May 14, 201511 yr After receiving an email from Beth today, I was reminded of something: Yesterday was my 6-year quit anny… lol… how the hell does a person forget that special day? I can tell ya, and that’s why I’m here: When you first quit, you live for the days: 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, omfg, 1 year!!! After that, it kinda dwindles down to 1-1/2 years (yeah, you still look for the halvsies… haha)… but then after about the 3rd year, you forget… and do you know why? Because it’s like you were never a smoker to begin with so why remember an anny of something you never did? Seriously, if you can be so happy about quitting smoking that you forget about it, that’s amazing to me, and that is why I came by to mention my anny. I want the newly-quits to see this and say to themselves “well my god, if she can quit and be happy about it, so can I!” If I can help just one person (but I hope I help more than that… lol), then it’s worth it to me. I never went for the “one day at a time” method… I was all about “I am no longer a smoker. Period. Never again. F you, cigs!” Now I know we’re all different and if the ODAAT works for you, rock on! Just remember this: attitude is everything in your quit, especially at the very beginning. If you tell yourself you will win over the ugly cigs and that not a thing on this planet will stop you, then you WILL win! I went thru deaths in my family, deaths of my 2 dogs that I’d had for over 17 years, numerous drama in my life, and I did not once crave a cig because I knew it was over, never again, cigs help nothing. So for you that quit recently and wonder how you’re gonna keep that quit, this is the one thing that a lot of people PM’ed me about and told me it saved their quits, the thing I always said that I did: you craving really bad? Get a plastic straw, cut it to cig size and pretend-smoke that sucker. Most of our craves are not for the nicotine, it’s for the “ritual”… and with a pretend cig, you can do it all (well, don’t light it on fire, that ain’t good for plastic… lol), but you can take deep hits off that thing, you can even pretend-flick those ashes! I did and it worked, tricked my mind good. Anyway, keep your quits. Stop saying you relapsed… instead, post an SOS and wait for help. Be a winner, kick some ash and be proud of yourself for doing it. Over and out, love to all! Suz PS: This will be going to both forums that I belong to. I never post anymore because after a while, I just felt it was time to move on, plus the drama I provide can’t be helpful at times… lol. I have the utmost respect for those that keep posting after being quit for years and helping the newly-quits. Blessings to all!
May 14, 201511 yr Author Oh, I forgot to add: when you first quit smoking, stay CLOSE to the quit forum... if you stay there and help everyone else, give encouragement, yell when they relapse (fine, be a sweetie, but I'm a tough-love person), etc., you will also be helping yourself to stay quit without even knowing it. The person I mostly think of when I say this is Babs, she stuck close by when she first quit and helped everyone that needed it, and I believe she understands now that by helping others she helped herself. You can do it, guys! :)
May 14, 201511 yr Oh, I forgot to add: when you first quit smoking, stay CLOSE to the quit forum... if you stay there and help everyone else, give encouragement, yell when they relapse (fine, be a sweetie, but I'm a tough-love person), etc., you will also be helping yourself to stay quit without even knowing it. The person I mostly think of when I say this is Babs, she stuck close by when she first quit and helped everyone that needed it, and I believe she understands now that by helping others she helped herself. You can do it, guys! :) You bet I do!! As a matter of fact...it's when my quit turned the corner. As soon as I started helping others....I forgot all about myself and my triggers and my own frustrations. Funny how that works! :) So great to see you Suz! Congrats to you on your 6 years...you were a strong influence on me and my quit from my very beginning and I am and always will be grateful for that. I am betting your post here will help many people!
May 14, 201511 yr Aw this is fabulous...and so insperational.... Thank you for dropping by and giving us encouragement.... Huge congrats....xxxx Ps...we love our babs...she a sweetheart...xx
May 14, 201511 yr Hey nice Suz, well done on 6 years! :) Must have been a disturbance in The Force or the stars were aligned just right...I asked Beth to say hi to you for me yesterday or was it the day before...what a coincidence and it was your anny and you forgot...lol good point there, you do forget you smoked, beautiful illustration! xoxox
May 15, 201511 yr Oh, Suz! So great to see our hippy dippy quitter! Love you to pieces and thanks for the inspiration! A special quit train just for those of us of a certain age...
May 15, 201511 yr Great post, so glad you cruised thru. You should have a list as long as your arm for those you helped thru the yrs.
May 18, 201511 yr Thanks for popping back in to show us how it worked for you!! I can't wait to forget I ever smoked...so excited for my new identity to solidify. Rock on RF!
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