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What it Means to Be and Ex-Smoker
Are you powerful enough to quit smoking? Yes, of course you are! But unless you believe you have that power, you may find yourself trying and failing to quit over and over again.
One of the most important steps toward successfully quitting smoking is believing you have the ability to do so. But to believe it, you must see it. You must be able to visualize yourself successfully quitting, and living the life of an ex-smoker.
In a previous issue of The Quit Smoking Report I asked readers to send in a one-paragraph statement of "What it Means to Be an Ex-Smoker." So many people sent in their "visions", and I will share some of the best here. Space doesn't permit all of them to appear here, so I've put all of the entries on our web site. Be sure to read them all. Then take just five minutes to write down YOUR vision of what it means to be an ex-smoker. Read it at least three times per day and begin to believe that you are living that life.
Hi everyone. Ah, to be an ex smoker. It means freedom from bondage. I
was a slave to cigarettes. It means fresher breath, more money, dating non
smokers, no more hacking, a cleaner smelling home and car. The greatest
advantage will be a longer life, and my small children will no longer have
to breathe in second hand smoke.
Sincerely,
Cindy Murphy
What not smoking means to me is freedom. I don't have to stop what I am
doing to have a cigarette. I don't have to stand out in the cold on my
break to smoke. I can sit and watch a movie without thinking "I can't
wait til this movie is over so I can go out and have a cigarette." I
have control of my life now not the cigarettes. I can go anywhere I want
and not have to worry that it is non smoking. it feels good to be free
from cigarettes.
Wanda Young
What it means to be an ex-smoker...it means the world to me!! I feel
healthier than I have in a long time...just the thought that I control my
life now is great!!!!!!!!! I no longer have to answer to a
cigarette/nicotine. I no longer have the 'smoker' smell lingering around
me. I no longer have to take breaks outside during work because I need a
fix. I'm no longer tied to a death stick. What more can you ask for!!!!
Michelle Kopidlansky
Being an ex-smoker means freedom. An ex-smoker has the freedom to sit
through a three-hour movie without having to leave for a smoke. An
ex-smoker has the freedom to leave the house without worrying that they do
not have enough smokes to last the day. An ex-smoker has the freedom to
attend any function they wish without wondering how long they will have to
go without a smoke, or how they can slip away for a quick smoke. All the
little fears and stressors associated with smoking are gone. No longer do
the cravings start shortly after the last smoke is put out. No longer does
the ex-smoker have to stand out side in the rain, subzero temperatures, or
other inclement weather every hour to feed the addiction. Walking into a
restaurant becomes a pleasure as the ex-smoker proudly asks for a table in
the non-smoking area. The ex-smoker is free of the guilt that is
associated with smoking. Most of all the ex-smoker is free to celebrate
life, and to experience all that life has to offer without being subject
to a small tube of tobacco.
Mike Lingrell
It means I'll be able to see my children grow up and have money for
food , utilities, cookouts etc.
Laura
Hi,
I'm happy to tell you what it means to me to be an ex-smoker. First, it
means there is no more smelly house, clothes, hair and car. My Husband
LIKES to kiss me now. It means I have a better chance to see my Grandson
grow up. It means I wake up in the morning without the cough to jump start
my lungs. It means IF I get a cold, it doesn't last as long as when I
smoked. It means, I saved enough money to take my Hubby to Florida on
vacation. It means food tastes better. And last but not least, I have been
able to help other smokers who want to quit, with advice and support. On
Aug. 31st, I'll celebrate my first of many years, smoke free!!
Sandi Kennedy
FREEDOM:
1. from not constantly checking before I do ANYTHING to make sure I
have my "Security Butts" with me.
2. from that awful odor when I get into my car or go into the closed-up
house and that dead smoke/cigarette odor hits me.
3. from that constant cough and throat clearing.
4. from spending my last 3 - 4 dollars before payday on something that
makes me ill, makes me smell bad and uses money I could be doing something
productive with (can save myself a minimum of $1266/year)
Judith Morrison
To be an ex-smoker means that you feel in control of your life again,
with each passing day you feel this strength growing inside you because
you did it, you finally did it. It means that your clothes don't smell
anymore, your fingers are not yellow, your friends don't leave the table
as they used to do when you reached for a cigarette, you don't have to
have a constant supply of mints and breath freshener in your bag, the
ashtray in your car looks unused, you don't accidentally make holes in
your sofa or carpet anymore. And believe it or not my cat used to leave
the room every time I smoked. He cuddles up with me now and just for that
it is great to be an ex-smoker.
Mayca Estevez
To be an ex-smoker is to accelerate a natural function. All smokers
WILL QUIT. That is a known fact. Sooner or later, all smokers WILL QUIT.
Those that wait until they are deathly ill, or wait until they stop
breathing surely wish they had quit earlier. For me, being an ex-smoker
means that I've taken control of that part of my life. I made a choice to
stop smoking -- just as I had chosen to start smoking -- just as I had
chosen to addict myself to smoking. I've made that vital change in my
life. We all will be ex-smokers someday. Being an ex-smoker today is
frankly just better than waiting until tomorrow.
Curtis Sieber
Being an ex-smoker means better sleep, more money and not feeling
embarrassed when I smoked because of people making faces. It means a clean
house for me, better smelling clothes and body. Not smoking also means
spending time with my family and all of us, including me, being smoke free
and much healthier and happier.
Laura Kent
It has been great for me. I love the total freedom of not worrying
about when can I have the next one and just working my schedule around
them. I still have my good and bad days but I am so glad that I have done
this for myself and for my family. If anyone out there is having problems
with their quit just remember that you can do it you have the strength
within you to defeat it. It is a terrible addiction and you can overcome
it and it has such wonderful rewards.
Sincerely,
Cindy Kern
My husband and I quit smoking two months ago. We both used Wellbutrin,
and it was easier to stop. What it means to us is not being a slave to the
smoke. We always went outside to smoke, and it seems that we were always
outside. It's amazing how much time we have now for other things. Let's
not forget to mention the money we've saved ($300 in just two months).
After smoking for 35 years, and after numerous times trying to quit, I
think we'll stick with it this time. To anyone trying to quit, stick with
it. It takes time, and with time it does get easier. You deserve a lot of
credit for the effort. It truly is a hard thing to do, but well worth the
benefits.
Annie W.
Having quit smoking I save £4 on a pack a day as I live in the UK.
Having quit smoking I know what my food really tastes like. Having quit
smoking I climb stairs without puffing and panting. Having quit smoking my
clothes no longer smell. Having quit smoking I gave the practice nurse at
the doctor's office print outs of quitsmoking.com so I am now helping
others quit and passing the word about the website. Thanks again. (Seven
months coming up 7/27/2000)
Love
Maman
What it means to me to be an exsmoker is "life", I nearly
killed myself smoking, I was really sick with cancer, very depressed, my
life was going nowhere, I wanted to die. My children talked me into having
surgery and radiation, after that I went to support groups, and started my
tobacco prevention program, So "life" is what being an exsmoker
means to me, life is so precious.
Marlene E. Snider
Freedom is a very good word to describe how I feel. I no longer have to
worry about going someplace and when/where I will smoke. I feel free to go
anywhere I want. My self-esteem has also improved. I no longer feel like a
"second-class citizen" because I'm a smoker. I don't get dirty
looks from non-smokers anymore. I also feel better about my health. I am
watching my mother slowly decline; she smokes about 2 packs per day. I
decided that I did not want to end up like her. I enjoy exercising and I
would not feel vital if I could no longer do that. So I take each day as
it comes and every day that I do not smoke I thank God for giving me the
strength to quit.
Amy Szoszorek
On April 24th of 1999 I really and truly quit. Now I not only don't
stink, I realize that I did. I'm not wasting peoples time by making them
wait while I dart off to have a cigarette. I don't have to worry about the
price of cigarettes. I don't have to run out late at night and put myself
in danger just because I forgot to pick up cigarettes and I'm out. I can
run more than a block without sinking to my knees. I can brag that no one
in my family smokes. I can say (smugly or otherwise) when asked for a
light, "Sorry, I don't smoke." I can be proud of myself.
Anonymous
It means no burns on my clothes, no ashes falling on my floor or into
my lap, being able to breathe when I go up stairs, clothes not smelling
like "old butts", not worrying about polluting my
grandchildren's bodies, not coughing a lung out when I wake up in the
morning, not hurrying out of a "no-smoking" establishment to
grab a puff as soon as I get outside the door, and not cleaning over-full
ashtrays. My quit day is July 17. I'm hoping remembering all these things
eases some of the discomfort.
Bonar
Quitting smoking is the one thing in my life I can be very proud of. It
has been the hardest thing. My slip ups are hard on me and my children.
But they are few. When I look back at the last 30 years smoking, I know if
I quit, I can have the possibility of looking at the next 30 years. Thank
you for your newsletters!
Sincerely,
Doreen
Hello. Today is July 13 and I have been a non-smoker
now for 36 days. This is my 4th attempt and I believe that I am going to
make it. Since June 6, I have been hiking/running with my father-in-law,
and mountain biking with my father to curb my cravings, although I don't
physically feel the need to smoke, sometimes it just feels odd to not have
a lung-rocket hanging from my lips. I feel more alive now, I enjoy pushing
my body to being physically fit again. It seems as if I am tasting food
for the first time, I can smell the flowers again. I have more energy
every day. But the best part of being a non-smoker is looking into my
boys' eyes (ages 4 and 6) and knowing that I am no longer harming them,
and knowing that they recognize that I am no longer harming myself either.
Good luck to all of you.
Jesse Forand
Fred, you asked me to tell you what not smoking means to me? It means I
now have choices. I smoked for over 40-years, up to three packs a day.
Yesterday I celebrated my 55th birthday, and I will always be a smoker.
The difference now is I take it one day at a time. Next month in August,
it will be two years choosing not to smoke one day at a time. When you
choose, you are the one in control. It is wonderful.
Thanks for being there for me,
Bev Oros
What it means to me to quite smoking........not having to use my
inhaler/nebulizer as often. Not scrounging around enough money to buy
another pack when I can't even afford to pay all my rent. Not having to
leave any building when I wanted to smoke. Actually the cigarette smokes,
I was just the sucker on the end of it. I'm on day five without a smoke.
So far, so good. I can do this.
Virvorer
If I can be an ex-smoker it would mean I could be proud of me for
accomplishing what I know to be a very difficult taks. It would mean I
could breathe through my nose again. It would mean my children wouldn't
run from the room or roll down the car windows when I "lite up".
Most importantly, it would mean I have regained control of my life and
given myself a better chance to live a longer, healthier life. Of course,
I'd have to figure out what to do with the money I'd be saving but I'm
sure I could figure out something.
Karen N.
Quitting smoking means to me that I will be creating a better life for
my children and a better role model, they are still young so they will
hopefully not follow my horrible example. I also means that I will be able
to have more energy to want to play with them and have more money to buy
them things and maybe even have enough left over for me, But I want to be
the best mother in the world to my children, and as a smoker I couldn't be
that person, not with out putting there health in danger, what kind of
mother have I been to them, It would mean the world to my children to
provide them with safer and better air to breathe. My quit date is July
15, 2000, and I can do it, I believe in ME!
April Anderson
Being smoke-free means I can enter a roomful of people and not be
constantly sniffling or clearing my throat or coughing. I can relax,
breathe deep and enjoy whatever I'm doing without the cloud of smoke, or
needing a smoke. I feel clean and calm and much more alive!
Ruby Tuesday
What it means to me to be an ex-smoker? I have alot more money for
food! HAHAHA! Actually at the end of the day I don't feel like I have run
a marathon and can breath clearly! Thanks for the support! Keep up the
good work! I know I need it!
Jenifer Emt
What it means to quit smoking is to be able to breathe and maybe my
health will improve to the point that I can enjoy life again. Maybe I
won't wake up (or be afraid to go to sleep) gasping for air. Maybe I will
be able to stop wondering when the next emergency room visit will be.
Maybe I can go off all the medicine that keeps me breathing and then I can
lose the weight I gained from it. It means that maybe I will have my life
back.
Rose Stegenga (Recently quit)
This may sound a bit racy, but one of the benefits of quitting smoking
for men AND women is increased enjoyment of sex. Much of our sexual
function relies on good circulation- our genitals engorge with blood when
we are aroused. Many male smokers have erectile dysfunction because of
their smoking. Both genders will experience enhanced sexual functioning on
a purely physical level. In addition, waking up earlier with more energy,
something that happens to a lot of people who quit smoking, creates new
opportunities for amorous activity. Your breath smells great, your skin
glows, you have increased cardiovascular functioning for vigorous
activity. Being a lover is a great way to work off some of that nervous
tension that occurs from withdrawal. To me, being a nonsmoker means being
a better lover.
Sonya Thompson
Ahh.....what it means to me to be a non-smoker. I smell better. I can
stand close to someone without being ashamed of smelling like smoke or
having them move farther away from me. I look better. My skin has a
cleaner, pinker look and the wrinkles seem to be going away. I am free-er.
I don't have that panic feeling that I used to get when I was down to my
last 2 or 3 cigarettes or have to run to the liquor store at midnite so
I'll have a cigarette when I wake up. I can breathe. It feels so good to
take a deep breath without wheezing. Or having cough fits...Yecht..... I
have more money. When I go to the store and see a pack of cigs for $3.50
per pack. I buy myself some flowers and enjoy their fragrance and beauty
and think of how proud I am of Me. I quit smoking Christmas '98 after
smoking for over 40 years. I love myself. My diet is getting better and I
take better care of myself because I'm worth it!!
Jane ;-)
Hi This must be the umpteenth time I tried. I have been on the habit
for more than 25 years. I tried everything. This time I went cold turkey.
First three days was hellish, but I persisted. I was having headaches,
irritable and miserable. Thanks goodness I was on holiday with a group of
non smokers, that helped tremendously. Its been a year now. I feel good. I
smell better and have more stamina. I put on five kilos but have shed it
since. Its been a waste of money not to mention at the expense of my
lungs. I get bronchitis in cold climates. Seek divine help and have a
personal mentor or coach. It helps.
God Bless.
Victor Tng
I stopped smoking and started living a year and 4 months ago. I'm very,
very happy that I have been able to make other habits, healthier and more
positive ones, that haven't replaced smoking, but have enriched my life.
The quit smoking web site, e-letter and stories have helped tremendously.
Thank you.
Dan Henegan
Richard J. Denney
I am a 25 year old woman who had been smoking a pack a day for a little
over 8 years until about 2 months ago. I loved smoking. It had
become part of my personality over the years. The reason I quit was
that I had a series of horrible and graphic dreams that I was in the final
stages of lung cancer. I was in a cold ugly hospital room and I was bald,
pale, terribly skinny, vomiting, gasping for breath, and in great, great
pain. I saw all of my family around me crying. The dreams went
on this way for what seemed forever. When I awoke, I threw away my
cigarettes and vowed to always hold those dreams close to me as a reminder
of what would happen to me if I started up again. I haven't smoked
since. It hasn't been easy, but it really hasn't been as hard as I
originally thought. So, I guess what it means to be an ex-smoker for
me is peace of mind.
Nicole Barker
I am a smoker who chooses not to smoke,Oct.2 7:00 pm 1989 I made the commitment
to myself. I used nicorette gum to help me in my fight, I still use it to
this day long ago I reduced the use somewhat by cutting it in 4 pieces and
adding a small piece of sugarless gum. It helps me to keep on top of the fight. I
am angry to the bone with the tobacco company that invaded my young body
and MIND with such a lethal substance, it has influenced my entire life in
a negative way. I am 60 years old now and still addicted but I am winning
the fight.
Jo Ann Bethea-Core
In August, I will be smoke free for one year after 40 years of smoking
(up to 3 packs a day). For the most part, I don't miss it.
Once in a while I do...like when I lost my job last November and again
this June. But I have stayed strong thanks to people like Fred Kelly and
his great newsletters. Incidentally I quit cold turkey because I am
allergic to so many things. But it can be done. It means I am
a strong person and it also means I am not alone out there. There
are many others who have done it and continue to do so. Please keep
up the great work Fred. Thanks again
Anonymous
My husband & I quit smoking together last Nov.. We decided to
quit using Zyban as we didn't trust our own will power. The actual
quitting takes about 2 weeks(we figure). The physical withdrawal is
only a few days at worst but the body goes through SO MUCH cleaning up
that it feels like a couple of weeks before the body settles into the new
routines. At first, we thought of smoking all the time(more him than
me) and had vivd dreams of everybody smoking, including young children!
My like dreams have stopped and my cravings have turned to disgust of the
whole habit but because it's been so long, I totally sympathize with those
trying to quit because I know how badly they want to and I keep
encouraging them without pestering them.
Leslie Skelton
Want to add your one-paragraph explanation of "What it Means to Be an Ex-Smoker"? Just email it to whatitmeans@quitsmoking.com
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