posted December 07, 2006 10:43 PM         

I quit this year as did my fiance after smoking heavily for 15 years.

So this thread is for the born-again non-smokers. If you quit today, yesterday, or years ago. Tell us how long it's been and if you did anything special to get there. Did it take you more than one try?

We can celebrate healthier lungs (among other things) together and maybe even encourage some of those who are still in the process.

posted December 08, 2006 02:34 AM         

*found out I was expecting, that did it for me this time.
I cut right back, then stopped.

Having guilt everytime I smoked helped tremendously. However, that can backfire at times, as you feel guilty, and when you feel guilty, you need a panacea to make yourself feel better= smoke.

posted December 08, 2006 08:24 PM         

I quit 2 times, cold turkey, for 3 months both times. I quit last year at this time for 2 weeks until I went home for Christmas and was around my dad and brother. Both smoke heavily in the house and I started smoking again. :-(

This time I'm waiting till after Christmas.
I pray this is the last time I have to quit. I always felt so much better when I didn't smoke. It's such a nasty, addictive habit.

Good luck to all of you and congratulations on being non-smokers!! Maybe we should have a support group here in case any of us feel we might be on the verge of backsliding.

I know just reading about others quitting successfully is encouraging. Thanks!

posted December 08, 2006 09:46 PM         

Hung out with this guy a few days ago....
Like hung out.....
And he lit 4 cigarettes and smoked them in less than 10 minutes!!!
I had to hide under the covers!!!
Didn't work, I came out smelling like those gross cancer sticks anyway!
And what's sad is I really like him BUT, the vices.... He has too many. Cigarettes, liquor, he even told me he did two lines of cocaine before I came!!!
He's unhealthy!
And this Virgo can't get with that.
And after a few days, not even our sensual connection could send me back there until he gets it together!

posted December 08, 2006 10:13 PM         

esp in school...smoking seemed to enhance the life intellectual... ...and i could easily be a lifelong student.

however, soon after i discovered linda goodman's books, i was reading books also about visualization, spirit guides, etc...at this time smoking a pack or 2 a day (organic tobacco when i could find it)...

and one of the books made no judgements whatsoever about smoking, drinking, drugs....just suggested that in order to make deep contact within oneself, and to encounter spirit guides, that deep meditation and visualization would be required. that in order to acheive this state, one should go on a 'substance fast'...meaning, abstain from all substances...including nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, drugs....in order to cleanse the spiritual system. the suggested time frame for the 'fast' was 2 weeks.

so i thought, well i can do that...it wasn't as though i was planning to 'deprive' myself of anything long term...just take a break in order to make contact with my 'deeper self'.

and it wasn't difficult at all to do...i was actually rather excited at what might occur. i practiced the visualizations in depth, going within, discovering myself, without the 'enhancements'.

and i discovered something amazing...i felt euphoric without these things...it was as though my spirit expanded and changed. i felt transformed, and i knew that these things would no longer be part of my life.

and that was unintentional. i never tried to quit...it happened as a result of my touching spirit. i just didn't wish to dilute my spirit with these substances any longer.

this was 10 years ago. the following year, i did take a few sips of alcohol, on occasion with my relatives. perhaps 4 or 5 times in that year, perhaps half a drink at most. and after that -- none.

haven't smoked a single cigarette in that time either...haven't even considered it.

all such things are so far from my thoughts...i just can't imagine going there ever again.

the only thing remaining, i still occasionally go through coffee phases...the occasional soda...but usually avoid them, with de-caf, or root beer/caffeine free soda.

anyway, that's my story...i'm pleased to say that the spiritual fast simply never ended...i've never told myself 'no' to these things...never had to.

posted December 08, 2006 10:23 PM         

(i honestly believe that linda goodman's material laid the foundation for this 'transformation')

posted December 08, 2006 10:45 PM         

and a while back, here in LL, someone posted a starbucks personality quiz...assessing your personality by the type of coffee drink you like.

as a de-caf latte type, my results were quite humorous...i was classified as one of those who tragically missed out on 'real' life...it predicted that i probably also drank non-alcoholic beer, and enjoyed swimming in pools with no water....

posted December 09, 2006 12:10 AM         

actually, it is the same with me. i dont feel there is anything wrong at all with drinking, smoking, drugs....i even avoid coffee/tea. somehow, i always had this thing tht i wud not get 'addicted' to or dependent on anything. another reason is i don't want to enter a state of mind whr i am out of sync with myself (as with drugs or alcohol).

posted December 09, 2006 01:37 AM         

thank you for appreciating my story.

oh yes...and i went back a few pages in the photo thread and saw your pic...

and the phrase 'fresh-faced beauty' is you!...fits you perfectly.

posted December 09, 2006 01:46 AM         

yes, very impressive naiad!

i think ancient breathing techniques, pranayama, can help people quit. that's the way i plan on doing it.

posted December 09, 2006 02:35 PM         

Can't believe it's been three years now! It's probably the hardest thing I've ever done, but well worth the trouble. I feel so much better.

I quit using the nicotine patch. It works well because it eliminates the physical withdrawal symptoms. You just have to work on the psychological symptoms, which is tough--you have to find other things to do to keep yourself occupied. For me, a lot of the pleasure of smoking was the ritual involved and the hand to mouth thing, so replacing that with some other task was hard at first.

But you can do it. You just have to want to do it. And do it for yourself, not just because someone else wants you to quit.

Sorry, I'm not trying to lecture but I know you can't quit unless you want it bad enough. That's just how it is, if you're really addicted.

posted December 09, 2006 03:08 PM         

Thanks for sharing your experience, that was really inspiring!! I wish I had such an uplifting memory to share, but it was just slogging for me

I quit drinking alcohol in 1995 and quit smoking tobacco in 1997. I have indulged in cannabis occasionally, but I just don't enjoy it like I used to.....

posted December 09, 2006 04:02 PM         

Oh, that said about quitting smoking.....
I can't wait until I am without passenger so I can indulge in some wine or alcohol.

posted December 09, 2006 04:09 PM         

i believe in the body-mind-spirit connection deeply. and in the idea that in healing a component of this triad, the others are healed as well.

a person can achieve these transformations in a myriad of ways. focussing on any of the components at any time always will affect the others as well.

and yes...avoiding drugs as much as possible will contribute much to the spiritual cleanse...these can clog all the components, body, mind, spirit, more than anything. once you encounter the expansion of spirit, it becomes distressing to contemplate tampering with it in any way. since the start of my spiritual fast i have not encountered drugs, in any fashion, except in minimal circumstances, such as after surgery giving birth. i was determined to avoid the pain medicine, but when i considered that the pain might have kept me from tending to my newborn, i did use the medicine in small amounts. and ceased use one week after the birth, rather than following through for a month. same with the antibiotics.

i suppose caffeine is still a small part of my system as well...i love tea so much! and since my babe's arrival, i find that i need to use motrin once a month, these days, as his activity level doesn't go down with monthly lady time. i would use visiualization and essential oils before, but i haven't mastered these while running after a tot simultaneously.

anyway...your success is steeped in sheer will power...wow. that's not a path i know too well!! hehe....i love all the strong women here in LL. i have learned so much.

posted December 09, 2006 04:20 PM         

quote:

---

Nothing spiritual/physical..no addiction when it comes to alcohol.... just plain nothing wrong with it...

---

precisely!! that's what seemed so effective about the presentation in the book i mentioned about the spiritual fast. it made no judgments whatsoever about any of substances. it said people do what they need to do. when i did this fast, i didn't feel that i 'needed' to cease any of these activities. no addiction, guilt, or desire to quit.

that's what was so amazing about the experience. spirit showed me something so different and extraordinary...and knowing these things...that we are just fine, just as we are, whether we smoke, drink, or whatever -- or not -- our spirit is still the same shining entity regardless.

posted December 12, 2006 02:40 PM         

Your story is truly amazing! Thank you for sharing.

All ex-smokers,

I smoke and I absolutely hate it. I don't smoke inside my house because I can't stand the smell, I rarely smoke in my car for the same reason, I don't smoke around my boyfriend because he is not a smoker, obviously, I can't smoke at the office, there is no smoking allowed in malls, restaurants or bars in NJ..... that leaves pretty much nothing but "the great outdoors" rain or shine for the smoking "enjoyment". And the weather in New Jersey sometimes makes it quite a challenge...lol

I think, I am ready to quit. I just need to say the magic word - NOW!