That's it, MomMom!!!! Perfect answer!! That's what I was trying to say but I took the long, long way around to say it. :blush: Yea Lainey, what MomMom said. ;) Hugs, Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 65 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,953 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $233.35 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 45 [B]Seconds:[/B] 56

Good question Lainey! From the beginning I was always wondering what was meant by the "freedom" that everyone talked about. I decided early on that once I understood what they meant by "freedom" that I would have made it. I am getting there...I've had a few little teasing tastes, but I am still waiting for the whole banana! And I hope it's dipped in chocolate! ;) Then I will know I have [color=Red]MADE IT![/color] :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/14/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 69 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,088 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $334.65 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 9 [B]Hrs:[/B] 13 [B]Mins:[/B] 49 [B]Seconds:[/B] 52

;)... when I totally forget that once I was a smoker! [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/4/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 79 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 398 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $79 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 10 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 47 [B]Seconds:[/B] 7

My original answer was going to be 18 months smoke free. Surely I will be pretty much "out of the woods" by then. It then will have been the longest I have quit since before my first cigarette (one year quit in high school). But, upon reading Jean's post, I know that is the right answer and attitude for me. I've made my goal, to not smoke, right here, right now!!! All that's left is to keep up the good work! A bit of Zen wisdom from Jean49!!! :8|: [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/11/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 13 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 272 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $45.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 36 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

My goal is to continue on with my quit day by day. I can't set a specific number of days where I can say, "I've Made It." Right now, I have quit, I do NOT want to ever smoke again, and I'm teaching myself to live life as a Non Smoker. I'm listening to my mind and body as I go and I believe that the day will come when my mind and body will tell me, "You've made it." Tutti [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 2/18/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 65 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,949 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $233.35 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 35 [B]Seconds:[/B] 33

This is an excellent way to validate your quit! Make yourself a goal, reach it and reward yourself. Set new goals each time and strive to achieve :) Josie _____________________ The SSC Support Team.

[color=Purple]Great topic Lainey... I have to say that I consider myself a non smoker now. I reached my goal as soon as I stopped smoking. Maybe this sounds a little too easy or something.. But my goal has been met - Now it's a matter of 'maintaining' it for the rest of my life. J xo [IMG]http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o304/Monica58/thumbsup-1.gif[/IMG] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 4/4/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 20 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 513 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $205 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 2 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 24 [B]Seconds:[/B] 59

What is your goal? How will you determine that you have "made it"? When will you decide "OK, I have made it, I am officially a non smoker." Will it be 1 year, 2? Six months? Never? I realize there will be 200 different answers for 200 people. I think my goal is to make it to 365 days, then I will feel that I have made it, not that I don't think of myself as a non smoker now, but I consider myself a non smoker in progress. Things that make you go hmmmmmm........ :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/5/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 50 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,261 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $527.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 6 [B]Hrs:[/B] 2 [B]Mins:[/B] 12 [B]Seconds:[/B] 53

It is a journey that will never end, but hopefully gets more and more pleasant :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/16/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 99 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,988 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $277.2 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 9 [B]Hrs:[/B] 16 [B]Mins:[/B] 10 [B]Seconds:[/B] 49

Great topic lainey, Funny.... I have been thinking about this. Sometimes it is easy to feel tired or worn out. There is somekind of relief you want...but you can't put your finger on it. I'm so afraid to look for a date to be "free" because I fear the date will arrive and I will be dissapointed. I do remember YEARS AGO...a guy who quit said it took him two years before he felt he was over it. At the time his statement blew my mind. I see what he said could be true as there is some of you with awesome stats that say you still "think" about it. Maybe not physical craves...but thoughts. That is what I find scary! To me freedom means a free mind. In reality I have made it this long thinking this way: Was I really free before??...as a smoker?? I don't think so. I thought of the whole deal of smoking much more as a smoker! Being a smoker is ALL CONSUMING ALSO. We forget that. All day every minute smoking was on my mind. Not forgetting if I threw them in my purse...if I had enough to last...would I get cancer...where's my lighter...is smoking allowed where I'm going... how long would I have to go without a smoke at events....when would be the day I would finally quit...yadda yadda ... So I rather be consumed being a non smoker...than overwhelmed being a smoker. Both ways take allot of effort......but the right way brings rewards. (like the beach!) LOL ;p I like posts like this. It breaks down our thought processes in sections we can easily digest. Thanks Lainey Mercy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/21/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 94 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 1,888 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $420.18 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 12 [B]Hrs:[/B] 5 [B]Mins:[/B] 52 [B]Seconds:[/B] 56