Today I have 99 days not smoking. Ten things I've learned:

 

1) Quitting smoking is a process, not an event.

   Online forums are part of the process, offering education and support.

   All quit aids are a personal choice.

 

2) Time and Patience build a strong quit.

 

3) N.O.P.E. is THE KEY.  Not one puff ever. "Slipping up" here and there causes relapses, and allows the addiction to get an even stronger hold.

 

4) "It gets better."  See #2 for how it's made better.

 

5) Guard the quit for the first year or even longer. A successful quit takes dedication, commitment, and accountability.

 

6) The hard won quit is sometimes the strongest quit. However, an easy quit isn't better than a hard quit, and a hard quit isn't better than an easy quit.

 

7) Eventually, the good days will outweigh the bad days. There will be occasional bad days (even towards one year) but they are not a forever thing. If this weren't fact no one would stay quit. But millions do! Quitting is do-able.

 

8) Some issues are caused by quitting smoking, some are not. It takes time to figure out what's what. It's part of the process.

 

9)  Romancing smoking is foolish. Smoking never made anything better. That's a lie.  Smoking is a disgusting, harmful, filthy, stinky habit.

 

10) Every quit is unique. Some quitters prefer a soft touch instead of tough love. Some quitters would rather not talk so much about quitting, and just get on with it. Some quitters experience the quit as serious business, while others take it as a lighthearted romp ~~~ most experience a bit of both.  ALL who practice N.O.P.E. are winners, 

 

N.O.P.E. is the KEY  ~~~  Day-by-day, hour-by-hour, and sometimes minute by minute.

 

GUARD THE QUIT ~ KEEP THE QUIT ~ N.O.P.E. FOREVER !!!

This seems like sound and well thought out logic to me. I agree with it all. 

 

I particularly like your associations in a hard and easy quit can have the same end result, very true!

 

All I would add is a wobble doesn't indicate impending doom, it simply means you're facing a strong trigger you had yet to face.

 

x

This seems like sound and well thought out logic to me. I agree with it all. 

 

I particularly like your associations in a hard and easy quit can have the same end result, very true!

 

All I would add is a wobble doesn't indicate impending doom, it simply means you're facing a strong trigger you had yet to face.

 

x

Thanks, Marti. I guess wobbles are part of the process.

That's great,, and you got the power- I feel it in your story,, 

 

I love the quit,,,,,,,,,,,

 

RC