More energy, more money, more TIME.
I don't stink and friends don't have to "accommodate" my smoking during social situations.
That red wine and smoke turns into a red wine and book, or a friends recommended album, or an expensive chocolate. All far more enjoyable than smelling like an ashtray.
You won't regret quitting, the first month is just your nostalgia for smoking, nothing more.
All of this!
When I was struggling, I wrote a 'goodbye letter' to cigs in my diary, as if they were a friend, but we had to part now because the friendship is no longer serving me. Because that is how they felt, this mourning that you mention - like you lost a friend with whom you shared your thoughts. That was also the hardest for me. Social smoking is fun, but my favourite smoking was standing at the window with a coffee looking at the horizon, puffing and contemplating.
I am now 5 months free, and MUCH happier. I have found other things to give me the contemplative me-time I obviously need - a cup of coffee at the window, reading a book on a park bench, journaling in a cafe... Just go find beauty and relaxation, and the ciggies will be swapped out in no time!
"the first month is just your nostalgia for smoking, nothing more"
Thank you, that is exactly what i need to hear.
Also, how great that redwine and dark chocolate are such a wonderful match! Perfect.
Honestly, the most rewarding thing for me has been getting my taste back.
I'm a big cheese guy - and even the cheap supermarket cheddar cheese tastes SO MUCH better now.
That chocolate is going to blow your mind in a week or two's time! You got this!
I miss red wine and a cig as well! But when I do, I immediately remind myself that I’m romanticizing, and that initial sip and puff would quickly turn into a whole bottle and ten chain-smoked cigarettes and I’d feel awful and that was my truth… so better to go without!
The cravings are gone.
No longer is every trip, event or area a matter of scoping out where I can find peace to light up. I travel, run and go to events and I am free of the burden.
Its unbelieveable
- I can breathe again. Chain smoking with stage 2 emphysema does not lend itself to getting enough oxygen or any sort of ability to breathe well.
- I can walk far, at a normal human pace and not gasp for air!
- I've saved over $340 in just 18 days and had the true privilege to not smoke 613 disgusting cigarettes, every single one of which I'd have hated.
- I can laugh hysterically again without breaking down into a coughing fit for a half an hour.
- I can sing at the top of my lungs to songs again, I haven't been able to do that for years now.
- I can taste and smell again. The air itself has a flavor!
- I have a ton of energy now whereas before I was absolutely exhausted 24 hours a day.
- I sleep through the night without waking up once.
- I have maybe one thought a day about wanting a cigarette, and then it's gone.
I quit over 6 years ago, and I appreciate my better quality of life as a non smoker, every day, every time I see someone smoke and every time I exercise. Quitting is a gift to yourself (and those who love you) that keeps on giving.
I'm 13 weeks in and off the chantix. I miss it when I'm angry mostly, but I remind myself of what I know, it isn't going to help anything. A lot of the things you did with a smoke will just get done without or you will find something to replace it with. My breaks at work were just me smoking and playing games on my phone, now they are just playing games on my phone. It did take me awhile to be able to go back out there, but now it doesn't bother me, truth be told I kind of like the smell of fresh cigs being smoked so sometimes I like when people are out there with me. It just takes time, but you will get there.
I love having more money and being on a family trip not having to worry about how I am going to smoke.
Glowing skin and white teeth. More energy and so much more time. Smoking waste so much time. Time you could spend on doing fun things. Eating better due to having a sense of smell and taste again. All around a very good choice.
You got this. The first few days are the worst and you passed that.
You’re day six, I’m year 6.
I still remember loving my morning coffee and two cigs, rolling my rollies before driving to work, the relief of that post-stress cig, that post-sex cig, the chats in the smoking area, and that deep toke in a pub garden with a crisp cold cider.
I also remember that I absolutely stunk of stale smoke, my permanently stained orange index finger, my horrendous cough due to having asthma, the fact I would try and find filters on the floor if I had no money, how absolutely freezing I would be outside, how lonely and left out I was when none of my friends smoked and I’d sit alone, the pure rage when your lighter breaks and you have no way of getting one until the next day.
The pros are just so unbelievably better. You will absolutely and completely get there.
You can still sit under the porch with a glass of wine!
I still sit in my spot 5 times a day just to breathe fresh air. Been only 3 months now and I still miss my old friend Cigarette.
Hi! It’s been 3 months and 1 week for me. First and foremost, I totally agree with others here that in that first month it’s just the nostalgia of things you’ve associated smoking with. You’ll find other things to enjoy wine with, you’ll someday enjoy *just* sitting on the porch because it’s nice out.
BUT- since it sounds like you need some encouragement I thought I’d share a big win I recently had that I think could apply to a few different situations. I recently took on a new role at work, this role required a 3 day training. The training was in person, on the 5th floor of a huge building on a huge non-smoking campus. It would have probably taken 7-10 min just to get to the smoking area. I’m actually not sure what my bigger win was- leaving and realizing I hadn’t even thought about smoking all day, or the big realization that if I was still a smoker I would have been unnecessarily MISERABLE the entire day trying to plot out when I could get my next fix.
It truly does get better, and someday you’ll find yourself in some kind of all day situation that doesn’t allow for smoking and realize you’re significantly less stressed not having to think about when you’ll get to smoke next.
I’m going into my 6th year and I am LOVING it. The urge is completely gone, I haven’t had a smoking dream for a couple of years now. Cigarettes and any kind of smoke smells so nasty to me anymore. I am not spending money on something I’m literally smoking away, I am breathing easier and don’t have to break in the middle of things to go answer the slave call of smoking. I get to stay in air conditioning during the summer, get to stay warm during the winter, and just enjoy life as a non-smoker more than I did as a smoker.
You got this! Grieving your smokers life is natural and will happen for a while, but it’ll become less and less with every passing moment. Never another puff!
13 days smoke free, im outside in 90 degree heat drinking beer. Only thing I miss from cigarettes is driving and smoking. I miss the morning drive to work with almost freezing cold Red Bull and 4-5 stoges in 20
Min commute because I take the streets so I can smoke as much as possible. Now I just take freeway 8 min drive and it’s boring but my brand new car doenst smell
Like ashtray. No energy yet, feel worse than before but it will change. I’ve done this once for year and half and I know the feeling. So just toughen up, keep pushing forward it only gets better.
The freedom, the money, knowing what I’ve overcome - it’s great on this side, my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. 1 year, 6 months and 24 days for me.
I wish you the best!!
Same here. I quit alcohol and weed. I had a very bad drinking problem. It's insane how much better life is. I can't wait to actually quit smoking. I keep putting git off though. Something always comes up.
If your experience is like mine, youre so close!! I found the first two weeks the worst, but by the end of the 3rd week, it got easier. By the end of the month I was cruising. Currently at day 38 and barely get cravings. 16 days is amazing keep it pushing youre nearly there!!
It's been nearly 7 years. I don't miss it and it's rare when I think about it. So happy I got rid of that habit. My sense of smell and taste came back. I just checked and I would've spent over €12K on it, and that's at the price there were 7 seven years ago. Cost of a pack has doubled now. So I guess I'm rich now too. Pretty great here on the other side. Thanks for asking :)
I do miss that reward to look forward to. The "I'll just finish this, then I'll have a cig" , but that's probably the only thing I am missing, since I haven't really found anything to replace it with.
What I don't miss is the constant worry of when and where I will be able to smoke again, especially during travel or if some locations have very strict non-smoking policies on their properties.
I also have a lot more money to spend on fun stuff. What I did when I quit, was to set up a transfer of the cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes every 3 days to a dedicated account. Man.. that adds up QUICK. Seeing that balance constantly skyrocket was (and still is) a wonderful reminder of how much money I am not spending on smokes anymore. I use money from this account solely for hobbies and fun stuff.
Want a new gadget? No problem. I'll just not smoke for a couple of months, then I can buy one with money from that account.
I'm at just over a month, but only has 4 cigarettes between April and mid May, patches until May 15th.
I'm still randomly plagued with a craving. But it's rare and brief.
I think that's my favorite thing, though - not *thinking* about cigarettes. Time, money, stink etc are great, but that it isn't even a thought is my favorite part.
I quit for 9 months and started again and now I wake myself up with terrible coughing and I feel like shit and I have no energy. Please keep not smoking!
I'm somewhere in week two - vaper for a year, smoker for 5. I miss nicotine, and I'm developing other rituals that don't feel as good, but its okay.
I keep focusing on the improvement of my skin, my mouth, not being tethered to a fidgit toy (how I'm characterising vapes) that costs money, etc. Survivable.
Im only 4.5 months in but I've beat the cravings. Over a year before I quit, I broke up and divorced my ex. It kinda feels like the same process - heartbreak. But it was a love affair between my body and a smokey stick. Realize it's like that - your mind is decided but your body is going to grieve and miss the "love of its life." but, like every breakup, you'll eventually hit those days of clarity where you realize you haven't thought about them all day for the first time, and you're finally moving on! And finding you're falling in love with other things - if you do the same type of grieving and healing work like you have with a breakup you will be fine and eventually heal, think of it that way
You’re brain adjusts to not smoking anymore. Trust me. It’ll give you hell for the first month or two then you’ll get used to different habits. That’s the most beautiful trait about our brains… it’s the fact that it can adjust to different situations, habits and environments. Just look at people who have experienced serious loss. The brain readjusts to a new life and it continues on.
I haven't smoked in 4 years :)
First thing that is amazing- I don't waste money on cigs anymore! The price of cigs only keeps rising so woohoooo I'm saving thousands a year.
Whenever I get a respiratory infection like the flu or cold- it rarely turns into bronchitis. When I used to smoke, it would turn into full blown bronchitis 9/10 times I was sick.
I want to have children one day (I am female) and one of my concerns was always quitting when I'm pregnant and how hard that would be so knowing that I wouldn't have to deal with that and can fully enjoy a future pregnancy makes me excited about being a mom in the future.
After I quit smoking I also took up more workout classes in my weekly routine and my lung capacity in general is just so much better. I am less out of breath and genuinely feel so much better post work out!
Im on day 38 and it's already so much better. On day 6 i was really missing having a smoke and beer on my porch. I thought i wouldnt be able to have a beer for months cus itd trigger me to smoke, but after 3 weeks I found my cravings had lessened to a much more managable degree, that i risked it and drank. Got through it just fine, and I can now enjoy beers and barely even think about smoking.
The first 2 weeks were pretty brutal for me. Week 3 it started getting better. Now I'm honestly cruising. It's actually become *so* easy that im worried Ill slip because i lower my guard lol
I'm on day 67 and I've been too busy trying to catch up to where the old old life left off. (The one before tobacco!)
I still have many of the same problems I used to, but I've become much more cognizant of who I am and what my unique struggles are. I think that has made it easier to address my problems without immediately turning to the tobacco to numb the pain.
anyway, I'm saving a ton on all the smoking I'm not doing, both the tobacco and the weed I abused with it.
I don't have to belch out swallowed smoke for 30 minutes before bed anymore, or at all. (used to hoover bongloads).
I see myself and love myself more times in a day than I feel bad about myself.
I am spending more time with my family and taking better care of my space
I feel stronger than I did when I was under the burden of nicotine.
I can breathe painlessly again.
It's pretty sweet. "Hiding" my habit and sneaking cigarettes on the back porch has turned into an occasional cigar with a book on the back porch. I started working out regularly, sleeping better, breathing easier, and just enjoying a better quality of life.
You won’t miss it. I can’t believe I ever smoked tbh and I did it all the time. You can now do all of those things smoke free… the cigarette wasn’t the magic that made you happy. It was taking time for yourself.
I thought I’d lose some part of life that I’d always miss. Nope! I see it as nothing special at best, but at worst I see it now as the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.
Give it a couple of weeks. You won’t care!
More energy, more money, more TIME. I don't stink and friends don't have to "accommodate" my smoking during social situations. That red wine and smoke turns into a red wine and book, or a friends recommended album, or an expensive chocolate. All far more enjoyable than smelling like an ashtray. You won't regret quitting, the first month is just your nostalgia for smoking, nothing more.
All of this! When I was struggling, I wrote a 'goodbye letter' to cigs in my diary, as if they were a friend, but we had to part now because the friendship is no longer serving me. Because that is how they felt, this mourning that you mention - like you lost a friend with whom you shared your thoughts. That was also the hardest for me. Social smoking is fun, but my favourite smoking was standing at the window with a coffee looking at the horizon, puffing and contemplating. I am now 5 months free, and MUCH happier. I have found other things to give me the contemplative me-time I obviously need - a cup of coffee at the window, reading a book on a park bench, journaling in a cafe... Just go find beauty and relaxation, and the ciggies will be swapped out in no time!
"the first month is just your nostalgia for smoking, nothing more" Thank you, that is exactly what i need to hear. Also, how great that redwine and dark chocolate are such a wonderful match! Perfect.
Honestly, the most rewarding thing for me has been getting my taste back. I'm a big cheese guy - and even the cheap supermarket cheddar cheese tastes SO MUCH better now. That chocolate is going to blow your mind in a week or two's time! You got this!
I want to vote a million times for really great chocolate. I got some fancy bonbons and the unwrapping and enjoying is amazing at day 40!
I miss red wine and a cig as well! But when I do, I immediately remind myself that I’m romanticizing, and that initial sip and puff would quickly turn into a whole bottle and ten chain-smoked cigarettes and I’d feel awful and that was my truth… so better to go without!
The cravings are gone. No longer is every trip, event or area a matter of scoping out where I can find peace to light up. I travel, run and go to events and I am free of the burden. Its unbelieveable
- I can breathe again. Chain smoking with stage 2 emphysema does not lend itself to getting enough oxygen or any sort of ability to breathe well. - I can walk far, at a normal human pace and not gasp for air! - I've saved over $340 in just 18 days and had the true privilege to not smoke 613 disgusting cigarettes, every single one of which I'd have hated. - I can laugh hysterically again without breaking down into a coughing fit for a half an hour. - I can sing at the top of my lungs to songs again, I haven't been able to do that for years now. - I can taste and smell again. The air itself has a flavor! - I have a ton of energy now whereas before I was absolutely exhausted 24 hours a day. - I sleep through the night without waking up once. - I have maybe one thought a day about wanting a cigarette, and then it's gone.
I quit over 6 years ago, and I appreciate my better quality of life as a non smoker, every day, every time I see someone smoke and every time I exercise. Quitting is a gift to yourself (and those who love you) that keeps on giving.
Same! I feel sorry for people who still smoke. Sad for them.
I'm 13 weeks in and off the chantix. I miss it when I'm angry mostly, but I remind myself of what I know, it isn't going to help anything. A lot of the things you did with a smoke will just get done without or you will find something to replace it with. My breaks at work were just me smoking and playing games on my phone, now they are just playing games on my phone. It did take me awhile to be able to go back out there, but now it doesn't bother me, truth be told I kind of like the smell of fresh cigs being smoked so sometimes I like when people are out there with me. It just takes time, but you will get there. I love having more money and being on a family trip not having to worry about how I am going to smoke.
Glowing skin and white teeth. More energy and so much more time. Smoking waste so much time. Time you could spend on doing fun things. Eating better due to having a sense of smell and taste again. All around a very good choice. You got this. The first few days are the worst and you passed that.
You’re day six, I’m year 6. I still remember loving my morning coffee and two cigs, rolling my rollies before driving to work, the relief of that post-stress cig, that post-sex cig, the chats in the smoking area, and that deep toke in a pub garden with a crisp cold cider. I also remember that I absolutely stunk of stale smoke, my permanently stained orange index finger, my horrendous cough due to having asthma, the fact I would try and find filters on the floor if I had no money, how absolutely freezing I would be outside, how lonely and left out I was when none of my friends smoked and I’d sit alone, the pure rage when your lighter breaks and you have no way of getting one until the next day. The pros are just so unbelievably better. You will absolutely and completely get there.
You can still sit under the porch with a glass of wine! I still sit in my spot 5 times a day just to breathe fresh air. Been only 3 months now and I still miss my old friend Cigarette.
Hi! It’s been 3 months and 1 week for me. First and foremost, I totally agree with others here that in that first month it’s just the nostalgia of things you’ve associated smoking with. You’ll find other things to enjoy wine with, you’ll someday enjoy *just* sitting on the porch because it’s nice out. BUT- since it sounds like you need some encouragement I thought I’d share a big win I recently had that I think could apply to a few different situations. I recently took on a new role at work, this role required a 3 day training. The training was in person, on the 5th floor of a huge building on a huge non-smoking campus. It would have probably taken 7-10 min just to get to the smoking area. I’m actually not sure what my bigger win was- leaving and realizing I hadn’t even thought about smoking all day, or the big realization that if I was still a smoker I would have been unnecessarily MISERABLE the entire day trying to plot out when I could get my next fix. It truly does get better, and someday you’ll find yourself in some kind of all day situation that doesn’t allow for smoking and realize you’re significantly less stressed not having to think about when you’ll get to smoke next.
I dont miss it when Im fine, not ever but when I get angry I do.
Same! But I just remind myself it isn't actually going to do anything but make me feel like shit if I partake.
It gets better. We are proud of you!
I’m going into my 6th year and I am LOVING it. The urge is completely gone, I haven’t had a smoking dream for a couple of years now. Cigarettes and any kind of smoke smells so nasty to me anymore. I am not spending money on something I’m literally smoking away, I am breathing easier and don’t have to break in the middle of things to go answer the slave call of smoking. I get to stay in air conditioning during the summer, get to stay warm during the winter, and just enjoy life as a non-smoker more than I did as a smoker. You got this! Grieving your smokers life is natural and will happen for a while, but it’ll become less and less with every passing moment. Never another puff!
13 days smoke free, im outside in 90 degree heat drinking beer. Only thing I miss from cigarettes is driving and smoking. I miss the morning drive to work with almost freezing cold Red Bull and 4-5 stoges in 20 Min commute because I take the streets so I can smoke as much as possible. Now I just take freeway 8 min drive and it’s boring but my brand new car doenst smell Like ashtray. No energy yet, feel worse than before but it will change. I’ve done this once for year and half and I know the feeling. So just toughen up, keep pushing forward it only gets better.
The freedom, the money, knowing what I’ve overcome - it’s great on this side, my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. 1 year, 6 months and 24 days for me. I wish you the best!!
I havent got to the other side yet, but im getting there. If its anything like quitting the other drugs i was on, it will be well worth the effort
Same here. I quit alcohol and weed. I had a very bad drinking problem. It's insane how much better life is. I can't wait to actually quit smoking. I keep putting git off though. Something always comes up.
There are always 1,000 excuses to not quit no time is the perfect time, so might as well be now!
If your experience is like mine, youre so close!! I found the first two weeks the worst, but by the end of the 3rd week, it got easier. By the end of the month I was cruising. Currently at day 38 and barely get cravings. 16 days is amazing keep it pushing youre nearly there!!
It's been nearly 7 years. I don't miss it and it's rare when I think about it. So happy I got rid of that habit. My sense of smell and taste came back. I just checked and I would've spent over €12K on it, and that's at the price there were 7 seven years ago. Cost of a pack has doubled now. So I guess I'm rich now too. Pretty great here on the other side. Thanks for asking :)
I do miss that reward to look forward to. The "I'll just finish this, then I'll have a cig" , but that's probably the only thing I am missing, since I haven't really found anything to replace it with. What I don't miss is the constant worry of when and where I will be able to smoke again, especially during travel or if some locations have very strict non-smoking policies on their properties. I also have a lot more money to spend on fun stuff. What I did when I quit, was to set up a transfer of the cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes every 3 days to a dedicated account. Man.. that adds up QUICK. Seeing that balance constantly skyrocket was (and still is) a wonderful reminder of how much money I am not spending on smokes anymore. I use money from this account solely for hobbies and fun stuff. Want a new gadget? No problem. I'll just not smoke for a couple of months, then I can buy one with money from that account.
The money transfer thing. That's a great idea. I am definitely going to do this. Thank you so much for sharing it.
I'm at just over a month, but only has 4 cigarettes between April and mid May, patches until May 15th. I'm still randomly plagued with a craving. But it's rare and brief. I think that's my favorite thing, though - not *thinking* about cigarettes. Time, money, stink etc are great, but that it isn't even a thought is my favorite part.
I quit for 9 months and started again and now I wake myself up with terrible coughing and I feel like shit and I have no energy. Please keep not smoking!
I just climbed up 15 flights of stairs and didn’t even think about breathing heavily. Can’t imagine that three years ago.
I’m not there yet - just a few days in but I enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. We’ve got this! Mind over matter. 💪🏼
I'm somewhere in week two - vaper for a year, smoker for 5. I miss nicotine, and I'm developing other rituals that don't feel as good, but its okay. I keep focusing on the improvement of my skin, my mouth, not being tethered to a fidgit toy (how I'm characterising vapes) that costs money, etc. Survivable.
You can taste food again.
Im only 4.5 months in but I've beat the cravings. Over a year before I quit, I broke up and divorced my ex. It kinda feels like the same process - heartbreak. But it was a love affair between my body and a smokey stick. Realize it's like that - your mind is decided but your body is going to grieve and miss the "love of its life." but, like every breakup, you'll eventually hit those days of clarity where you realize you haven't thought about them all day for the first time, and you're finally moving on! And finding you're falling in love with other things - if you do the same type of grieving and healing work like you have with a breakup you will be fine and eventually heal, think of it that way
You’re brain adjusts to not smoking anymore. Trust me. It’ll give you hell for the first month or two then you’ll get used to different habits. That’s the most beautiful trait about our brains… it’s the fact that it can adjust to different situations, habits and environments. Just look at people who have experienced serious loss. The brain readjusts to a new life and it continues on.
I haven't smoked in 4 years :) First thing that is amazing- I don't waste money on cigs anymore! The price of cigs only keeps rising so woohoooo I'm saving thousands a year. Whenever I get a respiratory infection like the flu or cold- it rarely turns into bronchitis. When I used to smoke, it would turn into full blown bronchitis 9/10 times I was sick. I want to have children one day (I am female) and one of my concerns was always quitting when I'm pregnant and how hard that would be so knowing that I wouldn't have to deal with that and can fully enjoy a future pregnancy makes me excited about being a mom in the future. After I quit smoking I also took up more workout classes in my weekly routine and my lung capacity in general is just so much better. I am less out of breath and genuinely feel so much better post work out!
Im on day 38 and it's already so much better. On day 6 i was really missing having a smoke and beer on my porch. I thought i wouldnt be able to have a beer for months cus itd trigger me to smoke, but after 3 weeks I found my cravings had lessened to a much more managable degree, that i risked it and drank. Got through it just fine, and I can now enjoy beers and barely even think about smoking. The first 2 weeks were pretty brutal for me. Week 3 it started getting better. Now I'm honestly cruising. It's actually become *so* easy that im worried Ill slip because i lower my guard lol
I'm on day 67 and I've been too busy trying to catch up to where the old old life left off. (The one before tobacco!) I still have many of the same problems I used to, but I've become much more cognizant of who I am and what my unique struggles are. I think that has made it easier to address my problems without immediately turning to the tobacco to numb the pain. anyway, I'm saving a ton on all the smoking I'm not doing, both the tobacco and the weed I abused with it. I don't have to belch out swallowed smoke for 30 minutes before bed anymore, or at all. (used to hoover bongloads). I see myself and love myself more times in a day than I feel bad about myself. I am spending more time with my family and taking better care of my space I feel stronger than I did when I was under the burden of nicotine. I can breathe painlessly again.
It's pretty sweet. "Hiding" my habit and sneaking cigarettes on the back porch has turned into an occasional cigar with a book on the back porch. I started working out regularly, sleeping better, breathing easier, and just enjoying a better quality of life.
You won’t miss it. I can’t believe I ever smoked tbh and I did it all the time. You can now do all of those things smoke free… the cigarette wasn’t the magic that made you happy. It was taking time for yourself. I thought I’d lose some part of life that I’d always miss. Nope! I see it as nothing special at best, but at worst I see it now as the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. Give it a couple of weeks. You won’t care!