First full day - wish me luck please!!!

[nsd_user663_22276]

I stopped yesterday at 0700 as I was boarding a flight from Rome to Washington. This time I'm going to do it. I'm confident. I tell myself the obvious: "I stopped smoking because I do not want to smoke any more". Why spend the rest of your life craving for something that you desperately hope you will never have? Good luck to us all!!! Jeremy

[nsd_user663_18145]

well done just remember to take each craving as it comes along and saying that phrase when it does come will help as will distracting your mind/hand till it passes

[nsd_user663_22276]

Thanks. And I've built up a string of slogans which I'm using over and over. Eg If you’re miserable because you want a cigarette, you’ll be even more miserable if you have one. Thanks again, support needed, Jeremy

[nsd_user663_22276]

Thanks Lulabelle

I saw you put your reasons for stopping next to the computer. I've done the same - needs editing but here it is:

1. What do you want to be: a smoker or a non-smoker? There’s only one or the other.

2. There is no such thing as just one cigarette

3. Smokers envy non-smokers

4. I stopped smoking because I do not want to smoke any more;

5. I will not start to smoke again, because I do not ever want to become a smoker again

6. “Smokers never have coughs, they just have permanent colds and headaches”

7. If you’re miserable because you want a cigarette, you’ll be even more miserable if you have one;

8. You know stopping smoking was the correct decision, so never doubt it;

9. The body doesn’t crave nicotine – only the brain;

10. Nicotine addiction is easy to overcome; much harder is 40 years of brain conditioning that tells you “smoking makes you feel good”, so start conditioning and convincing the brain that the opposite is true at every chance; BE CONVINCED

11. Every day without a cigarette makes it better

12. When you stop smoking, you are not making a sacrifice – the opposite;

13. Be convinced – isn’t it wonderful that I don’t smoke any more?

14. Don’t think negatively “I’m not allowed to smoke”. You’re not denying yourself anything good; be positive, congratulate yourself – thank god I don’t smoke - and see 4 above;

15. Why spend the rest of your like craving for a cigarette and being miserable? If you do that, you’ll be miserable if you don’t smoke, and even more miserable if you do.

16. Why spend the rest of your life craving for something that you desperately hope you will never have?

17. Never doubt the decision to quit – you know it was the right decision

18. When you see a smoker, pity them, don’t envy them;

19. You haven’t “given up something good” – you’ve saved yourself from a disease

20. Be a happy non-smoker.

21. If you’re reading this, maybe you’re suffering or being tempted. In 5 minutes you’ll be fine – even better because you resisted – and you can carry on being a happy and stronger non smoker. The alternative should be too awful to contemplate. If you start smoking again, then for the rest of your life you’ll go on suffering the distress of knowing you’re too weak to give up;;

22. Remember there was no real pleasure in smoking, just temporarily getting rid of the craving. Having to smoke was often a drag. Remember having to stand outside in the rain at the party? Or having to run out of a meeting for a quick gasp and returning later, stinking?

23. Don’t envy other smokers. They envy me.

24. You did not enjoy being a smoker. That’s why you stopped smoking. Just enjoy being a non-smoker.

25. You know that stopping smoking was the right decision.

I've now done 30 hours. No problem! Really, after 40 years smoking 40 a day.

Good luck

Jeremy

[nsd_user663_18145]

thats great perhaps you could suggest them to the forum itself as im sure they are always looking out for new slogans in the campaign

and your sounding (sounds weird i know when your actually typing) very positive which is even better

[nsd_user663_22276]

Yes I could do that - how? And well done you too! You feel proud of your self? Jeremy

[nsd_user663_18145]

very good reasons to be honest now i feel proud but also stupid for actually ever smoking in the first place thinking it was something i enjoyed and needed in my life and the silly excuses i used to tell myself for smoking :eek:

mind you im glad that i choose not to smoke anymore just wish i could convince others to see the light as well im sure there is something in nicotine that makes people think irrational thoughts to smoking as when i think back now as how i used to think im horrified that one i even though that and two that i believed and carried on smoking :confused:

im sure if you go to the forum itself there is a contact page

[nsd_user663_21437]

Good luck Jeremy on your quit - I'm on day 6 and finding it easier each day - the first few days were like hell on earth but I'm starting to find I don't think of smoking so much and I know it'll get easier as the days go on

My favourite point on your list is number 13. I actually look at smokers puffing away in the street and huddled in doorways in the cold/snow/rain and think to myself 'Isn't it wonderful that I don't smoke anymore' :):)

[nsd_user663_7957]

Good luck, Jeremy. Your positive attitude will go a long way to make your quit a success.

[nsd_user663_22002]

..and thanks to you too!

Well done you - I'm coming up on 16 hours now (10.35pm tonight will be 24h) and jealous of your extra hours.

I love the way you sound as you talk about it - the right mindset really is half the battle. Had been talking about the weekend with friends at lunch about this weekend and thinking "if i drink will i smoke?"..then had the evil thought - oh well it wont matter if i have a couple, i can stop properly next week.....:eek:

...however reading your list of reasons had got me back on track esp "I stopped smoking because I do not want to smoke any more" - so simple yet easily forgotten!

PS - do you live in Italy? (Not stalking, just from your location and flight info was wondering)

[Levs 1000 Days Smoke Free]

Hi and Welcome to the site,

Thats a very comprehensive list of reasons you have there. Printing them out so you can look at them is a great idea. My GP gave me a list of what chemicals are in a cigarette and when I had a bad craving I read that. It really helped, particually ars enic, cyanide and formaldehyde, they stuck with me.

Out of your list of reasons one of them will keep you quit. The others are great motivators but one will keep you stopped

4. I stopped smoking because I do not want to smoke any more;

That is what has kept me stopped. There has been a few times I could have smoked. Not because the craving got too much, just because it would easier. But then I think "I don't want to smoke anymore" and it goes away again.

Stay strong in your quit. Post often. Take it one minute, one hour, one day at a time and you will get there.

Sian

[nsd_user663_20558]

Hello, and welcome.

Definitely a good mindset to start you off on the road. Congratulations on a great decision, and good luck!

Helen

[nsd_user663_22276]

Live in Italy?

Yes I've been living in Italy for the last 21 years. I'm now in US on business and thank god for it - a day of meetings took my mind off smoking - and anyway, you can imagine the hassle of going outside every half hour for a drag, and then spending 15 minutes going back inside through the security system. And on top of that, it's freezing and snowing outside, so I'd have felt like a right wally standing out there dragging away. Every so often throughout the day, there were flash instinct automatic thoughts of "ok I'm going out for a ciggy" followed half a second later by "no you're not" and the disappointment of not going out to light up, followed a few seconds later by a resigned "you're a non-smoker - remember?". Well it was never going to be easy I know, but so far so good. Good luck all you non-smokers - be PROUD of yourselves, right?

[nsd_user663_20591]

good for you jeremy and so happy u have made this decision to quit. im on day 19 tomorrow and i still cant beleive its been almost 3 weeks since iv had a cig its tough but we can do it!! im in ny also...gross day out there anyway keep strong and stay quit!!

[nsd_user663_22002]

Sono molto gelosa - mi piace molto Italia!

Think your quit is similar to mine - i definitely got the..

"Every so often throughout the day, there were flash instinct automatic thoughts of "ok I'm going out for a ciggy" followed half a second later by "no you're not" and the disappointment of not going out to light up."

...imagine i'll see you on day 2 shortly

[nsd_user663_22276]

Good Italian!! Anyway, I've moved to day 3 because I've completed 48 hours. So I'm into my third day right? I think it's going ok and you??

[nsd_user663_20547]

Excellent list Jeremy!

Even though I am going ok on day 19, it definatley came as a welcome reminder of all the resons I quit.

I think you will do very very well.

Good Luck

Jill xx

[nsd_user663_8876]

I saw you put your reasons for stopping next to the computer. I've done the same - needs editing but here it is:

1. What do you want to be: a smoker or a non-smoker? There’s only one or the other.

2. There is no such thing as just one cigarette

3. Smokers envy non-smokers

4. I stopped smoking because I do not want to smoke any more;

5. I will not start to smoke again, because I do not ever want to become a smoker again

6. “Smokers never have coughs, they just have permanent colds and headaches”

7. If you’re miserable because you want a cigarette, you’ll be even more miserable if you have one;

8. You know stopping smoking was the correct decision, so never doubt it;

9. The body doesn’t crave nicotine – only the brain;

10. Nicotine addiction is easy to overcome; much harder is 40 years of brain conditioning that tells you “smoking makes you feel good”, so start conditioning and convincing the brain that the opposite is true at every chance; BE CONVINCED

11. Every day without a cigarette makes it better

12. When you stop smoking, you are not making a sacrifice – the opposite;

13. Be convinced – isn’t it wonderful that I don’t smoke any more?

14. Don’t think negatively “I’m not allowed to smoke”. You’re not denying yourself anything good; be positive, congratulate yourself – thank god I don’t smoke - and see 4 above;

15. Why spend the rest of your like craving for a cigarette and being miserable? If you do that, you’ll be miserable if you don’t smoke, and even more miserable if you do.

16. Why spend the rest of your life craving for something that you desperately hope you will never have?

17. Never doubt the decision to quit – you know it was the right decision

18. When you see a smoker, pity them, don’t envy them;

19. You haven’t “given up something good” – you’ve saved yourself from a disease

20. Be a happy non-smoker.

21. If you’re reading this, maybe you’re suffering or being tempted. In 5 minutes you’ll be fine – even better because you resisted – and you can carry on being a happy and stronger non smoker. The alternative should be too awful to contemplate. If you start smoking again, then for the rest of your life you’ll go on suffering the distress of knowing you’re too weak to give up;;

22. Remember there was no real pleasure in smoking, just temporarily getting rid of the craving. Having to smoke was often a drag. Remember having to stand outside in the rain at the party? Or having to run out of a meeting for a quick gasp and returning later, stinking?

23. Don’t envy other smokers. They envy me.

24. You did not enjoy being a smoker. That’s why you stopped smoking. Just enjoy being a non-smoker.

25. You know that stopping smoking was the right decision.

I've now done 30 hours. No problem! Really, after 40 years smoking 40 a day.

Good luck

Jeremy

Be a happy non smoker i agree!! All fab reasons, i love positive posts like this, full of enthusiasm. I started off with a very positive mindset from the word GO. Ia took on the fact that yes this is going to be difficult, i am going to be withdrawing from the worlds strongest drug NICOTINE, of course its going to be hard. So i knew a positive mindset was the waygto go, if others can do it then so can i :p

All i can say is it worked and i now have a very firm healthy quit, i never look back.. I am a very happy non smoker thank you ! So keep going Jeremy, you are doing reallhy well, like i say to all newbies, strap yourself in and ride it out - it may get bumpy but YOU CAN DO IT. by helping others this will help hyou gtoo.

[nsd_user663_22276]

When I wake up, it will be 2 weeks. This quit I guess is my 7th or 8th? Each time, I went through all the agony stuff and convinced myself that life without smoking was no life. I told myself life without smoking wasn't worth it, the sacrifice was too big; that I deserved to smoke. I used to wake up and tell myself "brilliant, another day of smoking ahead". Horseshit. This time, I've simply changed the whole approach. I just tell myself that life without smoking is better. That smoking is a viscious circle - it's a poison that feeds on itself. Starve the poison. I stopped smoking for one reason above all - I don't want to smoke any more. I want to escape. There's no way I'm going to put myself back into that prison, and spend the rest of my life either trying to escape, or telling myself that I'm happy to live behind bars. Then turn the whole thing round. Get positive. Just try and get rid of the feeling that quitting is deprivation. For me right now, it's freedom!! Something that I've wanted for 20 years. I just wish I could get how I feel across to you through this keyboard. Don't give in. Good luck everyone, Jeremy

Remember, smokers envy non-smokers.

[Levs 1000 Days Smoke Free]

Well said Jeremy. Two weeks is a massive step in the right direction. The 'I just don't want to smoke anymore' attitude is the perfect one. That has got me through a sticky moment or two as even though I crave, I don't want to smoke anymore. I also have to say that cravings actually make me more determined not to smoke. It disgust me that I am, on occasion, craving something so badly, that is just...wrong.

Stick with it, you are doing great.

Sian

[nsd_user663_22002]

so jealous!

Well done you! I am once AGAIN back to day 0! Keep reading your posts and thinking - i could be there now too. I hope you are very proud of yourself

You have now done weekdays, weekends, normal work, working abroad - you can not smoke successfully in every situation. Not meaning this to be a downer but dont get complacent - you dont want to end up like me!

PS - my added incentive now is to use the money i save for some italian lessons!

[nsd_user663_22276]

Sì, sono felice e orgoglioso. E io non voglio fallire, non per niente. E mi sento ancora sicuro. Complacent? You're right. In the past I've said - ha, 3 weeks, I've done it. So just one cigarette. But there's no such thing. Bocca al lupo!!

[nsd_user663_8876]

I just wish I could get how I feel across to you through this keyboard.

Remember, smokers envy non-smokers.

Ahhh....... GOOD GOOD WELL DONE :D your obviously a tough cookie. To beat nicotine you have to be tough no matter how pretty you are. Bring it on.

[nsd_user663_22002]

Gia' imparo - mi hai insegnato una parola nuova - "orgoglioso".

[nsd_user663_22276]

proud. And I really am - proud of myself!!

[nsd_user663_22276]

Thanks fallen angel - but you don't sound so fallen. Resurrected?

[nsd_user663_8876]

This Angel fell big time but yes... resurrected indeed thank you Jeremy.

[nsd_user663_22484]

Good luck Jeremy!!!

[nsd_user663_20549]

I stopped yesterday at 0700 as I was boarding a flight from Rome to Washington. This time I'm going to do it. I'm confident. I tell myself the obvious: "I stopped smoking because I do not want to smoke any more". Why spend the rest of your life craving for something that you desperately hope you will never have? Good luck to us all!!! Jeremy

Good Luck Jeremy!

Get some chewing gum, it helps no end with the cravings!