I quit-yes I really did
It’s been over a week for me (8 days) without cigarettes or nicotine
of any kind. And it’s soooo great. I really never thought I could do
it, and here I am. I’m so happy about this—more than happy—I’m
very very thankful. I feel like I’ve woken up from a deep sleep and
been given another chance to be truly alive and conscious; another
chance to live a really good, fully awake life.
The cog quit approach really works—in spite of me not really
getting it all the time–but I’m using it a little better now I
think. It seems like everything else good flows from it as well. For
instance, I also stopped having caffeine since it was mostly to go
with cigs for me, and have had no interest in sugar. In fact, I seem
to have cravings for good food (fruits, vegies). And I started
swimming (have been swimming daily for…2 days now)—just amazed
that I can still swim. And what bliss that water is.
I quit. And I will never go back. Never go back to merely existing
the way I was. No matter what. Thank you so much Steve and the other
Cog Quitters. I continue to work out ABC’s and could cry sometimes at
how well they work to retrain that automatic part of myself.
My deepest thanks to all, but especially Steve, Judy.
August 24th, 2006 at 11:57 pm
Thanks Linda—and isn’t it exquisite really to be paying such close and loving attention to our selves, to our bodies? Not in an egotistical way, but in a way that points directly and constantly to reality—THIS IS IT! —this is my body—I’m here now. Fiercely focused on reality. And (for me) giving myself permission to go to any lengths to continue to be free of that addiction—even if it means skee daddling home after a half baked try at a shopping trip that just wasn’t working out. I hope your week is starting to feel better. Judy.
August 25th, 2006 at 7:12 am
Hey Linda—I’m going to look up those old posts too. And YES! the earth smells great, even in the frozen north where I am. But the thing that really threw me for a loop (in the most pleasant way) was right in my house. The new tea I made (an herbal tea) smelled divine—it made my whole house smell good. So much to be thankful for. Judy.
August 25th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
Hey! I used to sing too—and my voice is feeling (at least in my own head) soooo much better—cleaner, stronger, way smoother—like butter. I don’t know if I’ll be able to recover enough lung capacity to really sing well again (might have already done some significant damage), but I’m going to give it a try. Great to know we’re on the same scintillating journey.
August 25th, 2006 at 6:18 pm
Judy congratulations. It’s great that you’ve taken the ‘big step’.
Aron congratulations to you too and welcome to our group.
It sounds like both of you are finding immediate benefits of not smoking.
It’s my job to warn you both that as exhilarating and exciting as the first
couple of weeks can be, there is always a settling down period where life
returns to some sort of a day to day. It’s at that time that the quit can
begin to get rough, and not so much ‘fun’ anymore. Be ready. Keep working
with your ABCs to prepare for upcoming routine events in order to retrain
your autopilot and create new nonsmoking responses to the routines of life.
Again…. congrats to you both,
Steve
August 26th, 2006 at 12:11 am
Hi Judy and Aron
Judy….. I knew you would find the quit. J It’s a profound move, I found….all sorts of things happen you didn’t expect before hand. I remember your earlier posts.. about searching for the quit and not really believing that it was possible…. Now, it seems like you have found that place of certainty, and “providence has moved too”…. I’m so pleased for you….big hug.
Aron… well done too…. another “just-quit”-ter. Its great, isn’t it…..
I echo a little of what Steve wrote below…. Just over 1 month in, I have now come down from my state of almost manic euphoria, to something that feels more ordinary and normal (or it would be if I could sleep.. seems like the 2 weeks of being wired have disrupted my sleep patterns).. I wouldn’t call it “less fun” though…more a place of quiet satisfaction and a return to more normal every day things. The one thing I have found is that as I am not spending so much time obsessing about having given up cigarettes, sometimes I go for hours without either thinking about cigarettes (or quitting cigarettes) .. and also forget to check in with my body. As a consequence, I have a couple of times found myself with a sudden craving for cigarette (or food), mainly because I’ve ignored the quiet signals my body has been giving me. I think I need to go back to making sure I do check my body more frequently even if it means setting the timer again. I guess this is the “danger period”
where things are becoming semi automatic, but not yet ingrained enough to be part of a standard behavioural pattern of action.
I found a great quote from Thoreau, which seems very apt
“”As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives”.
carol
Judy congratulations. It’s great that you’ve taken the ‘big step’.
Aron congratulations to you too and welcome to our group.
It sounds like both of you are finding immediate benefits of not smoking.
It’s my job to warn you both that as exhilarating and exciting as the first
couple of weeks can be, there is always a settling down period where life
returns to some sort of a day to day. It’s at that time that the quit can
begin to get rough, and not so much ‘fun’ anymore. Be ready. Keep working
with your ABCs to prepare for upcoming routine events in order to retrain
your autopilot and create new nonsmoking responses to the routines of life.
Again…. congrats to you both,
Steve
August 26th, 2006 at 7:26 am
Hi Linda
Hope its gone better today!
Thank you very much for drawing attention to these posts. Although I’ve read quit a bit of the archives, I hadn’t come across this bit. In fact the whole sequence of posts around that time is very valuable. I especially liked Steve’s description of H.A.L.T… since tiredness is my big thing at the moment, I need to keep reminding myself to look after myself and not do too much (holiday preps are going to be limited this year!)
I love the smell of the earth.. all sorts of smells seem wonderful without the smoke…..
Carol
I went through the old posts and found
#796, an old one of Cat’s. I just printed it up. Also #767 of
Steve’s. I didn’t print that yet but I’m going to. Take a peek at
them for future reference.
Alrighty then, have to get back to work. This will sound wierd but
have you smelled the earth yet? I’m a little stopped up at the
moment but everytime I smell nature, especially rain soaked dirt, I
am thankful I stopped smoking. I can’t believe I missed such good
smells for so many years.
August 26th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
Good warning Carol and Steve—-I’m going to take it to heart, keep watchful, and keep doing the work. And I’m so thankful that you’ve been there ahead of me— with a flashlight on high beam. Many thanks for your generosity and patience.