New Year's Resolution

[TaBu]

Four months ago, at the end of August, I decided that I had to stop
smoking. No more lame excuses, enough is enough. Smoking stinks, is
expensive and unhealthy. But the most important reason was the
addiction itself.
One hour without a cigarette and I started to get nervous, two hours
and I had the need to stop what I was doing and have a smoke, four
hours and I looked more like a cornered rat than a human being. And of
course, I hated myself for being so weak-willed.

For the first four weeks I smoked only three to five cigarettes a day.
The only thing that keept me going the first week was the knowledge
that the next cigarette was waiting for me, just around the corner. Or
to be precise, a few stairs downstairs. I enlisted the help of a
neighbour to guard my cigarettes. It was embarrassing to annoy her
every day, but also a very good motivation. If I had failed, all her
help would have been for nothing. And that would have been really
shameful for me.
After four weeks it was still painful, but endurable. I still wanted
to smoke every minute I was awake, but somehow I got used to that
feeling. So I completly stopped smoking.

The four weeks of October were rather difficult.
But I didn't started smoking again.
The four weeks of November were a little bit less difficult.
Still no smoking.
The four weeks of December were even less difficult.
No smoking.

During December I started to get optimistic; it seems like I really
can do this.
And now I haven't had a cigarette for three whole month. 90 days
without smoking! At least 2700 little temptations I avoided.
It still is sometimes really painful resisting the temptation, but I
can live with it, and it gets better every week.

One thing I really hate about this whole affair is the irrational
sense of loss. As if I had lost something important and precious to
me. Of course I know that this is complete and utter nonsense, but
still, some irrational part of me is sad.
To that part I can only say: DEAL WITH IT!

I don't smoke anymore.

Thomas Buckermann

[Les Stewart]

GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!
GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!
GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!
GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!
GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!
GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!
GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!
GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!GoThomas!!

-- --
Les Stewart 11y+
Nacogdoches, TX
s t e w a r t 5 4 3 2 1 @ g m a i l . c o m (remove spaces)

---------------------------------------------

"TaBu" wrote in message
news:90a736ac-bffd-4128...@o14g2000vbo.googlegroups.com...

[FlatironMike]

Quitting by tapering down is one of the harder ways to do it, Tom, but
you did and you are now smober so that really is what counts. 90 days
is a great achievement and as you wrote it does get better and better
until you really do not identify as a smoker any longer. While you do
have some time under your belt, you may still find some useful
information in our FAQs which are kept in our official website,
www.quitbuddies.org. They are full of helpful information and you
might find an additional tool to help you work on the feeling of loss
you wrote about. It's a common feeling at first, but sooner than you
expect you will see it not as a loss but rather a gain as you see your
life getting better. Just keep on kicking butt and do share with us
your journey as we are all here to support each other!

FlatironMike
Four years, ten months, three weeks, one day, 14 hours, 27 minutes and
31 seconds. 35732 cigarettes not smoked, saving $10,719.61. Life
saved: 17 weeks, 5 days, 1 hour, 40 minutes.

[BessieBee]

On 1/2/2012 10:09 AM, TaBu wrote:

> One thing I really hate about this whole affair is the irrational
> sense of loss. As if I had lost something important and precious to
> me. Of course I know that this is complete and utter nonsense, but
> still, some irrational part of me is sad.
> To that part I can only say: DEAL WITH IT!

No, Thomas, that sense of loss is completely real. You've lost that
stench you carried around 24/7, you've lost your inability to smell,
you've lost your dulled sense of taste, you've lost the need to step
outside regardless of the weather, you've lost that sense of panic you
felt when boarding a plane knowing you can't smoke until you land,
you've lost the need to plan your activities around when you can inhale
poison, you've lost the need to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a
weed packed into a little paper tube, you've lost the need to hurry out
of a restaurant after a good meal, and.... I know there are more things
you're losing, but they don't come to mind so readily anymore.

Enjoy your loss and revel in it. You're earning it.

BessieBee
7Y3M3D+

--
"Don't talk unless you can improve the silence."

[Wayne Baker]

TaBu <bucke...@gmail.com> wrote in news:90a736ac-bffd-4128-b640-
e082eb...@o14g2000vbo.googlegroups.com:

> One thing I really hate about this whole affair is the irrational
> sense of loss. As if I had lost something important and precious to
> me. Of course I know that this is complete and utter nonsense, but
> still, some irrational part of me is sad.
>

Good News Thomas!

That sense of loss is going away too!! Sooner than later!

You chose one of the most difficult ways to quit smoking, but now that you
have been free for a few months, you never have to repeat the pain of
withdrawal again. That is if you don't take a single puff again.

Congratulations and I'm glad you managed to find AS3 - the best support
group in the world!!

Wayne Baker
Smoke Free: 2y, 3m, 1w, 1d, 5h
Not Smoked: 24,050
$$$ Saved: $5,591.63

[Jef.]

What an excellent post, BB-- and so very, very true.
We "lose" so much really shitty baggage, don't we?

Soon, Thomas, you'll realize all the good things you're gaining-- like
stamina, easy breathing, improved taste and smell, increased libido, an
absence of eye-watering stench clinging to your hair, clothing and breath,
and so on and so forth. Not all of it is readily apparent, but give it a
little more time and see what happens. It really is worth it.

Now, as far as the Flatulence Phase goes...

http://www.quitbuddies.org/fphase.html

[DavidL]

Nice story....
I cut back using Chantix.
Each morning I postponed my first cig of the day a little longer.
One morning, I got to four hours awake without a cig.
I was afraid if I smoked one then, I would never go 4 hours again as
long as I lived.
I don't want to ever give up the ground I've gained.
Those 4 hours are now.....

4Y 4M 3W 6D 23h 49m (1,610 days) quit.
48,329 cigarettes unsmoked. $9,765.02 better spent
5M 2W 19h 25m life better lived.
My Quit Date: 8/6/2007 12:45 AM

[SteveS]

TaBu <bucke...@gmail.com> wrote in news:90a736ac-bffd-4128-b640-
e082eb...@o14g2000vbo.googlegroups.com:

>
>

> I don't smoke anymore.
>
> Thomas Buckermann
>

Most important part of your post is noted above: you don't smoke anymore.
Welcome aboard, glad you are here. Four months is a long time to stay
quit, and you can do this.

--
SteveS
OOF

[Kathleen]

I so completely related. It was as if I had a friend, an incredibly wicked
evil friend, that I loved and was saying goodbye to. So glad that goodbye
is over!
With hope and heart,
Kathleen

PS Way to go! It only gets better!!


"TaBu" <bucke...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:90a736ac-bffd-4128...@o14g2000vbo.googlegroups.com...
>

[TaBu]

Everybody,
It is nice to know that some complete strangers care enough about my
daily struggle to post encouraging and helpful messages :)

Big thanks to everybody for their friendly words.

Best wishes,
Thomas Buckermann

Ps: cravings are down to maybe twice or thrice a day. It gets easier
every day. Hurrah! :)