Skimming Stones | Sula's Blog | Sula1968 A South African poet, potter and mother
For two weeks my blue lighter has rattled around partnerless in my handbag. For a long time, low energy levels and a general feeling of fogginess, had me thinking of quitting smoking. I also begrudged the time and mental space which smoking occupied in my life. The time was nearing to say goodbye to my old friend.
On return from our December Cape Town trip, I decided to drop to one a day, with a view to stopping completely. This worked for about two weeks then some days I had 2, then 3, then 4. I realized that half measures do not work for me. When the figure crept to 4, I decided to quit for lent. I haven’t done a Lenten sacrifice for years. Obviously come Easter I don’t plan to light up again, I simply can’t.
This is where I am at after 2 weeks smoke free.
- For about 2 months I had a daily, very irritating twitch in my eyelid and sometimes my lip. No information which I found linked smoking as a possible cause, but by day 2 of not smoking the twitch vanished.
- Possibly because I was ready and had cut down, the cravings have not been as bad as anticipated. Maybe choosing lent allowed for some divine intervention.
- I love not feeling controlled by when I will have my next smoke. I only ever smoked outside which meant stopping what I was doing to go for a smoke break.
- The dreams have started. I had these before, during an unsuccessful attempt to quit. I dream that I have smoked and feel so disappointed with myself. It’s a relief to wake and find that I’m still on track.
- I still think of myself as a smoker. I liked being a smoker. Cliff always hated the habit but I didn’t stop for him or for my children. I quit because I was ready. Selfish but I believe this is the only way that I will succeed.
All is not lost. The revised plan is to take it up again when I turn 80. Now I have one aspect of my twilight years to look forward to. Heck I may as well take up drugs then too, not much to lose is there? It’s always nice to have a light at the end of the tunnel.
My quit date is 18th Feb 2015. Roll on the 1 month milestone.
Thanks to Dianne from ‘Chad Life Us’ her posts after quitting have been an inspiration. Below are links to a few but she has written many more.
Her post after 2 weeks and 2 days
After 19 months, she has 1 tip,
Well done! So proud of you 🙂 Love that you have planned to start again at 80, hahaha, had to chuckle at that!!
Thank you Claire 🙂
Well done Sula! I have never been a smoker so I have no idea but have seen my hubby quitting for 4 years and starting again when the twins were 4 days old .
Thank you Cat. Yup I can see twins pushing one over the edge 🙂
Good for you. I gave up six years ago and it is the best thing I ever did. I know it is really hard BUT you CAN do it.
Thank you, every story of people succeeding in quitting is such an encouragement.
Congratulations on your two week mark, every little step is worth a celebration. I am so happy to have been an inspiration to you through all my grouchy posts and thank you for including my posts in your post. It is a real bummer when you love smoking and you say goodbye to your best friend, but so agree with you about being ready and doing it for yourself. I am assuming you have smoked for about as long as what I did, it is a lifetime change you need to adjust to. HaHa Yes you did look quite the natural. The dreams are the worst and well done again
🙂 I started when I was 15, didn’t have to force myself to like it, took to cigs like the proverbial duck to water
Me too, was addicted by the age of 15, but started around 14. It was so much easier to smoke when we were younger and so fashionable not antisocial at all. The smoking laws have done a lot of good in that respect, but kids still smoke.
Congrats! Its a great achievement and one that does not come easily to many people! Keep it up!
Well done Sula! I don’t smoke but have witnessed my dad try and stop and it only ever lasted a day/two – his moodiness without the smokes were unbearable. We still trying to motivate him to stop.
Good on you for reaching your two week mark, I know you will soon reach the one month mark 🙂