Changing the mindset

I kept my last cigarette in the car along with a lighter for the first 10 days of my quit journey. It took the pressure off for that early time and steeled my resolve as well. After the first 10 days I finally threw the silly thing away as I had proved that I wouldn't be needing it ever again. Now at 204 days.

What a great post. Congratulations Fluffly. The realisation that we are in control of our own lives is amazing. You are one of the fortunate ones who have come to that realisation.

I am 52 days clean now and barely have any cravings at all. Have also began losing the few kilos I gained in the first few weeks.

You are right, there is a lot of fear linked to quitting.

However nothing compares to the feeling of knowing that I am free from the addiction to that smelly disgusting stick

Well done

Well done Fluffy, your words ARE quite inspiring. This got me thru the day...cutting from 20 to only 5 today. And didn't even feel like it when I did light the bugger! And it's damn true...it's just a desire and a feeling....I took hour by hour, kept myself busy thru out the day, drank loads of water......did eat alittle more but I got thru it with only puffing away at 5! Fabulous. Quit date set...here we go. I'm not going to pretend that it will be easy but willing to give it a shot and changing my mindset! thanks again

Thanks for the contribution all. A great reminder not to be afraid as i embark . My date is tomorrow Tuesday1st October. I too have smoked for nearly 40 years and aged 54 now. Not good. All that hard wiring to undo.

Thanks for the contribution all. A great reminder not to be afraid as i embark . My date is tomorrow Tuesday1st October. I too have smoked for nearly 40 years and aged 54 now. Not good. All that hard wiring to undo.

I am at day 6 of not smoking. Yesterday my sister in law gave me a look of pity like how are you going to enjoy life anymore when I started discussing my quit journey. I realised at that point that she was holding on to smoking the way I used to. That she was stuck in the negative delusional mindset that quitting was about giving up something you love and about stopping doing something you really want to do, that it is about total restraint and willpower. I realised it isnt that at all. Its stopping doing something you DONT want to do. It's freedom to choose to not harm yourself anymore. It's not she that should be pitying me but the other way around in some ways because she has not realised that you quit for YOURSELF and your health and all the other billion reasons. No denying it is difficult when the cravings hit but I use my mantra " I choose not to smoke" and " I wont regret quitting I will only regret smoking" to help me thtough. Im not going to be one of those preachy non smokers but I will be a proud non smoker who is happy and free! Don't pity me Im alllll good! Any smoker reading this thinking about doing it- just do it seriously... I wasnt "ready" and from all the reading and stories noone ever is... they do it because it has to be done. You wont regret it.

I'm in cutdown mode now for drinking and smoking - my new beginning is in 5 days. These stories have given me inspiration. I've tried everything available to quit over many years and finally realise it isn't the physical addiction but my psychological addiction. Have all my affirmations ready - the one I really love is "Willpower is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets".

I have quit before, a couple of days here a couple of days there. I have also made 4 months once then another time i actaully made 9 months. Your heading "Mind Set" is the key for me. I have only just started again on my quit journey again and i enjoyed reading your story, Thankyou.

I have quit before, a couple of days here a couple of days there. I have also made 4 months once then another time i actaully made 9 months. Your heading "Mind Set" is the key for me. I have only just started again on my quit journey again and i enjoyed reading your story, Thankyou.

Thanks Fluffy and all followers. You are inspirational.I am on day 7 and feeling very confident. I do not ever want to go back to the agony of day 1 & 2 again. So now I am a non smoker. I have been offered a cigarette this morning but refused politely. My willpower muscle is strengthening. Yipee I'm a non smoker!!

Thanks for all your stories , today is day 4 and I was very close to giving in and starting again, but after reading all of the comments I'm going to keep on fighting the craving. Thanks again.

Wow, it's so good to feel like you're not alone in the battle! So many inspiring posts on this website.

Keep going, Mrs Leanne, I've been close to caving in a few times and I'm on day 13 now. It's getting easier and easier :)

Absolutely the best letter i have read. Today is day 66 for myself and my husband and I finally feel like I can say I'm a non-smoker !!!! yay!!!! It has been a long and hard 66 days so far but I have never felt so healthy and strong as I do today. No smokers cough, no wheezing , no coughing up of phlem and tar. I have turned into a gym junkie and am loving life. My bank account is about $2000 healthier already after only such a short time. I will never be one of those reformed smokers as i believe you have to want to give up yourself but after 34 years its time to say "goodbye Nicotine" Hello new life!!!! I can do everything I did before when I was a smoker, but some things I can do even better now that I am a non-smoker.I feel like my body has been cleansed as fortunately the smell of cigarettes is quite disgusting to me and I now relate that to feeling dirty if i have been around smokers and can smell it on myself. I wish everyone a great journey on giving up smoking and dealing with the nicotine cravings and believe in yourselves , you can do it just fight those mind games . It gets easier every day

very inspiring post.. thanks for sharing!

in fact i'll read it over n over in the next few days to help me thru :-)

I have made my day for this coming Monday (5 days time), these articles helped me to make this day and realise the mind games that go with giving up. Thanks all.

I have set my quit date to 12 June 2014. Tmw I'll be getting the Champix.

I set my Quit date to July 20, 2014. I have stopped smoking at various times in my life but have come back to smoking each time I have stopped. Not this time because I am almost 54 years old and I know that I want to give myself a better chance to be healthier. The tobacco industry and the Government think they have us over a barrel, however I have decided to not let them get their own way. I stopped smoking on June 3 and I know I will feel so much better very soon. It was exciting to give up before my actual quit date because it felt like I do have control over my thoughts. I will never put a cigarette in my mouth again. I will breath fresh air for the whole of my life. I have now gone back to the person I was when I was born. We weren't born smoking so I can put an end to being a smoker.

Great words, I have tagged it a a favourite.

But all the stories here are all very inspirational.

There is definitely strength in numbers.

Great words, I have tagged it a a favourite.

But all the stories here are all very inspirational.

There is definitely strength in numbers.

Very inspiring comments by all so great everyone is so supportive. I'm on day 6 today and have gained strength from you all. I do not want to be controlled for the rest of my life by my nicotine addiction! Trying to find time to sneak out if work to feed my addiction and feeling guilty about it. After smoking for nearly 30years I now realise it is only a mind set and I do need to think differently by doing something really great for myself- Quitting the nicotine addiction!

Today I made a decision to be a non-smoker! There are so many reasons why and whilst health is one of them believe it or not the deciding factor was because I smell of cigarette smoke. It's in my hair, my clothes, my car and I am constantly embarrassed about it. The second reason is $$ and I plan to use the savings for travel. I have chosen patches and trust this along with my strong resolve will get me through. Fluffy's words about 'feeling it' is so true. So all I can say is 'bring it on' I am ready.

Fluffy you made me cry your words are true. It is a feeling and awful I feel like pulling my hair out with out the drug why on earth did anyone allow this disgusting thing into the world. I feel so anxious without a smoke But you're so right its just a feeling it will pass. I'm down from 26 smokes to 6 quitting on Sunday. I quit for 10 years the took it up again. This time when I quit never again.

I haven't smoked for 8 days now fell so happy.

This makes me feel so good thank you! I've set my quit date for tomorrow and am looking forward to a cigarette-free life :)

Love your honesty, I am inspired by your story, I have brought into the horror stories too, no more start tomorrow

Very well said! Felt it first hand and it's real but was not real scary, doable like you said.

This is such an inspirational post. Right up my ally. Thanks for sharing Fluffy, and reminding us what we are all capable of. :)

I am adopting KB78's manta: i choose not to smoke!

thank you for your story..I too smoked for 30 years. until 3 weeks ago. I went on Champix and WOW is all I have to say. I have been smoke free for 12 days now and what a difference my life is. I to listened to what others had to say and denied myself the courage to quit before. It took the loss of my foster mother to lung cancer for me to open my eyes and see that smoking was in control of my life and not enjoyable anymore.I took back my strength and started on the Champix. I am very proud of my self and so is my family. Always remember..you will not be able to quit until you are fully ready.. so make sure that you are quitting for YOU and not anyone else!!!!!

Exactly the way I have been thinking Fluffy. I have been smoking for fifty years and it has been affecting my health quite seriously the past few years but I persisted with smoking! I told myself there was no point as the damage was already done but I am sure I will feel better without them, my bank balance certainly will too! I am giving up on Saturday when I will hopefully have a peaceful weekend and will use your method of sitting with it and letting the cravings pass, also keep myself busy. I notice your post was in 2012, are you still not smoking?

Thank you for your very insightful post. I will use it to help me fight cravings during this journey.

I have been through some really tough times in my life of 60 years and have been a heavy smoker for 45 of those years. I have wanted to quit for many years now but I finally come to realise that giving up smoking can't be as hard as what I have already endured. Tomorrow is my quit day so wish me luck as I wish you all the best of luck

Absolutely brilliant post Fluffy!!! Loved it when you wrote:

I finally found that there is nothing stronger than the gift we were born with. Our minds. It doesn't have to be such a struggle. End the nightmare with acceptance.

Still my favourite inspirational story. Thanks Fluffy.I am now on my third and final attempt at quitting. I am determined this is the last time. I am convincing my mind now.

Love this! Good on you Fluffy.

Good one Fluffy.. This is my 9th month smoke free..I did it too, I am free now, not bound to this ugly habit of 30 yrs..stink free..healthy..

Lot of conditioning happened..Mindfulness and Yoga helped to stay on top of cravings and that junkie thinking....

https://www.icanquit.com.au/story/5868/that-junkie-thinking

The though of being smoke free, fresh, clean and habit free is the best thinking I can have, though having the money in the bank would be good too. I have commenced this journey many times and often counted my chickens before they have hatched. My visualisations of life scare the dickens out of me saying something with the wrong tone or jumping to conclusions in conversation, not being confident enough or strong enough to use the word no in context without expressing absurdly strong emotions in my voice or just rambling out of control. This time I will take control, take a breath in and let it out before taking another breath to speak, controlled comfortable and concise. Thank you Fluffy your a great inspiration and every other writer too. JimmG the conditioning sounds like a great idea and way of achieving that mind set! Debster63 I am too self affirmation 'self hypnotism' has got to be better than being an addict, and for the 'just sitting with the craving' allowing it to pass without getting all twisted up in a fight, another fantastic idea. Cheers people I hope to be updating and blogging my recovery soon. Stay safe and free

Being mindful can help. During my journey, a free simple app helped me attain and maintain that state. I never though of doing meditation in my life. But this one helped.

https://www.headspace.com/