prone to do.

Quitting smoking was absolutely a catalyst for the many changes I have experienced over the last four years. The process of quitting helped me improve mentally and physically. Dramatic changes have happened both personally and professionally. Quitting smoking had more of a ripple effect than I could have ever foreseen. If I were asked for life advice by someone who felt stuck in a bad place, it would be this: pick one area of your life that you don't like and change it. You only need to pick one. Positive change in one area of your life will carry over into other areas of your life. Success breeds success.

Congratulations Jimmy and Quita. Seven years of freedom is cause for celebration.

I put on my thinking crown and came up with a solution. I can't imagine any island would want to be an extradition point for the exiled assholes. One of my first acts as King will be to commandeer cruise ships and exile the aforementioned assholes there. We don't need a literal island. We can just put them on a ship and float 'em around in international waters. I'll even allow the assholes to play shuffleboard and enjoy the water slide. For I intend to be a merciful king.

I remember feeling agitated and unfocused when the cravings hit. And there was just a general sense of discombobulation (I really need to start using that word more) that came from not quite knowing how to structure a day without cigarette breaks. Physical exercise and deep breathing helped steady the mind and body when feeling agitated and unfocused. Learning how to live without cigarettes was just a matter time and patience.

Welcome aboard Angeleek. Congratulations on your quit. Grab a seat and stay awhile.

Why can't you let go? You said yourself that you "hate smoking." Do you hate the idea of quitting more? Is it worth continuing to be a slave to the cigarette to avoid the temporary discomfort of quitting? Sentencing yourself to a lifetime of smoking to avoid the challenge of quitting is a terrible decision. "The avoidance of suffering is a form of suffering. The avoidance of struggle is a struggle." --Mark Manson

A really nice song. Got a bit emotional thinking about my "little ray of sunshine."