huge thanks to my role models !! you know who you are!! i've been watching/following you for a year.. thank you for inspiring and giving me strength and support when I've needed it!!

and to the others.......... you CAN do it... there are hiccups, and it is NOT easy.... but it's totally doable! :)

a year ago I was smoking around 40g tobacco a week (around 30 rollies a day).... I was constantly going outside for a 'puff'.. first thing in the morning, last thing at night... first thing before heading out in the car... stopping a trip to have a 'puff'... wasting soooooooo much money and time on the nico demon......

yes I'm 10kg heavier.. but I am sooooooooooo much healthier. AND happier!! I remember thinking I would NEVER ever be happy again..... so do not feel alone in all those thoughts... because I AM HAPPIER! :) :)

thanks to quit group/quitline for your help! :)

So the other day I decided as soon as I had finished the last cigarette from my packet - that was it! I wasn't going to buy another packet. Being stubborn as I can be I thought this to be easier than it would be.

You see, I have quite before and have gone with out a smoke for days ... before inevitably going back to the habbit. But this time had to be different. With the price increase, GST about to go up, slow times at work - every cent starts to count and smoking is simply a wast of my money.
I smoke about 22 smokes a day so on average I used to by a packet a day.

The first day went without too much hassle. A few cravings late in the day but managed to settle them down by doing other things. Second day I nearly collapsed to the disease a few times. It started getting harder and harder. I suppose I should mention, I have gone cold turkey. I know this is not really the best to do. But as I decided to quit then n there on Wednesday night, I wasn't prepared for anything.

On day 2, when the cravings would get longer and harder I would try and trick myself into something else- singing, txting, driving, reading - anything to get my mind onto something else.
As I sat in traffic on the way home from a random drive on my day off, I pulled off the motorway wanting to go to the shops to buy some smokes. I though if I just had one, I could leave the rest of the pack in my car for only those times when it got to hard. I talked myself into the whole " If I relapse its fine, your cold turkey, its too hard etc" I sat in my car infront of the dairy for about 10 minutes. Wanting to go in to buy some. Luckily I sat and sat debating wether to do it or not. In the end I decided that If I really wanted some, i would go get them from my normal dairy - a good 15 minute drive from where I was at the time.

This was the best thing to do - as I drove off, my mind went off the smoking and I drove straight home and forgot all about my original plans.

Now when im in my car or wanting a puff, I simply tell myself " Well you can have one if you want to. But why would you? you are a Non Smoker" and It gets me through.

Hi all I have just set up a face book page called Quit With Me.
Come check it out!!

cant believe iv gone 8days with out a smoke its actually been really hard i am always thinking about having a smoke and really relying on lozenges to take away the craving i went to plunket the other day and found out my 5mt old WILL be going through with drawls the same as me yep feel like shit for that ignorance IS bliss a, im at a stage were i wanna covert the world or at least the people in my world but i no thats not fair so keep my opinions to myself,...hard.....my partners been home sick for the past three days and has been getting mr4 off to kindy in the mornings.....love him hes a great support and is proud of me i hope he choices to quit soon im just realizing how much time we used to and he still does take away from the boys to smoke b4 we go anywhere..smoke..when we get there..smoke..someone comes around..smoke after tea..smoke you get it any who this can only get easier a...maybe... im a stay at home mum and can do this in my own enviroment but im a bit worried at the same time because my life is so hmmm structured im hoping i dont cave at the first sign of stress like i did with the dog....i guess the difference between that difficult situation and the next is you guys and you tube lol

I feel kind of...alone now...where is everyone....the team...PAST & present......I Look...think I am a really strong person (not really) but.....I have just looked at the blogs lately...I talk way tooooooooooooo much ...hahahaha...xx ...so as hard as it is in my world.......to shut up...I am...loooking.... seen ...moved...just back for awhile....xx..................................................................................... I forgot about my mentors...Pearl....huge lesson.......just kinda got a bit excited....respect...Pearl/Mistermister/maggie/justjag/mittens/...mintyfresh...all kudos....wtf I always miss someone out..........................so thanx team.....I am just dealing with a little bit of crap...............living here so I do Not smoke ....now finding ...dealing with a stubborn teenager.....who says ...you gave up smoking...to take ....over the computer..................I am going to take a backstep..................as tears pour down my face...lol....& nobody else even knows lol...not xxx
To the CHCH clan...waiting for a quitline answer...

Hi everyone just thought I'd join and say hi and good luck to everyone. I've wanted to quit for awhile now and decided to use my first fathers day as my quit date. I haven't had a smoke since last saturday night and considering that I'm doing pretty good I think. Hope to stay strong and on track.

The whole quitting thing is going well I think, the cravings aren't too bad the patches and the gum take the edge and the brain can take care of the rest.

However and its a big however, the lack of sleep is becoming a large problem.

At the moment I am not able to get to sleep until 4 or 5am and thats starting to take its toll after 3 days.

Did anyone else have this problem? Any answers out there would be great I would love to get some more sleep, oh and on that the dreams are very strange and realistic.

Since giving up smoking I have been looking for a new job. Today I have been offered a fantastic position with a fantastic company.
Great pay, great people, great hours, great perks. No other smokers in the office either, so no temptation.

I am soooo happy today, will have to have a big celebration tonight.
Party at my place...all welcome...non-smokers only!!!

Cheers

I have been quit for 6 Months, 1 Week, 1 Day, 17 hours, 33 minutes and 5 seconds (192 days). I have saved $2,137.44 by not smoking 3,854 cigarettes. I have saved 1 Week, 6 Days, 9 hours and 10 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 1/03/2010 7:15 p.m.

I have some KUDOS awards to dish out in no particular order:

* People in Quake City, still holding on and having great sense of humours even in your darkest moments

* Our resident bloggers for reaching some important milestones (100 days, 50 days actually 1 day is a milestone as well)

* Quit team for making the blogs instantaneous

* Newbies - for entering the unknown and becoming world famous on here

So everyone take a bow and be proud that you own YOUR life.

I also just finished watching Dr Oz show on tv and there is now 3rd hand smoking which are the little particles that are blown out of your mouth and stick to your clothes, hair etc. and are turned into carcinogens affecting your loved ones, so when you think you are not affecting your loved ones with your habit...WRONG...they are affected in so many more ways.

Hope you and your daughter are getting some sleep now. Why don't you come up here to sunny Mot for a break. I promise you wont have to sleep in the passage (we don't have one!) We have a spare room we use for the grandkids and we haven't felt a single shake here.
All that rocking and rolling has upset my quitkeeper, its gone back to 274days and I am 302days. It's not fair I haven't cheated once never mind 28 times!!!

4,000 cigarettes not smoked.
$2,237.80 not wasted on smokes.
Oh Yeah, and 100 days smokefree.
I'm not going to lie and say getting this far has been easy or anything because it hasn't. What I can tell you is that the difference between day one and today is a world apart.
I breath so much easier now, no "Rattle" in my chest.
I don't wake up coughing and spluttering and then reach for a smoke to get me started.
I can smell flowers again, I haven't been able to do that for years and am experiencing Spring like I haven't done since I was 14.
I get to spend so much more time with my Granddaughters and don't have to go outside and smoke all the time.
I have more money to spend on things that I want, not that I need to feed my addiction.
That little packet doesn't dictate what time I have to leave to go out or whether I have to stop on the way in case my packet is going to run out.
I don't have to get to a function or whatever and then spend the first 30 minutes trying to find the other smokers so we can hook up and find the smoking area, rather than worry about being the only smoker there.
I can sit outside when the weather is nice to have my coffee because I CHOOSE to. I don't have to do that all the time or when the weather is awful because that's where us filthy smokers belong.
I could go on but quitting smoking has given me so much of my life back it's unreal. The funny thing is that it is parts that I didn't even realise I was missing out on.
How am I going to celebrate this? I'm not sure actually. My wife is taking me out for dinner and we will see what happens after that.
Like everything to do with this journey, I haven't done it entirely on my own. As ever, my Thanks and Love go out to you all for helping me through this. It may be a personal milestone for me but you all deserve some credit for it too, your blogs and support keep me going.
Kia Kaha

Happy breathday mate enjoy and parrtay

Hey all.

good to see so many going so strong.
I have reached a milestone today

50 Days smoke free
1000 cigarettes not smoked
$625 saved

the last two days have not been easy though. i think they have been the hardest since day three. apprehension i suppose this is a mile stone for me. i have only ever quit for 56 days before so in six days time i am in uncharted territory and i am stoked about it.

have a good day all and all the best with your epic achievement in not smoking.

Sitting here with my 2 teenage sons that know....everything....oh no...mum...knows nothing lmfaol.......(but beside that)...they are re..covering seats coz dads mum is coming to stay.....you know that ....m...in...law...person....who...is...oh..so...perfect......
YEAH..RIGHT>>>NIMfW.....hurt my husband,,,,,....hurt my kids....wtf....you will not hurt me....

I jumped in a car...to chat to 1 of my many special customers coz it was raining ...again...lol ...we need rain...only to fill the tanks...then it can stop!!!.....but they were smoking....thought I loved the smell....welll omfkgalmaol(DID U GET THAT) I did not know how much I ever smelt/////.....I felt sick........I could not stop saying omg.....I smelll.....did I me ...smelll like that...had to come home see son ....who studying...o...so...hard.....not!!!"Can You smell me" ....he goes mum you always smelt like that ....wtf.....not me.....he says oh mum....but we always have loved you......wtf ....yep they teach me xx

Right got my shoes ready....got my dress ready.....got my vino////......& I have got the champers on ice....whopdewhoopee
I think I heard minty fresh needs some cheering up.......partytime pre dinner drinks ...my place...now!!!
Dentarturdent are you all ready...for that 100 day party..........we need a party we need to lol ...dance the zumba...(just for minty fresh),,,,....hope she comes in her JAZZERCISE clothess hahahahah do you remember those dayz......//////....,,,,there is a smokers corner too...coz you all need a laff....(ONLY THE CHCH people can have that corner)....but we are all a team(NO i in team) here to lol ...where is tiwi....mandykoo..marie...mistermister,,...just to make sure we all ok....tOmaiiz...pearl...lese everyone ...lets have a party for the guest of honour.....DENTARTURDENT!!! you have done this just at the right time....poppy..polhigg..debz30..yas01& the rest of the team...(sorry if I missed any of you...you are all special) so tag on....let us go!!!!!!!!!

And the ones who slipped what better way to celebrate xx
"ONE DAY AT A TIME"
Dentarturdent...it is all about you....xx
(& US coz we need a party & we are a team)

Thanks xx

Hi there fellow quitters - I've been talking to some friends here in Christchurch and we all agree we need a bit more humour. We all got a little more rest last night (can't really call it 'sleep' as they relaxation part isn't there) - we're trying to carry on as normal - but are unsure quite what normal is.

It's absolutely fantastic how NZ is offering words of support and there are fund raisers taking place all over the country for the poor people who have lost everything in this messy devastating quake and after shocks.

As residents of Chch - we're over it......just want to be able to say "now lets move forward" - but we're in limbo at the moment. We've been told we can drink the water straight from the tap, but everyone I've spoken to it still boiling it as we are still having aftershocks and are worried that the 'safe' water might be temporary. They are still predicting another big quake which will only worsen damage that has already happened to homes that we are still living in.

We need some distracting humour - some tv shows that will allow us to 'forget' where we are and what is happening all around us. Life is so very serious at the moment - even for the ones who see themselves as being fortunate as we have a roof over our heads (albeit cracked and warped). The general feeling is, do we carry on...attempting to push forward and remaining 'strong' for our families? Or do we allow ourselves to cry and grieve for all the loss that we are all experiencing and seeing all around us? How will crying help as it is not over yet.

So tonight, I will be channel surfing looking for humour and lots of laughter - thankfully I have power back on and a small portable tv that I can put in the hallway (which is where both my daughter and myself are sleeping, in sleeping bags).

Thanks for being the listening ear that I needed to express my feelings - I can't burden my 10 year old with all of this....so as you can guess, I'm one of the many thousands who are remaining 'strong' and attempting to push forward, whilst wanting to cry. Another aftershock just happened, only small though, the ground is a constant roll. Thanks again guys. ♥

Giving up smoking has to be one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life......
You guys down in Chch...this has to be even harder for you all I want to say ...
"How/Who can judge you on smoking whether you are ...or...whether you are not" at this time
As I said we cannot judge you ...but we can be here for each of you because each of you are special & each of you are still here.
This is a journey & sometimes an "fn" hard one...so remember personal journey for each of us & we all have our reasons for doing what we are doing...you are all special in my journey of giving up because without you all I would have been smoking again .
This is ..we are... the quitline family and this is what famillies do ...we look after each other so keep going guys ....coz this is one hell of a journey...team effort...there is no i in team xx
ONE DAY AT A TIME xx

OK straight a week of non smOKing but if i am not having them (withdrawal symptoms) does that mean its not working for me??/

well my name is Jacqui,,, I am on a mission to giving up smoking for a better future... Well it's been a long few days i am a few hours off my FIRST week of quiting and ain't had to much trouble for the past week i've even challenged myself on my third day,, i decided that i was going to have a big bunch of drinks with a group of friends and not smoke!!!!! YAY YAY i succeeded i finally woke up the next day not trying to catch a breath it was EXCELLENT to feel free from coughing and choking the next day after drinking.. How ever i do have a question for anyone that can help me as i feel like it has been to easy.....

Now because i have had such a good first week is the next week going to be hard for me??????????????????????

Debz, so pleased to hear from you. I was worried. Pleased you are okay. Don't feel bad about smoking, I have slipped up as well thanks to the earthquake.... I think it would be awfully hard not to! Have had 6 or 7, but am off them again. I guess I am quite lucky as our house is okay and everyone i am close to is okay as well.
Thinking of you Debs :) x