Dharma

(Smoke :) Free since 01/23/2000)

"Old Fogey3"

(Photo updated 01/11/2004)

Dharma's Ramble
Most of you won't remember me, but I wanted to take the time to drop in and let you know that it CAN be done! I smoked a pack (sometimes more) a day for 25 years and successfully quit with the help and support of Blairsville. I'm so proud to say that I haven't had a single puff since the day I quit! Quitting smoking is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life AND the most worthwhile. My life has changed incredibly since I quit smoking. The best advise I can give is to remember that CRAVINGS ALWAYS PASS...NO MATTER WHAT!If I can help anyone with their quit please feel free to email me.....I don't have time to drop in here too often, I started my own web design business at the beginning of the year and am swamped with work...something I NEVER would have had the courage to do when I was smoking! Good luck to all of you...stay strong in your resolve and keep in mind...you can do ANYTHING you want to, EXCEPT SMOKE!!! Peace and Love, Dharma <4umj@home.com>
Webmaster, Essentially Zen Web Design

Dharma's Two Year Ramble Hi Everyone.... I was reading all of your posts and felt compelled to post a message to all of you that are fighting the good fight! It was almost 2 years ago that I decided that 25 years of smoking a pack and a half a day was ENOUGH and that I needed to quit. I found "Blairsville" in Dec/99 and set my quit date for Jan/23 2000. It was the most difficult decision I've ever made, and I've managed to never have another puff since that day!!!! It wasn't easy and I took it day by day......and eventually the cravings subsided and life became "normal" without a cigarette. Today, almost 2 years later I am amazed at all the changes in my life since I quit. My health has improved ALOT, no more morning cough, no more wheezing, no more huffing and puffing. I smell grrrreat..my clothes and home and car smell great too. My kids swear they'll NEVER SMOKE and are really proud of me! Anyhow, I wanted you to know that all the work it takes to quit REALLY PAYS OFF! I'm so happy to be a non smoker now and will NEVER have another puff.......hang in there everyone, YOU CAN DO IT TOO!!!!

Wishing you Peace, Dharma

1 year, 11 months , 17500 NOT smoked and an extra 2 months to live this glorious life!

Sophie

(Smoke :) Free since 01/23/2000)

"Old Fogey3"

Reserved for Blanche

(Smoke :) Free since 01/26/2000)

"Old Fogey3"

Reserved for KathyE

(Smoke :) Free since 02/13/2000)

"Old Fogey3"

Thank you Blairsville. I sat at my computer at 10:00 p.m. last Feb. 13th and typed in "smoking" and that's how I found Blairsville, Thank God!!!!!
I thought I could never, never, never, ever, ever, ever quit smoking and I mean never. After 34 years and a pack/day with maybe a day quit here or there, I have made it to one year. I don't know what feels sweeter right now, my one year or when I reached one week!!! They both feel good but reaching that hell week "really empowered me".

Quitting smoking is "EMPOWERMENT".

  • Was quitting hard? Yup, hardest thing I've ever done.
  • Will it make you go nuts? Oh, sure for awhile.
  • Will you lose your mind? another yes
  • Will you feel like you're from a different planet? Oh, yes, a different galaxy even!!
  • Will you cry? yup, when you least expect it.
  • Will you be angry, irritable, etc.? Sure, quitting smoking is all about feelings.
  • Will people want to avoid you? maybe, a yes for me.
  • Will you crave nicotene? OH YEAH, for a few days big time.
  • Will you think that smoking will help your stress and problems? Of course, but Blairsville will help set the record straight on that one.
  • Will you think "I can have just one"? Oh yes, but you're posting on Blairsville, so they'll help.
  • Can you have just one? NO!!!!!!
  • Will you eat more? Hmmmmmmm, let me count the number of empty "Twinkie" and bags of popcorn, candy in my garbage.
  • Will you put on weight? Maybe, I did and I have taken it off.
  • Will you want a cigarette so bad you go to bed early the first few weeks of your quit just not to smoke? YES, I DID THAT.
  • Will you just be beside yourself? Yes.
  • Will you feel like you want to smoke again and just can't keep your quit? YES, of course you will, but keep posting.
  • Will you feel like you not yourself? oh, yeah..........
  • Will you need support, patches, Zyban etc.,? Maybe, everyone is different, just don't smoke.

    Enough of the Crappy stuff, read on.............

    And WHEN YOU QUIT AND DURING YOUR QUIT,

  • Will you feel LIKE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, LIKE YOU ARE WONDER WOMAN. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • CAN YOU BREATHE BETTER? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARE YOU SAVING MONEY? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • DO YOU FEEL LIKE WONDER WOMAN AGAIN WHEN YOU GET THRU HELL WEEK? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • WILL YOU MAKE NEW FRIENDS AT BLAIRSVILLE? YES!!!!!!!!
  • DO YOU SMELL BETTER? YES!!!!!!!!!!
  • DO YOU TASTE BUDS AWAKEN? YES, (ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF MY QUIT)
  • DO YOU LUNGS START TO HEAL? YES!!!!!!!!!
  • DO YOU START TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF? YES!!!!!!!!!
  • DO YOU FEEL LESS OUT OF BREATH CLIMBING STAIRS, ETC? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • DO YOU SIMPLY FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS? YES!!!!!!!!
  • DO YOU LEARN NEW THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF AND FEELINGS? YES, A BIG PLUS.
  • DO YOU SLEEP BETTER? YES
  • DOES YOUR CAR SMELL BETTER? YES.
  • AGAIN, DO YOU FEEL GREAT? YES.
  • DO YOU HAVE A DAY, WHEN YOU THINK "GEE, I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT SMOKING ALL MORNING?" OH, YEAH THAT'S A GOOD ONE.
  • ARE YOU NO LONGER CONTRIBUTING TO HARMING YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY WITH SECOND HAND SMOKE? YES!!!!!!
  • DO YOU FEEL A NEW FOUND FREEDOM? YES!!!!!!
  • DOES YOUR SON QUIT SMOKING? MINE DID!!!!!!!!
  • IS HE STILL QUIT? YES!!!!
  • CAN YOU WALK AND EXERCISE AGAIN? OH YES!!!!!!
  • DO YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE BLAIRSVILLE? OH YES!!!!!
  • DO START TO FEEL A PART OF THE WORLD AGAIN? YES
  • ARE YOU STANDING OUT IN THE FREEZING RAIN, SNOW, ETC., SMOKING? HECK, NO.
  • Are you meeting the nicest people on Blairsville? oh, yes.
  • Can you cry for help and get a ton of responses? oh, yes, 'cause Blairsville cares.

    Tommyboy says quitting smoking is 85 percent determination, I think he is so right. When I quit, it was hard and I bit the proverbial bullet and didn't smoke.

    Blairsville works and Blairsville simply ROCKS!!!!!

    You've got to want your quit more than anything, and know this, it gets better. Everyone's quit is different, some people feel better sooner than others.

    One thing I did read on Blairsville and I don't remember who wrote it was: that, babies will grow to find the smell of smoke comforting because they had parent/s who smoked when they were babies!! Oh my God, when I read that I cried!!! Smoking is just not about us the smoker.

    Thank you Blairsville for saving my life.
    Sincerely,
    Kathy E quit 2/13/00 "ONE YEAR"
    KMQ - for you Sherry, I took it from you!!!!     Kathy's 2 year "ramble"

    "2 Smokefree Years" for me Today Attn: Newbies and anyone else who is...struggling with their quit, I have FOUR words to say:

    YOU CAN QUIT SMOKING! Quitting is hard, there's no way around that but please stick with it and you will reap enormous rewards. Remember as Charlene said earlier today,
    "Smoking is no longer an option".

    Believe you can quit and you will, stick to it, don't smoke no matter what. It doesn't make anything better and it never did make anything better. Those first few weeks of my quit, I went to bed early just not to smoke, do whatever it takes and most times the only thing to do is just don't smoke. It's not easy and if you do smoke, don't beat yourself up. Pick another quit time and do it, that ole nicodemon WANTS US TO THINK WE CAN'T DO IT BUT WE CAN!!!!!!!!

    Nicotene is an addiction but believe me you can quit, stick to Blairsville, post your heart out and laugh, cry, get mad and get silly whatever it takes. Hmmm, don't want to quit 'cause you'll gain weight well, wouldn't you rather be healthy to live to lose any weight you might gain.

    I had jury duty last week and it was cold and raining and I stayed inside where it was warm and realized I didn't have to go out smoke and be all smelly when I come in. It was fabulous not to smoke!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Please do whatever it takes not to smoke!! And, if you need to see a Doctor then do it, everyone is different.

    IMPORTANT: Support is what helped me to keep my quit, without it, I know I would be smoking. So, please stick to Blairsville and your quit. As Sherry once told me
    "Hold tight to your quit and make it yours".

    And my favorite mantra from Bob
    "There's alot more to quitting smoking than quitting smoking".

    And it's a continous journey..........

    And to Rita who once posted that babies of parents who smoke grow up to find the smell of cigarette smoke comforting. Thank you, that hit me like a ton of bricks, oh my God, when I read that....

    Thank you God and Blairsville and Blair for setting up this community on the internet. I love Blairsville!!

    Sherry, I love you and I'm KMQ (keeping my quit)!!
    Sincerely,
    Kathy E

    quit 2/13/00 after 34 years with maybe a one day quit here and there, I never thought I could quit, never, never, never but I stuck and will stick to Blairsville.

    Reserved for Brad L

    (Smoke :) Free since 02/13/2000)

    "Old Fogey3"

    DeniseNC

    (Smoke :) Free since 02/15/2000)

    "Old Fogey3"

    Armen

    (Smoke :) Free since 02/20/2000)

    "Old Fogey3"

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