Still winning

8 months seems utterly amazing to me!! This last month has taught me quite a bit about my quit. I went on the holiday of a lifetime. One of the main factors of me quitting was affording to go to Florida and Disneyworld with my two kids. I think with the holiday being paid for and actually being on holiday it set up some triggers. I was able to use all I had learnt with you guys here to nope through it, in honesty, once recognised it wasn't difficult. Sadly my Mum didn't do the same. Having already smoked a couple of times prior to the holiday, she purchased cigs at the airport (unknown to me at the time) and smoked here and there through the holiday. Once busted the usual aggressive behavior, both of her and of all smokers commenced. She spent the whole holiday creating stressful scenarios so she had an excuse to smoke I believe (I'm sure she thinks differently). Be eternally vigilant, there is no need to go backwards!!! Whilst that's sad, I said from the word go on this quit that my quit stood alone from everyone else around me. If anything it re-inforced my decision cause oh my goodness, the mood swings from the withdrawal were fairly epic to watch. I had forgotten what's it like when you get to that desperate to have a cig time but aren't able to. I also realized last month how many quit symptoms I had and had forgotten about. Isn't the human brain a wonderful tool! It almost feels like I never smoked at all to me. I was genuinely surprised to get triggers as most days, my only smoking thoughts are about celebrations here and the like. Last month I needed talking down from a couple of days romancing. This month on holiday for fleeting seconds I got some smokers envy but I mean seconds before my rational brain took back over and it was easy to nope from. And I met Bakons :) Was great to meet up and chat like we'd all been mates forever! So despite concerns I had that once my main reason was over(the hols) that my quit might feel harder, it doesn't. I love that I had so much saved that I came home to a healthy bank account and additional savings ready for christmas purchases :) I also had the money to pay for all my healing courses and now the insurance so I can be fully registered and start offering reiki healing for a fee. Work commences on now getting my tarot reading registered and actually, I still have some work to do for that so maybe a few months. But all is looking on target for a spiritual business to look forward to. Something that may sound odd to some, but was always a part of me and part of me yearned to do it without ever believing I really could. The quit and my self belief have spurred me on in many unforseen ways :) So today I am 8 months free of nicotine but feeling more positive and focused. More regulated and solid in my quit. Ready to go back to my new love of excersicing now I'm back home, maybe join a gym with my spare money? Gonna get christmas paid for and some new furniture first though. So lovely to breath nicely and not be permanantly poor and watching the pennies!!

Sorry I'm late Dors, but just wanted to add how fabulous you and your quit are. Inspirational to follow you :) Massive congrats. xx

Massive congrats on your 1 year Yogi. Hope you are celebrating :) xx

Hey lovely lady, big congrats on your first quarter!! Doing amazingly well, so very proud of you. xx

Massive congrats Jess, sorry for the kindle calling you Jesus, lol. Please you got that 1 month nailed, it's a huge victory. Doing fab!! xx

I'm sorry about your uncle ((Joe)) Your pics look fab and I don't blame you taking the refund and doing something different. x

I have had some craves, holiday triggers. I chose nope, sadly my mum chose a now second deck of cigs. My informed choice was not difficult. A crave is simply an auto pilot response and you always have the choice to say yes or no.

Have your dreams, your footie team just got spanked lol.

Lest we forget. Lit candles for my grandads and all others, past and present.

Chanting, lol. Sorry. Chantix.

Sorry, so late. I had to ditch the chanting, it sent me mental. Dreams, anxiety, mood swings etc. I sympathize is my point. BUT it was all worth it for today. Just choose to keep marching. You are doing amazing Jesus. You are winning a battle for your own freedom. Read bandit,s post of how much healing and financial benefits you have. I am cheering for you. Stay strong. Early night, live to fight another day? Last thing, I always found a great day followed a bad one and the tough times. . . That was when my quit grew stronger! You are doing it, be proud! Loves. X

Nope on remembrance Sunday, lest we forget.

Sometime tomorrow evening. Ready now, moused out! Christmas, bucks fizz for breakfast. They have to catch me first! The tassel one?

Holidays! But still here.

Nope

I like it when someone posts a video and I get to hear and see them. X

It will be back, I promise. Sometimes we need the mental break I think. Sometimes I still get a bit kinda numb, but I just run with it and do better at feeling the feelings I have now. You are on a journey, I think we all forget that too. It's a great destination with some turbulence. What I have found is going through the harder times made my quit more solid. X

Jen, loves baby girl. X

I love this buddy. Foolish to smoke when we know what we know. So proud to be free. So sick of hearing smoking justified so thanks. X

I'm so sorry for you my friend. I understand the helplessness and send you strength. X

This topic interested me. I asked the same thing early quit and everyone was all, nah it calms and you're you again. Maybe I'm not far enough in? I'm not the same! I never realized how much I believed I was strong, but actually ran away a lot. Smoke and whinge lol. I feel like I am changing every day. Yes, I did emotional but now that's gone I do self worth a whole lot better. Not argumentative or combative but "nope" comes around in more than quitting for me and I am so pleased! My "New skin" is a work in progress, as should yours be. We spend a long time dealing with things via addiction and now we know this, we can learn new and better ways. It's like we finally get to be who we always should have been! Not the cranky, emotional bit, that passes. We are the ones who sing to survivor or maybe a bit of gold by spandal ballet :) for what it's worth, my advice is run with the changes rather then fight to stay stuck where you were. Most come out with less fear and more self worth. That's kinda cool! X

Oh Jackie I missed it all. So sorry my friend. Sending strength now. So pleased you feel like this about your quit though. Ultimately, it's us against nicodemon and we sometimes have a battle. Be strong my lovely, loves. X

Wow, love you but ewww nope.

I hear your nope and raise you my hell nope.

I think we don't give ourselves enough credit and notice the bad more then the good sometimes. I felt like after hard times came great days. After hard months (3) came a peaceful month. Sometimes I think we forget how hard it was to white knuckle those early times. I appreciate a whole lot more peace now if it helps to know. I have thoughts, but I think about pastries and ice cream a lot without eating it as it's bad for my hips! No it's not the same but you know what I mean. Newbies need not be scared by people remembering they would have smoked here but don't smoke now. My (long winded lol) point is feel the feeling and move on. By acknowledging it exists but that you choose not to smoke as anymore, you take the strength from the thought and it fizzles to nothing. Sending strength. Xx