Gary is Six Months Smoke Free

"In my very first week I saw some changes in my outlook."

I can't believe that I'm beginning my seventh month.

I'm not going to begin to tell you that I'm beyond thinking about smoking, but what I can tell you is that for every time I begin to think about it, I come up with SO many reasons why I don't want to smoke anymore.

I want to touch on something that has been a big thing for me, Self esteem. Like many here, I've tried to stop smoking before. One time I even took it a few months farther than this time. I can't say that anytime I attempted this, it was something that I would call easy because I had a physical and psychological addiction. When this time came around and I became serious about my desire to make this quit my last one, I was told from ALL sides that this was something that needed to be seen before believed.

In my very first week I saw some changes in my outlook. I saw myself getting some strength from within that I had long forgotten about. The longer this went on, the stronger I became. With this, I saw that if I could do this then I could do anything. I was no longer a slave to my own habit and it sure feels great.

What helped me most to become one with my desire was the day I found this Forum. Yes, it's hard to imagine that others are going through or have gone through the same things that were happening to me. They were all positive changes, but changes none the less. I learned, I allowed myself to be taught, and I coped. I saw that there WAS life after smoking and that's EXACTLY what I needed to be told.

Today isn't about me...it's all about you, ALL of you! You brought me here and made me take that long needed look at myself and showed me that if this was really the thing I wanted to do then it COULD be done.

I've always been one who has appreciated greatness. This Forum is GREAT....ALL of you are GREAT and therefore please know that I appreciate all of you and everything you've shown me and done for me. This never would have happened without you. I can't thank you enough!

Six months, 11 hours, 43 minutes and 51 seconds. 5504 cigarettes not smoked, saving $660.56. Life saved: 2 weeks, 5 days, 2 hours, 40 minutes.

Gary (GladIStopped)

Yard by yard is always hard but inch by inch is always a cinch.

Gary's One Year Smoke Free Milestone