Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I should have been celebrating...

Alright. Enough of the funk. Yesterday was one full year without touching a cigarette. That, my friends, is a HUGE accomplishment. I should have spent my day bragging to all of you and being proud of myself, but nooo, not me. I had to be all defeated and sad and whiny. Well, I'm done. It may be a day late, but I AM CELEBRATING!

I was smoking almost two full packs a day last year before I quit. My mom had been in the hospital three times that year for Pneumonia, and was (and sadly still is) well on her way to emphysema. I was sitting in a chat room that I frequent in yahoo talking to some friends that morning, September 25, 2006, and at about 9am, I lit my last cigarette of the last pack I had. I complained in the room that now I had to go out in the rain to get a pack of cigarettes. One of the girls in the room piped up and said, "Now's a great time to quit."


Now, usually I would have shrugged that comment off, but something about it stuck in my head. She was absolutely right. If I never bought another pack of cigarettes, I'd never smoke another one. I could tell everyone that I was quitting and not to bum me any, and that would be it. So, I told everyone that I was quitting, took up crocheting to keep my hands busy, joined a website that sends you a daily e-mail reminder on ways to fight cravings, and, of course, made a counter for my Myspace, lol. Now, I will admit, it was hard. But those daily emails, and the accountability I had from everyone in that chat room cheering me on really helped me. I had to stay out of convenience stores for a long time. If I needed a drink, I went into the grocery store and hit the express lane, and I paid for gas at the pump so I didn't have to go in and see all those packs of cigarettes calling my name.

I got stressed out twice throughout the year and attempted to take a hit off of someone's cigarette. I gagged both times. I am now a non-smoker, and I couldn't be happier about it.


Now, if only I never had to eat again.....

Thanks for reading
Bean

7 comments:

Honi said...

stumbled onto your blog... and was reading a few of your posts... Number 1 congrats on your year of not smoking I have been smoke free since 1984... U can do it!!!...

I also read your previous post about the white bread pasta etc.. well here are some decent switches that probably no one will notice but you will know...

Get White Wheat bread.. 100 calories for 2 slices

Barella ( not sure of spelling) pasta in the gold box.. I think its called pasta plus... its kinda a combo of whole wheat and white pasta.. its a great step in the right direction and a great sub for white pasta...

I also use Promise Activa Spread.. I think its very good.. I use it in my oatmeal in the morning and I use it on toast.. very good.. I think
Much luck to u...

Chubby Chick said...

OMG!!! You are AMAZING!!! I am totally celebrating with you!!! Congratulations on kicking the habit a year ago! That is absolutely wonderful! What an accomplishment! :)

MB said...

Congrats on kicking the habit. I used to smoke but kicked the habit a long time ago. My mother just quit after smoking for almost 50 years. I didn't recognize her voice on the answering machine because she used to sound like one of Marge Simpson's sisters and now she sounds totally different. You should be so proud and I'm sure you feel better.

Yeah, it is too bad we can't just quit eating but have to learn how to do it right.

Keep the faith. We'll all get there eventually.

Twix said...

Congratulations!!! That's awesome!!

I need to quit. I just don't want to. I know you can relate to that! I'm encouraged by your posting this!

Very cool that it has been a whole year! Way to go!!!

:)

Diana Swallow said...

You should celebrate your accomplishment. Its not an easy habit to kick. I quit in 1991 when I had bronchitis so bad that every time I tried to light a cigarette I coughed and the lighter went out...after about ten attempts I said to myself "this is stupid" and quit. Now if only I could stick to a diet so easily! Yes, you should be very proud of this accomplishment!!

Lori G. said...

You really should celebrate! A year! That's awesome because it's so hard to quit cigarettes. And now you're trying to eat healthier! You can do it. You really utilized a lot of good ideas to help keep you on the straight and narrow. Congratulations!

Ann(ie) said...

Been there. It's HARD!! Proud of you, girl.