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Three Years Ago...

 
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UCanQuit



Quit Date:
July 7, 2004

Posts: 148
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: July 7, 2007 7:07 PM    Post subject: Three Years Ago... Reply with quote

Three years ago, if someone would have told me that I would successfully quit smoking. I would have either laughed or called them a liar.

Like most smokers, I thought that I was going to die a smoker. I have tried to quit smoking so many different times and so many different ways that I thought that I was just a hopeless addict.

Even the first two days of this quit I felt no different.

I might have said this story before , but it really is a miracle to me. A divine intervention in a way, because if I didn't stop at the computer that day when I was on my way out to buy cigarettes. I wouldn't be here. I most likely would be smoking right now, wondering if I would ever going to be able to quit. I really don't remember the exact reason I stopped at the computer, but it saved me from this horrible deadly addiction.
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MY STORY TO FREEDOM

Over three years ago, I promised myself that I was going to finally quit smoking. After running out of excuses, I finally decided to try and quit. I have to say the first two days were horrible for me. I was having panic attacks. I was filled with anxiety. I felt like I was climbing out of my skin. I just knew that I was going to fail, just like every other time.

On the second day. I couldn't take it anymore. I was giving up. It was approaching lunch time at work and I decided that I just couldn't do it. I was going to go buy cigarettes at lunch. So when lunch came around, I was on my way out the door to go across the street and buy a pack.

I remember being so dissapointed in myself. I remember actually having tears in my eyes, because I knew once again I failed and was probably going to have to accept that I would always fail at quitting.

Usually when I go to the store. I go out the back door because it is a lot easier to leave the building, but that day I took the long way around through the shipping department for some reason.

On my way out the door, I passed by the UPS computer (which by the way, I installed a free internet access I found on the back page of a Seattle paper called the Stranger just a few days earlier...coincedence)? I asked the shipping guy if I could get on the internet real quick. I don't know why. Maybe to try and find something that might help me quit in the future. Maybe to help me feel less guilty for giving up that day.

I started searching and I stumbled upon WhyQuit.com. My first reaction was, "What kind of smart azz name is that? What kind of stupid question is that to ask a smoker?"

I then read a post called " Embracing Your Craves" and it talked about how a lot of times a lot of the anxiety we feel when we quit is self induced. Yes, there might be a heightened anxiety when we first quit, but a lot of the anxiety is fueled by our fear. After reading that post. I stopped, calmed myself and examined how I was feeling. I noticed that my panic feeling was gone. My anxieties were almost not there. Just like that, I felt so so much better.

There is the saying " the light bulb went off". That day it felt more like a whole stadium of lights went off for me. My quit did a complete 180 degree that day. For the first time ever, I was actually excited about quitting. I actually felt that I was actually going to be able to quit and I did. I never made it the store that day and I have never smoked a cigarette since, not one puff.

Three years ago, I would have been amazed to be able to quit. Today though, it's not how long I have quit that amazes me. It is how I feel about it. I absolutely love not smoking!! I have no desire to smoke. No thoughts of smoking, no craves to smoke and it has been that way for a very long long time. I have completely erased the illusion of smoking out of my mind with education. That is the only reason I can think of as to why I feel the way I do about smoking/quitting and life after smoking.

I don't feel as if I have been quit for three years. I feel like I finally quit smoking three years ago.

Every once in a while, a newbie will ask the question to the old phartes as to why they stick around.

I stick around, because I know that there are people out there that feel the same way I used to feel. They believe that they are hopeless and are probably going to die a smoker. They are probably full of doubts about being able to quit smoking and probably question themselves as to why it is so hard to break free from cigarettes.

If you feel like a hopeless addict. If you have tried to quit time after time after time and failed. If you feel that you'll never break yourself free from this addiction. If you feel like you are going to die a smoker. If you feel these things. I want to let you know something.... I used to feel like that too! Yet here I am today. Three years free and loving it!!

I also want to let newbies know something else. After all the times I have tried to quit and failed. I wasn't able to finally quit, because all of a sudden I got the extra strength to do it, nor did I develop more willpower. I didn't find that short cut or magic potion that I was always looking for. I just simply learned about my addiction and the lies it tells. Education completely took away the cedit that I used to give cigarettes and that's what made my quit much more easier.

If I could only give one piece of advice to a newbie. It would probably be this. If you have tried to quit time and again and failed. If you feel that quitting smoking is almost impossible to do. I would like to share a realization I had after I learned about my addiction.

I used to believe that quitting smoking was very hard to do. I never thought that I could do it. I had countless past failed quit attempts that only solidified that quitting smoking is almost impossible to do and only a few lucky ones are able to quit.

It was only after I started learning about nicotine addiction, did I realize something (at least for me). It wasn't that quitting smoking was hard. It was quitting believing that a cigarette did something for me that was hard. Once I erased that thinking, my quit became much more easier to do.

That is why I cannot reccomend enough to educate, educate, educate yourselves about this addiction. Take away the credit that you have given cigarettes. Reveal the lies this addiction tells that you thought were true. Erase all of your fear of quitting.

When a person first tries to quit smoking. A lot of times they will face two kinds of fear that can make quitting hard. The fear of faliure and the fear of success.

We don't want to fail like the many times before, because we want to finally rid ourselves from this deadly addiction, BUT at the same time if we really are successful in quitting. That means that we will never "get" to smoke again.

I read a great quote in a book once that said " Fear is only misguided faith."

When you stop putting faith in cigarettes and you put that faith within yourself. Quitting smoking doesn't seem so scary and it becomes so much more easier to do, because you realize that you are not depriving yourself of cigarettes. You are freeing yourself from them!

You can quit! You can and you can love doing it!


Never Take Another Puff!


Eric

I have been quit for 3 Years, 16 hours, 5 minutes and 17 seconds (1,095 da). I have saved $10,956.70 bnot smoking 43,826 cigarettes. I have saved 4 Months, 4 Weeks, 2 Da, 4 hours and 10 minutes of mlife. MQuit Date: 7/7/2004 12:00 AM
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The factor that really shows the addiction is not how hard or how easy it is to quit. What really shows the addiction is how universally easy it is to go back. One puff and the quit can go out the window.
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Seabrez



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 4458
Location: Gulf Coast

PostPosted: July 7, 2007 7:50 PM    Post subject: Re: Three Years Ago... Reply with quote

UCanQuit wrote:
It wasn't that quitting smoking was hard. It was quitting believing that a cigarette did something for me that was hard. Once I erased that thinking, my quit became much more easier to do.

That is why I cannot reccomend enough to educate, educate, educate yourselves about this addiction. Take away the credit that you have given cigarettes. Reveal the lies this addiction tells that you thought were true. Erase all of your fear of quitting.

When you stop putting faith in cigarettes and you put that faith within yourself. Quitting smoking doesn't seem so scary and it becomes so much more easier to do, because you realize that you are not depriving yourself of cigarettes. You are freeing yourself from them!


Eric! Big Kudos! Wink

I have to say, your post hits very close to home for me. Alot what you have said is what I believe. And that is exactly why I enjoy reading all your posts...they are based on education and the shattering of the lies we once believed as true. And it is so true...it's about faith in oneself and getting rid and/or releasing those notions that cigarettes do anything for us. Cause they don't...it's just part of the whole package of lies we had sold ourselves on.

And coincidence on the second day?...I believe not...sounds like a definite divine intervention to me!!! Wink Very Happy

Thank you Eric for being here and reaching out your hand...not just reaching out but bringing the truth to disspell (sp?) the darkness of the addiction's grip.

With admiration and hat's off! Awesome post!

Big Hugs
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Living in Freedom
Deb

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corn 5:17 NASB
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Patty129



Quit Date:
February 18, 2007

Posts: 828
Location: Saginaw, MI

PostPosted: July 8, 2007 8:48 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am so thankful for all of the "old" quitters who hang around....don't think I'd be smober today without you......happy 3 year anniversary.....what an incredible milestone.....Patty
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kannprint



Quit Date:
April 10, 2004

Posts: 4988
Location: St. Louis, MO

PostPosted: July 8, 2007 9:26 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great writing, Eric. I could relate to everything you wrote. If we all could just do some sort of crusade to convince folks how great it is to be free of nicotine, there would be lots more happy people around.

Congrats on your 3-year lunaversary. By all means, celebrate. Very Happy
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LIVE WELL, LAUGH OFTEN, LOVE MUCH.
Jo
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Mary Dude



Quit Date:
June 15, 2004

Posts: 4803
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

PostPosted: July 9, 2007 8:37 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well said Eric - and I agree - a little divine intervention is a good thing!
..and realizing and accepting that quitting is do-able....and breaking the chains of nicotine addiction...much easier with education - you have to know the enemy....

Keep enjoying your smoke-free life!
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Mary D.
Smoke-free one day at a time!
Worry doesn't help tomorrow's troubles, but it does ruin today's happiness!
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Barbara K.



Quit Date:
December 23, 2004

Posts: 5977

PostPosted: August 13, 2007 10:41 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very Happy Eric,

I may have missed your 3 year celebration. You rock! Now you are over 3 + years!
_________________

Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn arouind and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

Blessings,
Barbara K.
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kevin
Site Admin


Quit Date:
-

Posts: 9538
Location: cincinnati, oh

PostPosted: August 13, 2007 11:27 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smile
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keep choosing life!

kevin

the zen of the quit
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daggy12



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 678
Location: Palm Bay, FL

PostPosted: August 15, 2007 10:51 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very moving Eric!!!!!
I wish I could write like that.
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Life can only be "understood" by looking backward, but must be "lived" by looking forward.

Patty
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UCanQuit



Quit Date:
July 7, 2004

Posts: 148
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: August 16, 2007 3:26 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Patty Very Happy
_________________

The factor that really shows the addiction is not how hard or how easy it is to quit. What really shows the addiction is how universally easy it is to go back. One puff and the quit can go out the window.
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