Paul723 is 12 years smoke free!!

[QuittingGirl]

Congratulations @Paul723 on 12 years smoke free!!  That is truly amazing and you are certainly an inspiration to all of us!  Treat yourself to something special today.  All the best!! 

 

[Paul723]

Decide.

 

That I think is the first step in quitting.  When I decided to quit, I was trying to have my first morning cigarette.  With each drag, I would go into a coughing fit.  When the coughing stopped and I could catch my breath, I would try again with the same result.  My cough was keeping me from enjoying my cigarette.  My body had rebelled and fought smoking to a draw.  Some would see a solution to this problem quicker than I.  It dawned on me that smoking was going to kill me.  Smoking was playing for keeps and would give no quarter.  I had a deadly adversary.  I of course had heard this many times before and ignored it.  How could something I enjoyed so much be bad for me (the lies smokers tell themselves are unbelievable).  But as I struggled that morning with smokers’ hack, I did something I hadn’t done before, I decided to quit.

 

Now after twelve years it seems so obvious and simple (easy peasy).  Some have the decision to quit forced on them while others quit on a whim.  It doesn’t matter how you reach this point, as long as you do.  If you haven’t quit, decide to do it.  If you have quit, stand by your decision with pride.  It’s one of the best ones I’ve ever made.

 

I have dry cured and aged a country ham for 18 months, which I’ll have on my birthday.  My garden was attacked by a groundhog and I lost the lettuce, kale, parsley and green beans.  It doesn’t seem to like eggplant, peppers, zucchini or cherry tomatoes.

 

null

 

[QuittingGirl]

You should be very proud of yourself! I guess I am not at the stage yet where I don't miss it anymore.  I honestly do miss it sometimes, especially when I smell it.  I can't go back, but I'm hoping that eventually I  won't miss it ever again. Although, when I am around smokers, I don't go nuts and I can stay in a room with them.

 

Sorry about the groundhog eating your veggies.  Do you put cages around them to keep the groundhogs out?

 

Enjoy your ham and congratulations again! 

[Doreensfree]

Hello and massive Congratulations to my Quit buddy Paul , 

I carnt believe it’s 12 years since you fired up that Barby and kept the sausages going 

Enjoy the ham it does sound delicious 

maybe throw in a sausage for me 

Well done Dear Friend xx

[johnny5]

Congratulations on 12 years smoke free @Paul723  Great job!

 

[Reciprocity]

Great job @Paul723!! 12 Years quit is fabulous. 

Your words of wisdom ring true to me as I had a similar experience that brought me to the point of quitting and yes, it was right out of the blue one day. I just decided that I needed to quit!

 

 

[catlover]

12 Years is Fabulous. Big Congrats..

 

[catlover]

12 Years NOT a slave!

[DenaliBlues]

So happy for you @Paul723. We all come to our “epiphany” in different ways… I’m certain your story will inspire others to quit.

 

And you didn’t really think you would escape a dancing groundhog gif, did you?!