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Happy New Year!!!

Thanks for bumping this @jillar! Excellent tips that are extremely helpful. And ‘way to go!’ @KEL!

Living life ‘fully’! No more of that allowing nicotine to dictate what I can do, where I can go, when I can do something, nor for how long I can do it! FREEDOM!!!

I did not have any craves to do deal with over the Christmas holiday. As I’ve mentioned before though, my anxiety issues are worse than when I smoked. So Christmas Eve and Day are the worst two days of the year for me and they were particularly rough this year. I found myself horribly and unceasingly anxious and it has carried over into today, although not as rough. I was super tense and it was hard for me to maintain my ‘ain’t life grand’ facade. Anyway, this evening I’m pretty much back to my normal self. I’m thankful that as far as I can tell none of us newbies lost our quit this past weekend. Y’all be sure to remain vigilant this upcoming weekend though.

Congratulations on four months, @intoxicated yoda! You are amazing and your contributions on the forums are very helpful. Looking forward to watching the next four months of your quit.

Merry Christmas @joe! You have a great looking family there!

Good luck! @intoxicated yodaYou’ve come so far these past few months and although the battle is still on—you’ve got game!

Thankful that your great nephew is well enough to go home @Cbdave. How frightening this must have been for everyone. Also happy for you that your son made it home for the holiday!

Congratulations @Katgirl! He sure is a handsome little fella!

Hello, @Sal! I’m glad that you have hopped on board the train. There is a lot of information, from personal quit issues and strategies to articles,books, and videos on this site to help you along the way. Reading the personal blogs and posts helped me the most. Other than recognizing(from the videos) that I am an addict(‘twas an ugly day) it’s where the most useful help I received was found. I used the patches because of lifelong anxiety issues I have. I started with step 2. I didn’t do the full suggested time requirement before moving on to step 3. Once I became comfortable with step 3 and actually forgot to apply the patch one day, I knew that I was done. The problem was that I suffered through the nicotine withdrawals 3 times! It was grueling, but I knew then and still know today that I would not have survived a cold turkey quit. Every quit is different. The most important thing that you can do is read everything on this site and arm yourself with knowledge and also keep a record of your quit. Listing craves-what triggered them and what worked to end it. Your notes will be useful if you happen to pick the cigarettes back up again. Stay busy, busy, busy and stay hydrated. Unfortunately, still being on the patch, you still have nicotine in your system and your addiction is still being fed. The three days that it is going to take to get it out of your system are going to be rough. I was confined to my bed, curled up in the fetal position with the covers over my head crying and silently screaming for those three days. But thankfully, everyone’s experience is not quite the same. I truly hope that you and your wife can beat this addiction. It is so worth it. It truly is liberating! I am 55. I started smoking when I was 15. I was up to two packs a day(and on occasion, more)when I quit. I just celebrated my 9th month quit! Coming up on a year!!! Without a doubt, you’ve got to want this! It takes full commitment! I’m looking forward to following your quit and hope to see you on here—a lot!

Oh, Kris. I feel for you. I suffer from anxiety and the seasonal anxiety is the worst. It’s good that you have decided to see your doctor. There are so many physiological reasons why you can be off center. They can run tests as well as referring you to your therapist. I know that you’ve probably heard this so many times, but volunteering at a seniors center would do wonders for you. You enjoy helping others! By all means, see your therapist though. You are a very strong woman for reaching out. That in itself is a large step on the journey to recovery and I’m sure you know that too. Stay close to the train over the holidays! I will make a mental note to keep checking in.

@TONY Oh. And no bucket list as in places to go or things to do for me. However, I do have a massive list of what I call My Bucket Books! No matter how many of these books I read, the list just keeps growing and growing. HaHa It’s horrible. I’m currently suffering through The Iliad.

Hello @TONY! This Christmas will be my 13th without my husband. Does it get easier? Yes. But a bittersweet memory can take your breath away in a flash, but mercifully is only fleeting. I suggest you start a tradition by doing something meaningful to honor the way she loved you because the way she made you feel about her, yourself, and the way you saw yourselves as a couple will be one of the most endearing and lasting memories you retain. I do hope that you can find some peace and comfort this holiday.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Thank you @Cbdave and @jillar! You guys rock!

@Kris!

@KrisYes, m’am! The long break is much needed and I’m using it wisely. Rest. Body and mind! I hope that you are enjoying the holiday season as well. I know that you don’t go out much, but I am sure that you have your traditions that bring you comfort and peace and happiness! I’ll be on here throughout the week. The train keeps me grounded and dealing with the holidays are hard for me. I’m thankful that I have 9 months of quit and all of y’all to support me through it. Have a wonderful holiday!

Congrats on 7 years! So amazing!

Happy Hunting @Opah!

Hi @TONY, CONGRATULATIONS and welcome aboard the QuitTrain! You have been a non smoker for two weeks! That’s awesome! You are past the worst of the physical withdrawal but that mental challenge is going to be with you for awhile and it’s going to be rough at times. Keep notes on how you get through each episode and keep them handy. You will come to rely on them. Also, read. Read everything on this site. Over and over again. It truly helps! So much advice and information. Also, there is almost always someone availability to talk with if you are needing a little assist. Looking forward to following your quit!

Congratulations on 6 months @Kris! A whole half of a year! I remember worrying that you wouldn’t make it through the initial stage of your quit. But you did! And look at you now! Reaching out to others when you might just want someone to talk to or ham it up with. Being so open with your quit story. Helping others just by speaking up and speaking out! You are awesome and I look forward to reading your posts! I’m only 3 months ahead of you. I’m glad that we are taking this journey together. Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Congratulations Kenzie!

Thanks everyone! I absolutely would not still be on board without you guys. I’m so very thankful for this train and for each and every one of you!

Awww…thanks ladies!

Welcome back Kenzie! 3 days and doing great! Stay close and SOS if you need us!