I went for a quick walk in the crisp 38 degree weather earlier today with a piping cup of hot Pumpkin Spice coffee and I had this crazy thought.  I thought, "If someone, walked by and offered me their cigarette - I would take it".  WHAT?! was my next thought.  Are you out of your mind?  Do you realize how much time and effort you would be tossing out the window?  Quickly my thoughts went to how much better shape both my body and lungs are in now.  Next, I thought of people that stink like a terrible ashtray.  You know, the ones that smoke in every room in their house and can never get rid of the stench.  As I walked up the four flights of stairs back to work, I thought back to how I'd be out of breath after only one flight when I was a smoker.  Remember using that nebulizer all the time?  I don't want any of that ever again.

 

At first, quitting was some sort of game I played with myself.   My quit was almost on a whim.  I told myself when I quit, I would give it one shot, if it didn't stick no big deal.  Well, something happened, it became such a big deal early on that it changed my life - if only I had done it sooner.  That doesn't matter, what's done is done.  I was given a second chance at life and there is not a chance I'm throwing that away.  It's NOPE for life as far as I'm concerned :)

Great post Colleen

Awesome and so inspirational.  Your skin looks great too, love the new pic.

Do you think there will ever come a point in any of our lives that we will not have to worry about it ? That that thought will never cross our mind, or that urge will never come ? I understand that it gets softer and less annoying, but to not have it at all........that would be nice.

I like the last four words of first sentence in second paragraph.....

 

 

 

made me giggle

Do you think there will ever come a point in any of our lives that we will not have to worry about it ? That that thought will never cross our mind, or that urge will never come ? I understand that it gets softer and less annoying, but to not have it at all........that would be nice.

Yes....and No.

 

I don't worry about it, but sometimes it crosses my mind.

 

"executive assistant" is a great post that I reposted all about the automatic triggers that stay with us.

 

Last night I was at a party. At my table was a French lady, whom I had never met before. Comfortably in her 60s. After the meal, I watched her put on her coat and scarf, locate her smokes and brace herself to go out and smoke.

 

Did I feel the urge? NOPE. I felt mildly amused, slightly incredulous but not deprived. I felt pretty smug actually.

 

In the past, this type of incident would have triggered a conversation about my quit, last night, the evening just carried on. Last night wasn't about being at a party, not smoking. It was about being at a party.

 

Great post Colleen.

I have 2 friends. They are husband and wife. They both quit a year and 3 days ago. Tonight, we were out at a party on the water and we are all drinking and she is smoking. She smokes when she's drinking. He doesn't smoke at all. He put them down and never picked up another one. Tomorrow, she won't smoke again until she goes out and drinks again. Which may be weeks from now.

 

I can't figure out why or how she does that. He says he can't do that. That if he did what she did, he would be back to his 2 packs a day in a heartbeat. But somehow, she can pull this off. I can't say I was jealous of her or that I pitied her. I can't do that. I'm like him. I have one and I'm back to right where I left off within the hour.

 

I don't really know where I'm going with this....... I guess I was just wondering how 2 people can be so different with a quit and still be somewhat successful. It just struck me as odd, that's all.

cats  and dogs....puff away from a pack a day

I have 2 friends. They are husband and wife. They both quit a year and 3 days ago. Tonight, we were out at a party on the water and we are all drinking and she is smoking. She smokes when she's drinking. He doesn't smoke at all. He put them down and never picked up another one. Tomorrow, she won't smoke again until she goes out and drinks again. Which may be weeks from now.

I can't figure out why or how she does that. He says he can't do that. That if he did what she did, he would be back to his 2 packs a day in a heartbeat. But somehow, she can pull this off. I can't say I was jealous of her or that I pitied her. I can't do that. I'm like him. I have one and I'm back to right where I left off within the hour.

I don't really know where I'm going with this....... I guess I was just wondering how 2 people can be so different with a quit and still be somewhat successful. It just struck me as odd, that's all.

Tiff I think you need to look at your story again, because I don't see what you see. It starts off with 'I have 2 friends. They are husband and wife. They both quit a year and 3 days ago.', but what it should ACTUALLY say is - 'I have 2 friends. They are husband and wife. One quit a year and 3 days ago, and the other still smokes'.

 

I'm not sure 'how' your friend does it either, but I don't really want to know. Smoking sucks, plain am simple. And I will never do it again for as long as I live.

Awesome Sauce  :)

I know a guy who just smokes now and again at social events....said he didn't need them any other time....

Turned out he still needed the patch every time to quit...he was a addict just like me....

Once you bring down the wall of.denial.....you see smoking for just what it is....addiction....

 My quit was almost on a whim.  I told myself when I quit, I would give it one shot, if it didn't stick no big deal.  Well, something happened, it became such a big deal early on that it changed my life 

 

This was my experience too. Thanks for your post, Colleen.

 

as for the 'social smokers'.... 

who cares  what other people do ?  

When would inhaling poison ever be a good thing to do ?

Earlier in my quit I spent a great deal of time thinking about being a social smoker. I thought and thought and longed for it. I thought about people I know who do this and I would tell myself that I can drink without being an alcoholic so I will just smoke on occasion.  Like when I go out, or when I am on vacation. .  But this is not for me; this is junkie thinking.  Hell, I can't even cheat on my diet without going berserk for a few days.  If I cheated by smoking, I would be a smoker again, and all of my work would be reversed.

 

Right now, for a few months I have had complete freedom. I drank also last weekend and even then I did not want to smoke. 

Colleen, I'm glad you squashed that thought! I know the ones - they inly ever last a second, by they are annoying :blink:

Social smokers are like social idiots....sorry but longer I am away, the less I want it. Their thinking is backwards. Nothing there to gain, only lose.