"I smoked my last cigarette on March 9, 2003"

"Now, at 11 months quit, I can't believe I waited all those years!"

At Christmas time, 2002, my daughter asked all of us what our New Year's resolutions were going to be. When it came to me, I said what all smokers think:

"Well, I really should get around to quitting smoking."

At this time, I was not just buying cigs by the carton, I would order them 3 cartons at a time! I wouldn't tell myself, "just one more pack", I would tell myself "just three more cartons"! Every time my son would come over and see the fresh supply on top of the refrigerator, his face would fall, and he would ask me if this was the end or not!

In February 2003, I found a newspaper article on Internet sites to help you quit smoking. About.com was listed. I checked out all of the sites, and of course, this one was by far the best. I decided that definitely, positively, absolutely, this would be my last 3 cartons of cigarettes. When I got down to the last one, I went out and purchased nicotine patches. I started reading extensively on this forum, and also at Cognitive Quitting and WhyQuit.com. These sites all gave me a completely different way of looking at why we smoke, and provided tools to help me quit.

I smoked my last cigarette on March 9, 2003 around noon, jumped in my car and went to stay with my step-daughter and her new baby for a few days. It helped those initial days being in an environment where there were no triggers, and I certainly couldn't smoke. I really didn't think I could make it, and that I would probably cave in and buy cigs on the way home. However, somehow, having made it two days, I decided to see how long I could last. Here's how I accomplished that - I lived on this forum. Every waking hour that I was not working or sleeping, I was posting, reading, crying out for help, bragging, whatever. I met wonderful, wonderful people here from all over the world, and had great times laughing and playing, as well as sad times reading as others failed or got sick. This forum is like a family to me.

Now, at 11 months quit, I can't believe I waited all those years! It was not easy, but certainly not the impossibility I had imagined it to be. Anyone reading this who is thinking of quitting, I exhort you - do it NOW!

There is never a "good" time.
The very best time of all is as soon as possible.

I love my smoke free life, and I am so very grateful that I allowed myself to succeed -
One day at a time!

Love to all my forum friends,
Lesly(Leslyr)
Gratitude is my attitude

Lesly's Six Month Milestone
Lesly Quit Smoking One Year Ago
Lesly's 2 Year Smoke Free Speech
Lesly's 3 Year Milestone
Book Review - The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr

Last Updated: 3-22-2006