ZZYZX 06 Mar 2007 09:16 pm
One Year Anniversary - Woooo Hoooo - Now Back to Work
Today is the first anniversary of my quit. A whole year. It’s a milestone that, a year ago, looked unreachable to me. Now, it seems like it’s not a real big deal. It really feels like just another day in the one-day-at-a-time chain. So I really don’t think it’s a major achievement, I really don’t think I have reached a goal, but it is a good place to evaluate the quit.
The nature of the quit is so much different today than a year ago. When I first started it was a real effort to get through the next minute without running to the nearest convenience store to buy some cigarettes, and smoke them all one after the other. Now I forget I ever smoked for long periods of time, punctuated by short, sharp cravings.
When I smoked my last one, looking ahead to a year without smoking was beyond my imagination. It looked like way more than I could ever do. Now, I can’t imagine going back to smoking.
Last year, I thought I would need a lot of help to get through the tough times, and keep on my quit. Now I know that no one can quit for me, I have to do it, or fail, on my own.
Last year I had no idea that I had the power to quit. Today I know I have that power.
I haven’t had a lot to say on the blog here for the last few months. I feel like I just ran out of stuff to talk about. The quit continues, just like before, one day at a time. The challenges still come up, and I have to still respect the fact that I am one puff away from my old habit of more than a pack a day. I am not completely free of any danger of relapse.
But I am hanging in there, I am a non-smoker. I don’t even really want to smoke anymore. That’s the real promised land of quitting – the total reversal of attitude about smoking. Being a smoker sucks – big time.
Good luck to all of us quitters, and just keep free for one more day at a time. It adds up.
Zzyzx
Last 10 posts by zzyzx
- One Year Anniversary - Woooo Hoooo - Now Back to Work - March 6th, 2007
- Eleven Months!!!!!!! - February 6th, 2007
- Surviving the Holidays - January 4th, 2007
- More Work To Do - December 14th, 2006
- Winter Weather - December 9th, 2006
- Nine Months!!! - December 6th, 2006
- The Neverending Story - November 30th, 2006
- Not-so-happy Holidays - November 27th, 2006
- Thanksgiving - November 21st, 2006
- Still Some Craving - November 18th, 2006
on 06 Mar 2007 at 10:06 pm 1.GareK said …
Z! I’m so so glad to hear you are still going strong. The last post had me worried, and then I didn’t see anything by you for so long.
I relate to feeling like you’d never get there, but then once you do… feeling as though it just flew by. Congrats!
When I started blogging, I pretty much decided that when I got to the point that I didn’t feel that compulsion to post, that’s when I was in my stride as a non-smoker. It means I don’t think about it so much anymore.
Glad you posted! You’re a champ!
~GareK
on 06 Mar 2007 at 10:59 pm 2.robbster said …
Wow! What a wonderful post! Glad to see you back to post zz! Happy first year and congratulations on such a great quit. Also thanks for all that you did for the blog when you were in your prime!
110 posts you did for Ciggyfree sir, and all very much appreciated! Everyone loves ya and feel free to breeze in any old time to post what your heart and soul may desire! Thanks for everything - you da bomb. I see you have met our precious GareK now - Hes has been busy doing technical stuff elsewhere and I am not sure that he will see this post - he just surpassed a month quit.
cheers & hugs,
robbster
on 07 Mar 2007 at 7:44 am 3.zzyzx said …
Thanks, you guys. Robb, I appreciate the opportunity to express myself here, it has been an important part of this quit, and a reason I have been successful.
GareK, you are doing great, and I appreciate reading your posts. I really relate to what you have to say.
We are all a swell bunch of quitters, and we deserve success.
Zzyzx
on 29 May 2007 at 11:21 am 4.Estelle said …
Hi Z CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Sorry it took so long to tell you, had problems with aol now on gmail, much better!! It is great, you went through so much mental anguish not to smoke……….YOU DID IT. Thank You I know there is hope for me. Oct 4,2006 was the start of no cigs. I am still smoke free…Yah Estelle