Great to see Barney posting the other day, we both quit on the same day and I'm glad to say that I am still smoke free. The last 2 years have really flown by and I'm am still feeling the benefits of being a non smoker even now.
Not only do I feel healthier but I have more energy, more money, less stressed and smell much nicer. I no longer have that horrible fear and feeling that im causing myself so much damage. The biggest change has to be the feeling of no longer being a slave to a drug.
So much has changed during the last two years, I've gotten through issues with anxiety, 2 jobs, 2 house moves and tomorrow is the first day of my masters in Osteopathy. It's just goes to show that my mindset of thinking smoking helped these stressful situations was very wrong. If I've learnt one thing over the last few years its that smoking just makes things that much worse.
On a much deeper level quitting smoking has been the catalyst for a huge change psychologically. It has proven to me that I'm strong enough to achieve anything I put my mind to hence a big life change by heading back to Uni for a career change. I honestly believe if I didn't quit I wouldn't be where I am today.
Anyhow I've rambled quite a bit so I'll leave you by saying that quitting smoking is the best thing I've ever done, for any of you newbies in your early stages please believe me it gets easier each day, days roll into weeks, weeks into months so and so on, before you know it you'll be years down the line and you'll be free. It's cliche but take each day as it comes.
Take care all and best of luck with your quit.
Mark