Reciprocity

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I was gonna say ... have a big one but; apparently there's no need to suggest the size

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WOWZERS! 12 years ... that's a pretty fair stretch of your life. Congratulation @Doreensfree. And; we have all benefitted from your long quit with the knowledge & support you've given freely to all Train Passengers - Thank You

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Awesome job @Pilgrim! I know you've had some challenges through the process but the fact is you remain quit and I expect things are improving all the time. Stick with it because total freedom is within sight ...

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One positive thing to keep in mind regarding going on holiday is that you'll be in a completely different location from home and doing stuff you don't do at home. That all equates to a change in routine which is a huge benefit for someone trying to quit smoking/vaping etc. When your mind is occupied, which it will be on holiday, there's less idle time when your mind can slide into those smokey thoughts. It's hard for anyone to give you advice on what you should do regarding staying off everything or going back to the patch or taking lozenges with you on holiday but here's my logic: You have 10 more days until you go and if you stay off everything then all nicotine will be flushed from your body with 3 days of stopping everything. Now; that's not to say you will be completely safe from cravings and urges by day 4. The longest and most tedious part of quitting is changing your day to day routine from being a smoker to being a non-smoker. That takes months to complete. Most will agree a full year to get past all the situations that created an urge to smoke. But, because you're going on Holiday, your mind will be pretty distracted that whole time because you'll be in a different place doing different things that aren't a part of your daily life where smoking urges are predictable. My recommendation would be to stay off everything for the 10 days prior to Holiday and during your holiday as well. I feel going on holiday is a real godsend opportunity to kick your addiction in the butt for good. Here's the other thing to be aware of; we are always looking for the perfect time to quit where any whithdrawal issues won't screw up our daily activities or plans. I get it! Been there done that myself many times but the truth of it is that magical time simply doesn't exsist and therefore we tend to talk ourselves into why we shouldn't quit at a particular time such as ...when we're about to go on holiday or at Christmas or Thankgiving or around any other special time of year. There's thousands of excuses we all talk purselves into to in order to delay our quits but the truth of it is, the sooner you begin your quit, the sooner you'll reach your goal of complete freedom from this ugly addiction. Believe me, there's nothing better in this world than to be free of this deadly addiction. Have a Great Holiday what ever you decide @BettyBlue!

Great Job @Benny smokeout ! You're through hell week and now one day into WTF week. The first three or four weeks are really the toughest and where you learn all your coping skills (or not for some). You seem to be coping really well. Remember, as the cravings and what not start to become less intense and less frequent to always be on guard mentally. One thing this addiction is really good at is bushwhacking you later on when you least expect it. I think the reason for that is your addiction figures if it lets you think you've beaten it then you'll let your guard down a bit. Then wham, it hits you big time outta the blue thinking you'll cave in more easily. Just store that info. in you mind and be ready at all times with a plan to fight those sudden urges. I think the last one I had that I cam really close to caving was at about the 6 week mark of my quit. Of course we're all different so you just need to be mentally prepared at all times. Other than that ... carry on to Freedom!

Nope! I won't smoke today in honour of the birth of Grand Daughter #2!

I was 7 months in before lightning struck me! By that I mean, after 7 months quit, a certain set of circumstances made me realize that I only felt pity for other smokers; not envy. At that exact point, I KNEW I would NEVER smoke again and that's held true to this day and I expect will for all my days. Hang in there @VeeVee ... the magic will happen! One of the most time consuming issues is learning to live your live again as a non-smoker. Not only just living your live that way but having it feel good, natural and you are finally comfortable with your non-smoking life style. It takes time & repetition; it's that simple

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You're doing great @Muddled Quince! The first week is the worst of it. Your entire body & mental chemistry has been thrown for a complete loop! It's not wonder we feel like we've been hit in the haed with a hammer and our body is also rebelling. Goes to show just how damaging all the crap in cigs is!! Weaning of all that crap is no picnic but we all get through it by sheer determination at times. Keep looking for and forcing yourself to think about the positives you're already seeing (saved $$ from not buying smokes!!). Soon you'll start to notice other things. The toughest part is having to keep saying NO to those withdrawal cravings in the early days and even weeks. The craving do eventually go away and they get fewer and fewer as time goes on and they become less strong and are eventually just fleeting thoughts. Hang in there and stay strong! No matter what you have to deal with, quitting won't kill you whereas the alternative has a much darker ending. You CAN do this. Remember to treat yourself along the way as you get over hurdles; day 1 done; Yay! that's worth a small treat for yourself. Be kind to yourself because you deserve it

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You have a good strategy there @Muddled Quince! Keep yourself busy and distracted from the withdrawal symptoms. Those are just temporary anyway so do what ever you can to stay distracted and doing things not part of your daily routines or at least do things in a different order so your routine seems different. Doing that will keep your mind engaged on what you're trying to do. Remember, if you find yourself with nothing to focus on go to the games page and get involved there. It's just a bunch of word games mostly but they are at least time passers and once you get involved in some of them, you'll also get to know other site members better on a personal level. It's all good fun and the objective is the same ... to help get you quit!!

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