Posts by boldpuma89

Kimberly Williams said:So, how are things looking on your end?

As for the smoking situation—it’s a total disaster! Honestly, I’m actually smoking a bit less than my usual self—maybe about a pack to a pack and a half a day—but I am nowhere near satisfied with that. Pretty sure I’ll be declaring a new "D-Day" pretty soon :-)))
Man, life is just hitting me hard right now. Between the sleep deprivation, racing against the clock, and all that other nonsense, quitting isn't even really on my radar at this exact second. I mostly just pop in here to remind myself of the promises I made to myself and to see how you guys are doing—seeing what’s happening with the "non-smokers since last summer" club :-))

Kimberly Williams said:I've been slacking off lately, but I'm seriously planning to quit—it’s such a terrible habit!

What are we waiting for?? Look, I'm no better myself, but... :-))

Kimberly Williams said:Ugh, I totally slipped up. I told myself I’d just have a little treat, you know? But honestly, I really need to 🙂

Still, I don't feel too guilty because I didn't go overboard—I actually found some balance. So, I'm gonna try to get back on track ASAP, mostly because I'm kind of sick of the whole thing anyway. I'm planning to hold out until New Year's. 😁

I'm holding you to that! Though, let's be real, I am definitely not going to be your role model :-) I can definitely give you some pointers, though, since there was a point where I started "treating myself moderately" too... and now I'm basically a walking disaster area compared to before. :-(

Still nothing new since yesterday 😢 😢 😢 😢

Peter Bennett8
Hey everyone, just popping in for a quick check-in.👋
I haven't even started yet, and honestly, I'm pretty stoked about that. So, what's the deal with you guys? Anyone hitting new milestones, starting over, or dealing with some major setbacks?

No crises over here. Just keeping things steady—Dimin style! And man, I’m actually pretty pissed at myself right now. I'm currently sitting here negotiating a whole new schedule with myself. Just waiting for things to settle down in maybe 15 or 20 days...

Cheers, everyone!👋

Kimberly Williams said:boldpuma89, what’s the status over there—you still down to just a few left or what?

I basically live by that old saying: "WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY; WHERE THERE ISN'T, THERE'S AN EXCUSE!" And honestly, for the last 10 days, I've been finding plenty of excuses for why things are going south at work and just... blowing up... a lot. Like, at least 15 or 20 excuses.
Give me 10 more days and maybe I'll actually find a way to make it happen! ...

What is with this multi-day non-smoking silence? Or did everyone just decide they don't need "therapy" anymore?

I definitely can't take any credit here! 🙂

Dyna said:Dammit, I was hitting phase 3 or 4 a day during that first week after deciding to quit, so I just decided to get them away from me—gave them to a coworker (hmm—"what a lovely gift," I realize that now!).
So basically, you smoke when life is great, but what about when things go south? Do you still light up then?
Why don't you try some method... I don't know, anything at all... even if it's just something you tell yourself... maybe grab a glass of water when a craving hits?
Anything, really. Just stop linking everything happening around you to the urge to smoke....

Of course, I probably sound like a smart-ass now because my cravings are behind me, but just wait until you're back at 3 or 4 a day again.

And check in! We're here—even if we aren't always posting!

thanks Dyna! I smoke when things are good and when they suck. Honestly, I decided to quit once things started feeling better and less shitty (lovely thing to say, right).
Still, I love that line: "... don't link everything happening around you to the urge to smoke ..." there's a lot of truth in that, even if it's a bitter pill to swallow.

Kimberly Williams said:boldpuma89, how's it going on your end? You still down to just a couple sticks a day or what?

Man! My sleep has been totally wrecked for the last 10 days or so. First, I was having issues getting any rest at all, then I spent three days in Dubrovnik for some lectures that always ended with late-night hangouts—and now, I'm spending two days this weekend at a sailing regatta...
It looks like it’s officially time for me to go back to my 3 or 4 a day habit, because honestly, cigarettes don't even smell bad to me anymore—I actually find myself missing them after an hour or two, which is a phase I thought I'd definitely left behind.
I bet anyone who went cold turkey is losing their mind right about now, so I figured I'd pop in here just to see "if you guys are still alive," though I'm trying to keep my posts to a minimum...

It’s getting pretty quiet in here. Did everyone just collectively decide to ghost me, or what?

👋 👋 👋 👋 👋

😕 😕 😕 😕 😕

I highly suggest you check out http://www.antimult.ru/
Don't let the Romanian language scare you off—just grab the "smokekills"exe file.
It’s a seriously intense little movie about quitting smoking and all the nasty stuff that can happen if you don't...

Hannah Mendoza8

...
Actually, now that I really think about it, I'm never going to quit smoking—why would I deny myself something that actually feels good? 👋

Look, man, I started smoking right around the time you were born, and I used to say that exact same thing all the time. I just hope you realize sooner rather than later that it’s total bullshit!
(Sorry if I sound like a condescending older brother here)🙂

I’m finally getting my act together—if you even consider doing 4 a day "getting it together."
Honestly, I’m kicking myself for not sticking to the "zero" plan from the jump. If I had just stayed disciplined, I’d be sitting at about 50 days clean right now. What a waste.
Anyway, thanks everyone for jumping in so fast to help me out!
👋

Listen, I’m basically inviting you all to come at me—go ahead, spill the tea, tear me apart, throw your worst insults my way, and just... yeah, let it rip.

🙏

thanks Dyna:
...so, the pack is just sitting there next to me the whole time and I'm not even reaching for it....
but man, something is really messing with me, so I need some advice;
it's awful, seriously—my head is spinning like crazy—is that just from the mild withdrawal or what?! ...😲

Get those cigarettes out of your sight right now—toss them as far away as possible—otherwise you’ll be back to your old habit in like 5 or 6 days. That dizziness isn't just withdrawal, you're just missing that "hit"—I know I am! Hang in there!👍

Peter Bennett8 said:Seriously, props to you for not letting those 3 or 4 cigarettes turn into a whole pack. You’re definitely moving in the right direction—I mean, if you actually managed to drop from 40-60 sticks down to just 3 or 4... damn, hats off to you.👍
Just gotta trim it down a tiny bit more...😁

I guess that’s really where the struggle lies. I can't bring myself to promise anyone—including myself—that I won't light up even one more time. Honestly, making a claim like that kind of scares me.🙂

John Hughes26 said:This whole thing doesn't work—it's either you're smoking or you aren't. As long as there's a pack in your pocket, the devil is going to keep whispering in your ear.

I guess I forgot to mention the most important part—my cigarettes are tucked away in the car, so they aren't exactly easy to grab. And I'm not "begging," either. Honestly, I spend half my time telling actual smokers how much of a mistake they're making by not quitting...

Thanks for the advice, Amy Smith. 🙏
I figured this phase where I'm somehow "satisfied" with just 3 or 4 cigarettes is probably gonna fade out eventually—either I'll end up quitting for good or I'll just slip back into regular smoking. But honestly? My mind is already made up. I'm choosing to quit!

Tomorrow marks exactly one month since I managed to slash my habit from about 2 or 3 packs down to just 3 or 4 cigarettes a day. Look, I haven't hit that "total quit" goal I set for myself yet, but honestly? I’m not even mad about where I'm at right now.

Anyway, just thought I'd drop a quick update for everyone following along here.

I’d love to get some input—or just see what you guys think—from the ex-smokers and the people currently planning their exit strategy... what do you make of this middle ground I'm stuck in?!

analogwolf26 said:Basically, quitting smoking just turned me into a total nervous wreck—and should I even mention I'm looking a little rounder around the edges now? Not exactly what I signed up for.
The downsides are pretty much drowning out all those "positive" benefits everyone talks about.

As for my big conclusion—honestly, might as well just start smoking again.

Is anyone else out there dealing with these side effects? Help... 😢

Look, you’ve gotta find some kind of hobby or distraction to kill the jitters (and ideally, something to help with the extra weight, too). Going back to smoking is just a one-way ticket to being even more stressed and miserable. And let's be real—smoking isn't going to magically make you thin. Definitely not!
HANG IN THERE!!!! 👍