Hey you 2018 Excigcutioners and 2019 Ashkickers, how are you doing? You should all be so proud of yourselves

Edited May 23, 20197 yr by jillar

Thanks for looking out for us Jillar. 

 

I feel I've turned a corner in the last few days. I'm feeling much happier in myself and I'm not just sitting around waiting to cross another day off the calendar. 

 

I still think about smoking a lot but I'm finally feeling proud that I've kept going

 

I used to be a newbie. Does that count?

There was period of few days in the last couple of weeks when I didn't think of having a cigarette at all. Then that happy period went away and I find myself thinking of having a cigarette everyday again. Then I remind myself not to give into the crave. Its disappointing that my crave for a cigarette doesn't last for just 3 to 5 minutes, it lasts much longer than that. Just waiting for the day when I will stop thinking of cigarettes altogether. I don't know when that day will come though.

5 hours ago, reciprocity said:

used to be a newbie. Does that count?

You are too cute Reci!  We will always think of you a a newbie!

3 hours ago, Ankush said:

ust waiting for the day when I will stop thinking of cigarettes altogether. I don't know when that day will come though.

It will come Ankush.  I am working towards my tenth month and I don't think about smoking much anymore.  Just concentrate on the rewards and the freedom from the addiction.

I am very proud to be smoke free.  I will protect my quit with every ounce of my being.  Ten months ago, this was a longing that I never thought I could achieve.    

3 hours ago, Ankush said:

There was period of few days in the last couple of weeks when I didn't think of having a cigarette at all. Then that happy period went away and I find myself thinking of having a cigarette everyday again. Then I remind myself not to give into the crave. Its disappointing that my crave for a cigarette doesn't last for just 3 to 5 minutes, it lasts much longer than that. Just waiting for the day when I will stop thinking of cigarettes altogether. I don't know when that day will come though.

That day will come for you Ankush if you just have faith in the process and live your life in keeping with the NOPE principal. I guarantee it will happen for you.

1 hour ago, Linda Thomas said:

It will come Ankush.  I am working towards my tenth month and I don't think about smoking much anymore.  Just concentrate on the rewards and the freedom from the addiction.

@Linda Thomas Yes, I do concentrate on the rewards. One of the rewards I have received from my quit is being able to jog in place for longer than 2 and half minutes. Exercising in general has also become a bit easier. I do run out of breath but I recover faster than I used to when I was a smoker. Every time I think of a cigarette, I just refuse to submit to it (even though sometimes during a crave I think "Eff it, I am going to buy a cigarette" but then I prevent myself from making that blunder) and remind myself how much more difficult exercising would be if I was a smoker.

1 hour ago, Linda Thomas said:

I am very proud to be smoke free.  I will protect my quit with every ounce of my being.  Ten months ago, this was a longing that I never thought I could achieve.    

@Linda Thomas I am happy that you have achieved a 10 month quit

26 minutes ago, reciprocity said:

That day will come for you Ankush if you just have faith in the process and live your life in keeping with the NOPE principal. I guarantee it will happen for you.

@reciprocity Thank you for encouraging me. Sticking to the NOPE pledge has helped me a lot so far. Every time, I get a crave for a cigarette, I also think what a fool I will be if I end up breaking my NOPE pledge. So, that's another way I fight the crave (besides accepting that I want a cigarette, refusing to submit to the crave; and concentrating on the rewards)...

I would  like to say something.....I'm here at work and a thought(not a craving) came across my mind to smoke.  I didn't entertain it! I didn't fantasize about it!! I HAD to dismiss it immediately!!!! Not allowing that thought to take root!!! Try it @Ankush I know I'm a newbie but we are here to encourage and support each other.  My quote is I do WHATEVER, HOWEVER, WHENEVER, TO NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF

You have the correct outlook Ankush.  Focus on the good things you are seeing and have yet to see. That will help get you through. It's early days still Ankush. It just takes time so be patient. The magic will happen.

2 minutes ago, QueenB said:

I would  like to say something.....I'm here at work and a thought(not a craving) came across my mind to smoke.  I didn't entertain it! I didn't fantasize about it!! I HAD to dismiss it immediately!!!! Not allowing that thought to take root!!! Try it @Ankush I know I'm a newbie but we are here to encourage and support each other.  My quote is I do WHATEVER, HOWEVER, WHENEVER, TO NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF

Yes you're a newbie QueenB but that doesn't diminish your take on things or your experiences with quitting one bit. In fact, as newbies, when you participate with others on an aspect of your quit it not only helps others but it strengthens your own resolve as well. It's truly a win-win  

47 minutes ago, QueenB said:

I would  like to say something.....I'm here at work and a thought(not a craving) came across my mind to smoke.  I didn't entertain it! I didn't fantasize about it!! I HAD to dismiss it immediately!!!! Not allowing that thought to take root!!! Try it @Ankush I know I'm a newbie but we are here to encourage and support each other.  My quote is I do WHATEVER, HOWEVER, WHENEVER, TO NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF

@QueenB As far as I am concerned, I was under the impression that a thought and a crave are one and the same. Its nice to know that you are able to dismiss the thought/crave for a cigarette so quickly. Yes, the self commitment to never take another puff is going good so far. Its good to know you're doing well with your quit. Keep on marching forward with your quit!!!

Edited May 23, 20197 yr by Ankush

43 minutes ago, reciprocity said:

You have the correct outlook Ankush.  Focus on the good things you are seeing and have yet to see. That will help get you through. It's early days still Ankush. It just takes time so be patient. The magic will happen.

@reciprocity OK, thank you. It also seems like forever since I quit smoking, but I realize its just no man's land (since its been more than a month since I quit). I did read the post about no man's land some days ago...

@Ankush, those constant thoughts of cigarettes on a daily basis was the worst part of the early quit for me and probably many others but just wait until the day comes, and it will, that you wake up feeling great and halfway through your day you realize you haven't thought about it one time. It's such a great feeling and it will come for you too, I promise

Let's see.... I can have a thought about a smoke, but it remains just that, a thought.  A craving to me is every fiber of my being is involved. I want to smoke it, hold it, watch the smoke drift in the air. smell it (ALL OF IT AND SOME )

Be encourage @Ankush it isn't always easy for me.  I have to FIGHT to keep this.

1 hour ago, jillar said:

@Ankush, those constant thoughts of cigarettes on a daily basis was the worst part of the early quit for me and probably many others but just wait until the day comes, and it will, that you wake up feeling great and halfway through your day you realize you haven't thought about it one time. It's such a great feeling and it will come for you too, I promise

Thanks @jillar, looking forward to the day when I no longer think of smoking

1 hour ago, QueenB said:

I have to FIGHT to keep this. 

It will not always be easy, but it looks like you're doing well..thanks for the encouragement

1 hour ago, QueenB said:

Let's see.... I can have a thought about a smoke, but it remains just that, a thought.  A craving to me is every fiber of my being is involved. I want to smoke it, hold it, watch the smoke drift in the air. smell it (ALL OF IT AND SOME )

@QueenB I think of smoking when I get stressed out and anxious...all I think is "I wish I had a cigarette and a peaceful quiet corner where I can smoke and be at peace".

Edited May 23, 20197 yr by Ankush

3 hours ago, Ankush said:

@QueenB I think of smoking when I get stressed out and anxious...all I think is "I wish I had a cigarette and a peaceful quiet corner where I can smoke and be at peace".

I used smoking as an escape from having to face problems that came along in my daily life. It gave me a chance to as your say Ankush get to "a peaceful quiet corner" where I could contemplate the issue before facing it head on. What was really happening was that I was just feeding my addiction, which calmed the anxiety caused by my addiction to nicotine because I hadn't had a smoke in an hour or so. Meanwhile, the problem I was facing was still there just festering and often getting worse because I wasn't doing anything about it. 

So much better now that I don't go through that ritual any longer. Now, I just deal with things as they come along. Overall. my anxiety and stress levels are much, much less. You'll see, once you get a little further into your quit.

Edited May 23, 20197 yr by reciprocity

6 hours ago, Ankush said:

@QueenB I think of smoking when I get stressed out and anxious...all I think is "I wish I had a cigarette and a peaceful quiet corner where I can smoke and be at peace".

 

I used to like just sitting somewhere quiet and having a cigarette. I don't get the same feeling just sitting in a corner without the smoke.

 

Our quits are still very young so we're still battling through each day. Hopefully once we get past the next couple of months we'll feel more comfortable with our new lives. 

 

 

Hey Newbies! There's a Pinned Thread on the Quit Smoking Discussion Page called The 1 Year Commitment. There's a reason for that pledge. There are seasonal challenges that we face depending on the climate we live in or even our religious beliefs and celebrations. We were conditioned to smoking when certain things happened with celebrations or changing of seasons. You must face these times now as a non smoker to become comfortable with no longer smoking in those situations.

It's not because you will be having major cravings all the time. That tends to settle down within the first 4-7 months depending on the person. You WILL come to a point when you just suddenly realize that you never want to smoke again. That is a magical moment. It happens to all who adhere to the NOPE pledge for long enough. This doesn't mean you will never think about smoking again. It just means you will have a different reaction to those thoughts when they occur. That's when you KNOW you've arrived at your forever quit!

Edited May 24, 20197 yr by reciprocity

3 hours ago, reciprocity said:

I used smoking as an escape from having to face problems that came along in my daily life. It gave me a chance to as your say Ankush get to "a peaceful quiet corner" where I could contemplate the issue before facing it head on. What was really happening was that I was just feeding my addiction, which calmed the anxiety caused by my addiction to nicotine because I hadn't had a smoke in an hour or so. Meanwhile, the problem I was facing was still there just festering and often getting worse because I wasn't doing anything about it. 

So much better now that I don't go through that ritual any longer. Now, I just deal with things as they come along. Overall. my anxiety and stress levels are much, much less. You'll see, once you get a little further into your quit.

 

Reci I really love this perspective because it made me realise this is me since I quit. 

 

On reflection I don't think I ever really dealt with much in life. As soon as a problem came along I would throw a big hissy fit and head outside to chain smoke. When that guy pissed me off at work I came here and talked about it on my thread and when I got upset about NRT I wrote an SOS.  I talked and people here helped me and I got past it. I actually dealt with my feelings rather than smoke. 

 

Don't get too excited guys. Not smoking won't change me from being an over opinionated, volatile, self righteous dick lol.