Dianne

Welcome Katgirl

Just struck me as a powerful image

All week long got in my 4-5 daily walks each one 15 minutes long now (huge mood boosters)

Hi Matthew I only on day 27 of freedom but I can tell you day 27 does feel like freedom and so much better than the first days and couple of weeks. I totally understand the anxiety. I had almost crippling anxiety where all I could do was pace....stop....stand against a wall and repeat again and again....I took hot scalding showers at 3 a.m. because I could not sleep and at least for a bit it distracted me from the anxiety. How I got through was one hour....one day at a time and the full knowledge that others here got through it... many of them did so through extreme times in their life, health, anxiety, depression....they have been through it....they get it and they did it....and if they could....so help me so could/can I! And so can you Matthew I truly believe you can! For me sticky notes of words, phrases stuck around the house helped....positive affirmations said outload and in my head helped....being able to log in here even if I did not read something ...just the act of logging into here helped me.....short fast power walks have helped me find my sanity again 4-5 times a day out that door I go.....I think every one here gets the.... it is how we marked time, got things done and calmed ourselves.....I still working on that and feeling my way to something that feels normal......for me I moved from IL to GA 9 years ago to take care of my parents (my father died 5 years ago now) I have smoked more in these last 9 years probably then the last 31 combined ...as a caretaker there a whole lot of hurry up and wait (and boredom to be brutally honest) there a lot of time and stress on your hands.....part of quitting is rethinking how we deal with time and stress...from your own words I know you get that....you just need to put it into play...I found the video library to be very helpful ...I can watch short videos or just read what they about....the blogs and every ones personal story all helped and do.....for me it helps knowing so many have quit and reached a place where they over this hard part and feel good about it. This is a good place to be....glad you here with us!!

I will commit to a year here. I am committed to being a life long quit and being here helps me feel armed with knowledge and stronger in that commitment.

Hi Day 26 still on the quit train Feeling so much saner than the first 2 weeks. The walks have been a life saver. I get in 4-5 short walks a day. I figure the 4 combined count as 2.4 miles and the 5 as 3 miles. Steadily gaining my health back one day at a time. Thanks to some health challenges and the walks I have lost 15lb's. I am not craving the nicotine at all. I even look forward to my walks now. Every now and again I will get a flash of the habit...like in the middle of doing something think oh I will have a cig first then get it done....but those are less and less and easily dismissed with recognizing it and dismissing it. I do feel like I have to guard my quit and journey to new found health from the few who know I quit and trying to make healthier choices. Like they keep moving the mark on me. I.E. "oh that great you made it to 3 weeks but I want to see 3 years" "oh just wait till you can walk all the way to (insert where-ever) Now I just stop people dead in their tracks and tell them do not put that on me...this is my journey not yours and I will get it done how I decide it right for me. So one day at a time and just grateful I made it through each day before and working on the new ways of dealing with life and time. P..S. Want to not forget the positives...I am off the inhaler completely and feel no need for it. No more wheezing when I lay down, not gagging when I brush my teeth (yeah that has been a long time thing for me ...it stopped with my quitting) my sense of smell is back, my teeth look and feel cleaner, I no longer "that smoker" who has go out for one, I do not smell like smoke and huge victory in that my blood pressure has dropped into the normal range (just barely but it there and I confident it will continue to improve)

That is great news Robbie!

Congrats Linda! How awesome!

Woot woot! Congrats Robbie!

5 houses down the road (and back) X 3 today...might fit a 4th round in today

Glad you jumped back on the train PeachFuzz and successfully made it through what sounds a challenging day! You got this!!

Day 17... Normally I would of bought a carton of cigs today. Today instead I bought Omega 3 supplements. I would like to say there were not a couple days of extreme anxiety on and off through the day (I hate this anxiety...I hate feeling like I so fragile and on the verge of tears) .....but there were. I keep hanging in because I believe it will get better and today has been an ok day (I will take it)

I hear you Gus. The emotions seems to lay just right there at the surface. It is beyond nerve wracking to feel like that. I keep going for short walks. Am sure my neighbors think I have flipped my mind, each time I burst out the door for a short walk lol...You got this! I hope a good night of sleep will help you wake refreshed to a new day!

Thank you Abby. Side note I will eventually figure out how to properly use these boards I concentrating on the safe and sane thing right now. I could not of quit had I not found this place. For me this place has been a Godsend. The educational side of it. The experience of so many who have and are going through this, Absolutely invaluable to my quit and sanity! I have been able to borrow on that strength, courage and knowledge. I needed a place where I could say out loud....I not well and want to be. I going to be a life member here. To hold onto this and keep it. Today's good news for me was I only needed the inhaler they gave me once yesterday...once! That so much better than the every 4 hours I was doing.

Bump.... because I want more to join the train, to find freedom and encouragement! P.S. I bookmark all these so I can come back to them

I walked 4 houses down (and back lol) X3 Saturday and today. I had to force myself to start doing this. I am glad I did. It has helped my mind set and anxiety greatly.

Day 14 I feeling pretty good. It felt really good to go out to eat with family and not be "the smoker" who had to go out after the meal and light one up or light one before going in....or the second I got home....it felt really good to be a non-smoker today! I am glad I quit. I not going to make it sound like it has been easy. It has not and I know....I going to have to keep putting the work in. I know there will be bad days but today I am glad I am 2 weeks out from quitting and that I did it. Today it felt good to be a non-smoker!

Oh I love the check in diagram!

You are right Gus. Everyone sharing their journey and struggles here helps someone else to realize they not alone in this. I am thankful for each sharing here. It encourages me. You got this Gus! You do.

Here!

I walked 4 houses down the street and back (I feel the back important lol) Going to sit on the front bench and get some sunshine too

Hi Janice You picked a great place to start at for your quit. Jump on in and join us in the path to feeling better and treating ourselves better!

Almost through day 11. I keep thinking I going to post. Going to say something, anything. Words they keep coming and going. This is tough. I struggling with anxiety. It started with the steroids they gave me for the bronchitis and after reading here ...seems it a part of quitting too...I feel like this anxiety just piggy backing off the quit and what the steroids did to me .......I just holding onto the hope it all goes away....day 8 was tough......so emotional! Was so happy to go to bed that day....day 9 was great, because it was not day 8 lol lord help me and lord help my 3 cats and mom! Day 10 and today not as good as day 9... but not as bad as day 8....there are some postives...my sense of smell wow...this wheezing sound (every time I laid down) I could never decide if it in my sinuses or lungs and blamed on allergies...it gone! Just gone. (that is nice) My teeth looking better (at least I think so) I do have what I can only describe as a lighter feeling about me (at least when I not in the moment of anxiety attacks) I keep telling myself no not once not ever and sometimes just nope! I keep saying thank you Jesus for keeping me safe from cigarettes' today (over and over) and telling myself I am a non-smoker (and truthfully I am a bit proud of that right now) I did a couple short walks today (had to force myself to do them) they did help....took mom to the bank. Normally I would get out of the car smoke a cig while she in the bank....today I got out of the car and walked back and forth in front of the bank instead....seemed a small healthy victory

I so sorry Linda! Maybe it would help if you looked back on some of the words and encouragement you gave others here. A reminder to yourself stay with us here ...one breath ...one moment at a time.... but stay on this train and be kind to yourself. You deserve that kindness. Wishing you the best Linda!