Stop Smoking Easily - A Non-Smoking Journey

Spent Some Money I've Saved

2007-01-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

Thought it was about time to spend some of the money I've saved from not smoking. Well, to be honest, I really haven't saved all that money I would have spent if I continued to smoke - current stats - (I have been smoke free for 8 Months, 4 Days, 14 hours and 13 minutes (249 days). I have saved $4,492.66 by not smoking 12,479 cigarettes), but I figured I could treat myself with something.

I have wanted to get a tattoo all my life. Now that I'm almost 40, I figured what the hell. Why not go ahead and finally do it. The picture you see is of the tattoo I got done yesterday. It's on my right arm. Freaky huh?

No, I didn't join a gang or anything. I just wanted something that looked kind of cool and maybe a little dangerous. Mid life crisis I guess. HA!

It took 2 1/2 hours to do. Didn't hurt like I thought it might. It was annoying more than anything, but it wasn't extremely painful or anything like that.

Just thought those that are checking the blog from time to time might be interested in seeing this.

That's it for now...We'll talk again soon.

8 Months - WOW!

2007-01-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

Thought since I mentioned the I am a Quitter! coffee mug last time, I would post a pic of it. It looks great and I enjoy using it with my coffee, as it always reminds me of what I have accomplished. Not to mention that drinking coffee is a trigger for many people, so having this mug right in front of you certainly helps keep your resolve :-)

Want one of these mugs for yourself? Click the link below to check out the I am a Quitter! online store:

https://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?sid=55472

Now onto the important stuff of updating you as to where I am currently with my stats and how it feels to date.

My current stats:

I have been smoke free for 8 Months, 1 Day, 13 hours and 1 minute (246 days). I have saved $4,437.76 by not smoking 12,327 cigarettes.

Yep...that's 8 whole months. Won't be long before a year is upon me. It really does start to go quite fast and you do not think about it much as you go along, especially when you start to get up into numerous months quit. Look at that number of cigarettes not smoked...over 12,000! Is that not incredible? I can't imagine smoking that many cigarettes. I've almost saved $4500 as well. Well, I didn't put it aside and save it, but I've been able to purchase other things along the way and not worry about wasting all that money on something that would be killing me.

So my advice today would be to keep in mind that while at the start and early stages of stopping smoking it may seem very hard and almost impossible to do, it isn't and it gets so much easier as you go along. Imagine looking forward to being 8 months quit...how about that magic ONE WHOLE YEAR. Can you imagine being one year quit? If you recently quit, then no, I'm sure you cannot, but have faith. It gets so much easier and you will be so proud of yourself, as I am right now. You have that to look forward to. Be strong and stay the course because it is so worth it. I am living proof of that and I am laying it right on the line now...do it. You will not regret stopping smoking, nor will it be as hard as it may seem right now, for very long.

If you have recently quit or you have some stats you would like to share, leave a comment or better yet, visit the forum on the right hand side links and post your milestone. I would love to hear from you either way. Talk to you soon!

More than 6 Months & 10,000 Cigs!

2006-12-09T11:53:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's been more than 6 months now and over 10,000 cigs since I quit. Here are my up to the minute stats:

I have been smoke free for 6 Months, 2 Weeks, 4 Days, 12 hours and 54 minutes (201 days). I have saved $3,627.67 by not smoking 10,076 cigarettes.

It's not so much the time that has gone by but the number of cigarettes and the money saved. Of course, I haven't really saved that money (I've spent it already on other things), but still, I would have spent more than $3600 on cigarettes in the past 6 months if I hadn't quit. Simply amazing. That and think about laying out the more than 10,000 cigarettes I haven't smoked, end to end. I wonder how far that would go? A LOT of cigarettes to be sure.

Got my I am a Quitter! coffee mug the other day. Looks great! I've already had a couple of people ask me about it. I'm going to get the t-shirt as well I think. When I got the logo created, I wasn't sure how it would look really...well, not until I saw it on something, but I am really happy with the way it turned out. I'm proud to be a quitter and proud to use the mug. If you are interested, you'll find the link to the I am a Quitter! Rewards Store on the right hand side of the Blog here, under links. Grab something for yourself.

Now, if you are just starting out quitting smoking or you've been working through it for a little bit, 6 months most likely seems like an eternity away, but believe me, it went by really fast. I looked up and boom...it had been 6 months. Amazing quite frankly.

Do you want to get to the point where I'm at? Want to celebrate 6 months and thousands of cigarettes not smoked? Then remember one thing...N.O.P.E. Not One Puff Ever. That's the only thing you need to remember. As long as you never take a puff, you'll be fine. You can't have just one puff or just one cigarette. You just can't. Funny thing is, once you get into a month or so quitting, you'll wonder why you ever wanted that puff in the first place. It's just silly.

Now at 6 months, I hardly ever think about it. I remember in the start of all this, thinking about smoking ALL THE TIME. Now, maybe once a day and even those days don't happen very often. You just need to put in the time and you'll wonder why you ever smoked in the first place. Trust me. It gets so much better.

You want to be happy with yourself? You want to get to 6 months with no smoking? Then stop now, if you haven't already, and don't look back. It can be tough at times, I'm not going to lie, but be strong and be proud of doing this for yourself. I am a Quitter! and I'm damn proud of it. You should be to!

Talk again soon...

I am a Quitter! - Quit Smoking Rewards are Here

2006-10-26T00:01:00.000-06:00

What better way to celebrate quitting smoking than to have something to shout out you've done it?

That's why I created 'I am a Quitter!" Soon you'll be able to log onto the 'I am a Quitter!' web site. Initially this web site will simply be a portal to the 'I am a Quitter!" online store, but in the coming weeks, I'll be adding new features to the site, so stay tuned to the blog for more details as they become available.

For now, please visit the 'I am a Quitter!' online Rewards Store and treat yourself to an 'I am a Quitter!' t-shirt, coffee mug or even an 'I am a Quitter!' mousepad.

Click this link to visit the I am a Quitter! online Rewards Store and view some of the available items now!

5 Months & Excuses

2006-10-25T12:28:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been more than 5 months for this kid now:

I have been smoke free for 5 Months, 3 Days, 13 hours and 22 minutes (156 days). I have saved $2,818.02 by not smoking 7,827 cigarettes.

Not bad huh? I feel so much better over the last few months than I have since the start. I think getting past that third month is the biggest hurdle.

PERSEVERANCE - That's all it really takes folks. Regardless of what is going on in your life or what is going on in your head, you just have to say NO to smoking ever again if you want to remain quit. That's it. There is no magic pill or amazing new way to do it. You can waste your money on gum or patches or pills, but in the end, sooner or later, you have to make the decision to NEVER SMOKE AGAIN and stick to it. That's it. That is the way to STOP SMOKING EASILY. If you've told yourself that no matter what, you will never smoke again, then you can be done with it and move on with the rest of your life.

I'm going to use this quote again:

"All you ever enjoy in a cigarette is the ending of the craving for it...Cigarettes themselves are filth and poison. This is why you only suffer the illusion of enjoying them after a period of abstinence." ~ Allen Carr

It's really that simple and it is so true.

I visit several smoking cessation forums on the Internet (including my own - which is kind of slow right now - hopefully it will pick up) and I see people making excuse after excuse as to why they broke down and had a cigarette again while quitting. If you look hard enough, there are many, many excuses you can use:

I had a bad day.
I had a fight with my spouse.
My best friend stubbed his/her toe.
My favourtite TV show got cancelled.
My pet bird has a cough and I'm really worried about him.

Yes, the last few are really silly, but you get the idea. If you look for excuses to smoke, they are REALLY easy to find. I keep reading about these people who used whatever excuse they could find to start smoking again or at least have 'just one'.

Do yourself and everyone around you a favour and STOP MAKING EXCUSES. There is no reason to smoke. If you have quit...stay quit and stop making excuses. If you've already quit, you've already won. Move on with your life. Nothing to see here...

More soon on the blog. Bye for now folks...

Emotional Loss Experienced When Quitting Smoking

2006-10-16T11:24:00.000-06:00

My thanks to Grace who posted this artcile on another forum online. This is a great article and very, very true:

Understanding the Emotional Loss Experienced When Quitting Smoking

In her 1969 book, On Death and Dying, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross identified five distinct phases which a dying person encounters. These stages are "denial," "anger," "bargaining," "depression," and finally, "acceptance." These are the exact same stages that are felt by those mourning the loss of a loved one as well.

What does all this have to do with why people don't quit smoking? People who attempt to give up smoking go through these five stages. They must successfully overcome each specific phase to deal with the next. Some people have particular difficulty conquering a specific phase, causing them to relapse back to smoking. Let's analyze these specific phases as encountered by the abstaining smoker.

The first question asked of the group during the smoking clinic was, "How many of you feel that you will never smoke again?" Do you remember the underwhelming response to that question? It is remarkable for even one or two people to raise their hands. For the most part the entire group is in a state of denial - they will not quit smoking. Other prevalent manifestations of denial are: "I don't want to quit smoking," or "I am perfectly healthy while smoking, so why should I stop," or "I am different, I can control my smoking at one or two a day." These people, through their denial, set up obstacles to even attempt quitting and hence have very little chance of success.

Those who successfully overcome denial progress to anger. We hear so many stories of how difficult it is to live with a recovering smoker. Your friends avoid you, your employer sends you home, sometimes permanently, and you are generally no fun to be with. Most smokers do successfully beat this stage.

Bargaining is probably the most dangerous stage in the effort to stop smoking. "Oh boy, I could sneak this one and nobody will ever know it." "Things are really tough today, I will just have one to help me over this problem, no more after that." "Maybe I'll just smoke today, and quit again tomorrow." It may be months before these people even attempt to quit again.

Depression usually follows once you successfully overcome bargaining without taking that first drag. For the first time you start to believe you may actually quit smoking. But instead of being overjoyed, you start to feel like you are giving up your best friend. You remember the good times with cigarettes and disregard the detrimental effects of this dangerous and dirty addiction. At this point more than ever "one day at a time" becomes a life saver. Because tomorrow may bring acceptance.

Once you reach the stage of acceptance, you get a true perspective of what smoking was doing to you and what not smoking can do for you. Within two weeks the addiction is broken and, hopefully, the stages are successfully overcome and, finally, life goes on.

Life becomes much simpler, happier and more manageable as an ex-smoker. Your self esteem is greatly boosted. Your physical state is much better than it would ever have been if you continued to smoke. It is a marvelous state of freedom. Anyone can break the addiction and beat the stages. Then all you must do to maintain this freedom is simply remember - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

Bump in the Road...But I'm OK.

2006-10-10T11:36:00.000-06:00

Well, I had a bit of a bump in the road a few days ago, but I'm OK now. I didn't smoke. I was just sitting in front of the computer, listening to some music and reading several forums that I like to frequent (sports forums).

In deciding to change my life around after my 39th birthday, I ousted things like cigarettes (3 months before my birthday), as well as some bad eating habits and I took up a whole new excercise program. The other thing I did was cut some loose ends with some 'supposed' friends I have had in my life for a number of years. Without getting into too many details, I told these friends that if they couldn't be better friends, then maybe they should step back and not be my friend at all. They decided to do the latter. Very frustrating for me, considering one of these friends was someone I considered to be my best friend and someone I have been 'friends' with for more than 16 years.

So anyway...to make a long story short, I was feeling a little depressed that night I spoke of and simply thought what it might be like to have a cigarette to go along with that drink I was having as well. Well, to be fair, at that time, it was about my sixth drink at that time.

I posted on a support forum and I got up from the computer and took a walk around the house. I had a good look at the bracelet I bought myself with my quit date on it and when I got back to my computer chair, I was fine. Just a very small bump in the road. I knew I had decided to NEVER smoke again and I knew in the back of my mind I would NOT smoke, but I had to go through that bump just the same.

Advice here? Try to find some support if you can. There are some great smoking cessation support forums on the Internet. They will help a lot as you go along. Nothing better than being surrounded by others going through exactly the same thing. That and tell youself "I will NOT smoke ever again!" No matter what happens...no one can make you smoke, except you.

My current stats:

I have been smoke free for 4 Months, 2 Weeks, 5 Days, 12 hours and 39 minutes (141 days). I have saved $2,547.48 by not smoking 7,076 cigarettes.

More to come on the blog soon...including some exciting news for you folks out there who have decided to stop smoking. Something I hope many will like...

Benefits of Stopping Smoking Now

2006-09-26T02:15:00.000-06:00

When smokers quit, within twenty minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.

At 20 minutes after quitting:

blood pressure decreases
pulse rate drops
body temperature of hands and feet increases

At 8 hours:

carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
oxygen level in blood increases to normal

At 24 hours:

chance of a heart attack decreases

At 48 hours:

nerve endings start regrowing
ability to smell and taste is enhanced

At 2 weeks to 3 months:

circulation improves
walking becomes easier
lung function increases

1 to 9 months:

coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases

1 year:

excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker

At 5 years:

from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked

At 10 years:

risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
risk of ulcer decreases

At 15 years:

risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked

More to come on the blog real soon, including more tips for stopping smoking...

Substitutes & NRT's

2006-09-16T12:29:00.000-06:00

I know some in the 'quitting/stopping smoking world' will disagree with what I'm about to say, but you are reading this Blog for my opinion right?

No one NEEDS nicotine. It is a poison. Something your body has no problem doing without once it is out of your system. Did you know it takes about 3 days for all of the nicotine to get out of your body? If you are stopping smoking, why would you want to continue to put nicotine (the very drug you are trying to rid your body of) into your body still?

My advice would be when you decide to stop smoking (if you have not as of yet), do it 'cold turkey', meaning use nothing at all. Simply stop smoking.

The only reason we smoked in the first place was to relieve the withdrawl pangs caused by nicotine leaving our bodies. Why would you want to continue feeding that addiction once you've decided to stop smoking?

All NRT's (Nicotine Replacement Therapy - gums, patches, etc.) do is prolong the chemical addiction to nicotine. The sooner this nasty nicodemon is out of your body, the better in my opinion. It also allows us to fight the mental brainwashing sooner as well.

It's not just NRT's either. If you try replacing times when you normally would have had a cigarette with something else such as regular chewing gum, you are keeping that 'mental' part of the addiction alive. You are telling yourself, well, I can't have a cigarette, so I'll have this gum instead. What you are really telling yourself here is that you are giving up something so you will replace it with something else.

Remember...YOU ARE NOT GIVING UP ANYTHING!

Smoking is not something you need. No one NEEDS to smoke. There is no reason to replace it with anything else. Non-smokers don't need something. You (if you have stopped already) are a non-smoker. Get on with your life. You don't need cigarettes or anything to replace it to make your life complete. Toss out those cigarettes (if you haven't already) and get on with your life. There is no need for anything to replace smoking.

More on the Blog here soon...until then...

After 3 Months & Some Tips

2006-09-09T10:59:00.000-06:00

I have to say that getting past 3 months seems to be a BIG step. I went out to the pub a couple of weeks ago and I didn't even think about smoking. Well, that's not true entirely, I did think about it a bit when this guy sat next to me at the bar and stunk to high heaven after he had just gone outside for a smoke. Uggghhh it smells.

I think that is the one thing that most smokers do not notice while they are smoking. How much they smell. Many people who quit and finally do smell it on other people are amazed and somewhat embarrassed (especially women). I found myself shuffling a little further down the bar without trying to be obvious about it. Every 10 minutes or so, he was back outside feeding the nicodemon. It was very interesting to watch. Meanwhile, I sat inside, comfortable and drinking my beer. What a colossal waste of time going outside to feed an addiction all night long. Pretty damn glad I don't have to worry about that any longer.

Back to my original thought though: After 3 months, something seemed to really click in my head because I found myself not even thinking about smoking, in an environment where I used to smoke like crazy. It was very cool to actually, finally, consider myself a non-smoker. I think that was the first time I really had. Some speak of the 'terrible three's' - 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months - as stumbling times when people stop smoking. There does seem to be a pattern there. I felt a bit more pressure leading up to the third month and the nicodemon was trying hard to get me to smoke again. I knew in the back of my mind though that I wouldn't smoke again. I, as Allen Carr has said so well and has been posted on this Blog before, made the decision to never have another cigarette again and am sticking to that. Not one more puff ever. After the 3 months it seemed to get much easier. It really feels as though the nicodemon is dead. I think I killed him...HA!

But...this goes along with the advice I'll supply today. Never, ever let your guard down. When you've made the decision to stop smoking, you must always be cognitive of that decision and remember that there is no such thing as ONE CIGARETTE. You cannot have just one. You cannot have just one puff. I've heard so many stories from people who have stopped smoking for years and years and then feel as though they are strong enough and have enough willpower to have just one cigarette out one night. Then BOOM...they are right back to smoking full time again. It takes no time at all. I read a story recently of a woman who stopped smoking for 16 years. She was out with friends one night, a friend lit up a cigarette and this woman said 'Let me have a puff" and BOOM, back to more than a pack a day in a very short period, after having not smoked for 16 years.

So if you have already stopped smoking, don't throw that achievement away for a stupid puff or just "one" cigarette. It will always be more than that and you know it. Once you start again, you are again a smoker. You don't want to be a smoker. That's why you stopped in the first place. Remind yourself of this every day if you have to.

My current stats:

I have been smoke free for 3 Months, 2 Weeks, 4 Days, 12 hours and 15 minutes (110 days). I have saved $1,989.18 by not smoking 5,525 cigarettes.

Now, a little off topic, but the forum as mentioned in previous posts here is up and going and we've had several members join in the last week or so. Come on by and join in on the conversation. I am there as much as possible and would be more than happy to talk with you and discuss anything. The link to the forum is the first link on the right hand side of the Blog here. Come on by and join in. We would love to have you!

Big Milestones

2006-08-29T11:57:00.000-06:00

Hello again all,

It's been a few days since my last post. As you can see by previous posts here, I've been working on a new non-smoking forum. They say only a small portion of people who quit without support succeed. That is why I think a helpful forum where other people are going through the same thing, can be all the difference. Things are slow on the forum until the word gets out, but don't let that stop you from joining and posting. It's all gotta' start somewhere, right?

As for me, well, something told me that stopping smoking was the right decision. Through all of the days leading up to today and as far ahead as I can see within the milestone section of my quit meter, there is no other day that has 3, count them, 3 milestones in one day. That day happens to be today and 11:00 PM tonight (MST). Why is today so special? Well, today is my 39th birthday. What are the odds on 3 milestones being on the same day as my birthday? Seems meant to be to me quite frankly.

Here are my current up to date stats:

I have been smoke free for 3 Months, 1 Week, 12 hours and 58 minutes (99 days). I have saved $1,791.72 by not smoking 4,977 cigarettes.

Tonight at 11:00 PM, I will reach 3 milestones:

$1800.00 Saved
5,000 Cigarettes Not Smoked
100 Days Smoke Free

Isn't that cool?

Thanks for coming by and reading the blog. I've got some more helpful hints on the way in the next week or so, so keep coming by. Also, be sure to stop by the forum and join! It would be great to have you join. Here is the address again:

http://stopsmoking.forumer.com/

Bye for now...

New Forum Getting Set Up

2006-08-25T15:09:00.000-06:00

Well folks,

The new forum is getting set up and going well. Certainly is a big job to get it set up, but it gives me something to do other than smoke right?

Stop Smoking Support Forums

http://stopsmoking.forumer.com/

If you are currently a member of another forum, be sure to stop by this new Stop Smoking Forum and see the differences for yourself. The Stop Smoking Forum allows:

Posting in a an ongoing thread without having to post to anyone in particular
Built-in forum smilies you can use in your post anytime you like
Built-in private messaging system allowing you to PM any member at any time
Built-in system allowing you to email any member any time
Freedom to have fun while you are kicking this addiction

Come and see for yourself!

Stop Smoking Support Forums

http://stopsmoking.forumer.com/

A New Stop Smoking Forum! - Come One, Come All

2006-08-25T00:42:00.000-06:00

Hello again all,

Well, after giving it some thought, I decided to create and open my own Stop Smoking Forum. The forum is now open and active for anyone who wants to come and join.

Link to the new Stop Smoking Forums:

http://stopsmoking.Forumer.com

I invite everyone to stop on by and join the forum.

I can guarantee things will be much more laid back and the key will be to help support each other with this addiction and not worry about jokes that may ruffle some feathers.

I hope to see you there real soon.

3 Months in the Books & Dealing with Withdrawal

2006-08-23T00:34:00.000-06:00

Well, check out these current stats folks:

I have been smoke free for 3 Months, 1 Day, 1 hour and 29 minutes (93 days). I have saved $1,675.11 by not smoking 4,653 cigarettes.

Not too shabby at all huh? Made it 3 whole months and I feel great. Do I still think about smoking? Of course I do. There is nothing wrong with that. You make it much harder on yourself if you try not to think about smoking. If you smoked for any period of time and you have now quit, you are changing a very big part of your life. You can't expect to forget it or put it out of your head. In fact, you shouldn't. The best way to stay on guard and always stay smoke free is to remember you smoked but to always remember why you no longer smoke (if you have quit already).

Now…on to dealing with withdrawal. For one, nicotine is actually out of your body (more than 90% of it anyway) within only 3 days. That's it! 3 days to get that nasty addictive drug out of your body. Let's stay with those first 3 days for this post.

You've felt that 'craving' for a cigarette as a smoker. It's your body telling you it's time to light one up when the nicotine is leaving your body. Nicotine is a quick acting-drug that delivers a small dose through each puff, via the lungs to the brain. If you smoke, you are addicted to nicotine.

NICOTINE IS THE FASTEST ADDICTIVE DRUG KNOWN TO MANKIND!

When you smoke, you are keeping the addiction alive and keeping the addictive chain going. As nicotine leaves the body (it does this fast), as an addict, smokers need another 'hit' and light up again to relive the withdrawal of the nicotine leaving their system. Before we start this nicotine chain, our bodies are complete. No one requires nicotine to live. You MUST break the chain and rid your body of the addiction to nicotine.

When your body wants more nicotine:

1. There is no physical pain. It is only a feeling - like when we get hungry for example.
2. When you are not smoking, you have this feeling. An 'incomplete feeling'. When you light up, you obtain relief. All you are obtaining is your 'fix'. The cigarette does nothing for you other than keep the chain of addiction alive and well.

Smoking is not a habit. It is a drug addiction. The only way to stop this addiction is to get the drug out of your body. Remember this. More on ways of stopping smoking and not getting caught in the whole Nicotine Replacement Therapy 'game' as I like to call it (NRT's are patches and gums, etc.) next post. Until then...

3 Months on the Horizon & Talks About Needs

2006-08-17T13:30:00.000-06:00

OK...so I'm getting close to that big 3 month milestone. I've never made it this far before. In fact, the longest I've ever gone without smoking is 1 month. I've done that a couple of times in the past. By my count, this is my 6th time stopping smoking. Make no mistake though...this is my LAST.

Current updated stats:

I have been smoke free for 2 Months, 3 Weeks, 5 Days, 14 hours and 27 minutes (87 days). I have saved $1,576.83 by not smoking 4,380 cigarettes.

I promised you an easy way to stop smoking and that is what you will get when you read this blog. I wanted to quote Allen Carr again here:

"All you ever enjoy in a cigarette is the ending of the craving for it...Cigarettes themselves are filth and poison. This is why you only suffer the illusion of enjoying them after a period of abstinence." ~ Allen Carr

That's what it is all about. There is nothing good or soothing or calming about smoking. It does not help you relax, or live with stress or anything else you think it does for you. ALL of that is simply brainwashing. Years and years of brainwashing - depending on how long you have smoked for.

ALL SMOKING IS, IS AN ADDICTION TO NICOTINE AND BRAINWASHING THAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU NEED TO SMOKE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SMOKE. NO ONE NEEDS TO SMOKE.

You need to drink. You need to eat. You need to sleep. You DO NOT need to smoke. There is nothing in that cigarette you need and you never needed it before you started smoking now did you?

If I asked you...In fact, if I asked any smoker, if you could go back to the time before you started smoking, would you start again, knowing what you know now, would you? Of course not. Not one smoker would. So think about that. Think about how you think you really need that cigarette, but in fact, if you could go back and stop before you started, you would, do you really need that cigarette?

Two things here to remember that will make it easy for you to stop smoking:

1. Make the decision that you are never going to smoke again no matter what.
2. Don't pout about it. Smile and get on with your life. It's over. You don't need to smoke anymore.

Yes, I know, some will say "But what about the cravings? What am I going to do when I have a fight with a loved one and I feel like I need a cigarette?"

I'll talk about dealing with withdrawal in the next post on the blog here. It's not as bad as you think it is. In fact, it can be easy and you will feel great. Stay tuned...

Addiction - Links To Check Out

2006-08-13T13:31:00.000-06:00

Thought I would post a couple of links for you to check out today:

Philip Morris USA agrees with the overwhelming medical and scientific consensus that cigarette smoking is addictive.

http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/health_issues/addiction.asp

From the 'Law of Addiction' on the WhyQuit website:

Don't look for loopholes in the law of addiction. You will be convicting yourself back to smoking. While it may seem harsh and unfair, to many, smoking is a crime punishable by death. Don't try to cheat the system - NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

http://whyquit.com/joel/Joel_04_02_law_of_addiction.html

There are also a lot of great links and information about this addiction on the following page at the WhyQuit website:

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/LinksAAddiction.html

Easy Way To Stop - Some More Information

2006-08-12T18:43:00.000-06:00

Thought maybe it was time to get a post going that spoke specifically about stopping smoking and about the easy way to do this. Enough about me right now. Much of the reasoning and ideas behind a lot posted on this blog can be attributed to Allen Carr. Just wanted to make sure Allen received credit for a lot that I know about stopping smoking.

My current stats:

I have been smoke free for 2 Months, 3 Weeks, 19 hours and 40 minutes (82 days). I have saved $1,490.75 by not smoking 4,140 cigarettes.

- Gain knowledge. One of the best ways to be a success is to know as much as you can. There are many places on the Internet you can search out facts and truths about smoking. Under links on this blog, you will see several of these places. Visit them and read as much as you can about exactly what it is smoking does for you and to you.

- When you do stop smoking, rejoice, don't mope (Allen's words and he is right). Stopping smoking is a good thing. It it NOT a sacrifice. I know it may feel like it to start with, but the more you educate yourself and the more you read on this blog, the stronger you will feel and the better you will feel about stopping.

YOU ARE NOT LOSING ANYTHING!

I know that last one most likely doesn't sit too well. Most smokers would say, yeah, right Jim. Sure I won't be losing anything. Who is this moron? You are right to question me. But you see, the thing is, as we go along here, you will realize that you indeed have nothing to lose and SO MUCH to gain by stopping smoking.

One of the main things we have to do when we stop smoking is to retrain ourselves. We have to remove the brainwashing that has taken place over the years. I'm hoping to help you do that as we go along here. If you feel you are ready to stop smoking right now, do so, but you will want to ensure you have gained as much knowledge as possible and are mentally ready. If you don't feel confident enough just yet, that's fine. Keep coming back to the blog and I will do what I can to help the process along for you.

Until next time (go do some reading)...

Relapse & Those Around Me

2006-08-11T14:53:00.000-06:00

Wow...It seems lately, many who have been quit for a couple or even 3 months or more are relapsing on the forum I visit quite often (a link to the website is on the right here - it's the About website and the forum there).

It's almost like there is something in the air these days. Maybe it is the current state of the world and all the stress that goes along with headlines like 'Terror Plot Stopped'. Many people who do relapse use the excuse of stress. Now keep in mind, I call it an excuse not to be hurtful to those that relapse, but anyone who stops smoking and starts again, usually has a 'reason' as to why they did so, and really, it IS an excuse.

My current updated stats:

I have been smoke free for 2 Months, 2 Weeks, 6 Days, 15 hours and 52 minutes (81 days). I have saved $1,469.90 by not smoking 4,083 cigarettes.

There have been times during these two and a half months that I thought about having a cigarette. Mostly those times happened when I had someone around me that was smoking. Not in my house or in a restaurant or bar (as those places here in Alberta (Canada) have banned smoking), but just someone outside by a bus stop as I walk by or outside a bar when I walk inside or even last night, when a friend of mine came over and brought cigars with him. He KNOWS I stopped smoking, but brought cigars with him so we could duck outside during halftime (we were watching a preseason NFL game) and have a smoke. What is with smokers and this need to have someone smoke with you??? I told him that I would come outside and talk with him while he had his cigar, but I wasn't having one. He says "It's only a cigar. It's not a cigarette."

Man oh man...I had to explain to him that I was an addict. I am addicted to nicotine. There is TWICE the amount if not more in that little cigar than there is in any cigarette I ever smoked. I told him, as an addict, I cannot have nicotine in any form. I finally got it to hit home when I said "Would you offer just one shot of something to an alcoholic?" It's still alcohol idiot...sheesh.

Anyway, enough about that. The key thing here to remember is N.O.P.E. An explanation of this can be found in:

~ Stop Smoking Tip #2 ~

N.O.P.E. - Remember this. It stands for Not One Puff Ever. If you have made the decision to stop smoking, you must stand by this acronym. There is no such thing as one puff or one cigarette. If you have stopped smoking, this means ALL cigarettes and ALL puffs. Do not be fooled by your subconscious trying to trick you into thinking you can have just one. You can't. There is no such thing as just one cigarette. It will always lead to more and more. We are addicted to nicotine and can no longer have a single puff. One puff in most cases, will simply start the horrible chain of events rolling once again.

Until next time...

The Day I Stopped

2006-08-10T11:41:00.000-06:00

Stay tuned for a Stop Smoking Tip at the end of this post.

Even though I am 80 days into this quit, I remember the first day like it was yesterday. It was actually not as hard as I thought it would be. Why? Well, I had finally decided that I wanted to stop smoking. There in lies the key. If you don't want to stop smoking, well, it' gonna' be a helluva' battle. I know because I've tried at least 5 or 6 times before this quit even though I didn't want to do it.

I remember the last day I smoked. That last pack of cigarettes. I could tell I wanted to stop because I wasn't enjoying them and just wanted to get the pack finished. What's funny though and what keeps us in check with this thing called 'addiction', is the fact that even though I wasn't enjoying the cigarettes and I wanted to stop, I couldn't, no wouldn't, tear myself away from that pack. I HAD to finish them. Is that not silly?

When I finally did finish that last one, I was somewhat relieved. I knew I didn't want to be a smoker any longer, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to go through withdrawl just like anyone else who stops. I did. But because the quit was so new and fresh to me, it was easy to get through those cravings that came that first day. Even though I smoked a lot. On average, I smoked at least 2 packs (25 per pack here in Canada) a day. On a day where I was having a few drinks or went out with friends, well, you can add at least another pack onto that total. So I finally had quit as a 50 - 75+ cigs a day smoker and I was excited about it. You can be excited as well. More on my quit soon...

~ Stop Smoking Tip #1 ~

Everyone who smokes should stop smoking. We all know this. It's been proven that smoking is an addiction that is bad for your health. Numerous famous people we know have died from this horrible addiction. I'm sure many have someone close to them that is either living through some terrible disease caused by cigarettes or unfortunately has died due to cigarettes.

So what's the tip? Stop smoking now. Do it while you have your health. Save yourself from this addiction and what could be a very agonizing and painful death. It doesn't always happen to someone else. It's happening to people we know and people around us every single day.

Welcome - A Little About Moi

2006-08-10T01:19:00.000-06:00

Well, since this is the first post on this blog, I thought I would give you a little history about me and my addiction. I started smoking when I was a mere 13 year old lad. My mom smoked and I used to sneak cigarettes from her pack whenever I could. My friends and I used to hide out near the local playground and smoke. We thought we were being cool. I remember choking and gagging on the first cigarette and feeling like I was going to be sick.

I remember how hard I had to work at becoming hooked on cigarettes. It's actually quite amazing when you think about the time it does indeed take to get used to smoking and wanting to smoke more. But I did! I continued to sneak cigarettes from my mom's pack until she questioned me one day (I had promised quite a few friends that I could get them cigs, so I took a few more than I probably should have).

I remember her saying

"What are you doing smoking! It's no good for you. You're going to get sick!"

Well mom, if it's no good for me, why the heck was it OK for you all the time then?

I continued to bug her for a few days after our little chat (she informed me of the evils of smoking and how bad it was for you and blah, blah blah - I used those blah's because as a 13 year old who had watched his mom smoke all his life, everything she was saying meant NOTHING to me because she was smoking) and she finally gave in and allowed me to take the odd cigarette here and there and smoke it. Only while dad wasn't home though. God forbid if dad ever saw me smoke. YIKES!

So on and on it went. I continued to smoke. I continued to 'borrow' cigarettes from mom, although soon I was working (part time job at a burger joint) and was buying my own cigarettes. By the time I was 15, dad had caught me smoking one day and simply rolled his eyes. Ya for me...I could finally smoke in the house because dad now knew!

What started out as a kid sneaking cigarettes from his mom's packs turned into a 25+ year addiction. I'll be turning 39 at the end of this month (August) and I have stopped smoking for just over 80 days now.

Here are the actual real time stats as of right this second:

I have been smoke free for 2 Months, 2 Weeks, 5 Days, 2 hours and 41 minutes (80 days). I have saved $1,442.01 by not smoking 4,005 cigarettes.

So this blog is my journey. I'll be more than happy to fill you in on what has taken place so far and keep you up to date as we go along in this interesting trek.

If you are even thinking about stopping smoking...now is the time. Take this ride with me.

In the next couple of posts on the blog, I'm going to give you some great tips on making stopping smoking EASY! That's right...easy. I've learned some great things from various sources and I'll be here to pass them along.

Stay tuned...