Two Weeks In
So I am 14 days as a non-smoker. Other than a bothersome cough (which I did not have when I smoked) I am trucking along. I miss smoking. But I feel pretty good considering a 25 year smoking career of a pack per day. Mostly what motivates me now is never wanting to experience having to quit again. Ha!! I do still have cravings, although they seem much more stress/habit related than an actual need for nicotine. But I feel pretty darned awesome for keeping up my new non-smoking lifestyle. One day at a time!
Hi GoBlue. I like your sentiments. You say you miss smoking. And don't we all! We all miss smoking, just choose not to. Your reference to smoking as a "career" brought a smile to my face... Spot on! None of us who have abstained ever want to experience that time when we decided to quit. We so don't want to go back there. Neither stress nor habit are an excuse to smoke. If smoking was the magic cure for stress, everyone would be smoking. A joke! After kidding oneself that it helps, how come the problem rears its ugly head when the cigarette is extinguished. How good did we become at convincing ourselves! Like you Sid, one day at a time. Enjoy each milestone. Don't ever look back.
Hi GoBlue,
Like Lia, I had a laugh at you saying career
because it's exactly like that.
Loving your strength and resilience.
Two weeks is a wonderful achievement.
Congrats on being smoke free.
Hi GoBlue,
I'm 33 days in and never felt better.
I was a career smoker for longer than I had a career.
I don't miss it, though.
I kind of consider my addiction to be like a nagging toddler in the supermarket.
'Can I have a lolly?'
'No'
(walk five paces)
'Can I have a lolly now?'
'How about no?'
'Actually no doesn't suit me right now - I'm DISTRESSED'
'Oh the fact that you are kicking and screaming on the supermarket floor has changed my mind, you must need a lolly - LOL jks, no lolly for you'
Hope that helps :)
Hello Go Blue, We must have made the big decision on the same day, I am about 33 days into FREEDOM as well. I walked past two people outside a store the other day, sucking down a quick ciggie between getting out of the car and going into the store... my first thought was "That used to be US..(hubby and I), but my next thought was "Thank God we aren't slaves to that anymore". If I'm honest, that is a conscious thought... I still have to intentionally think it. But I am confident that it will soon be an unconscious thought... It will be my first thought when I see a smoker. And I know that this is true, smokers are slaves, I was a slave for near 30 years! I'm free now though, as are you. So Cheers to our Freedom...
Thanks so much for the warm welcome and words of support! Could totally relate to your words and am grateful for the solidarity here!! And yes....not smoking is a freedom in and of itself! So much time spent with the smoking ritual....when to duck outside, asking for five mins before leaving on an errand to smoke first, etc. I don't miss those things!! Still adjusting to my new non-smoking self.