Congrats PRB your out of the woods now

Gone an entire day without a cigarette! I've tried multiple times to quit but have always ended up giving in by evening. I've learned, from trying before, that you have to actually want to quit for it to be possible, and I have the want this time. I told my wife on Wednesday of last week that I was going to cut back and make the pack I had at that time last through the weekend and that I'd made up my mind that today was the day. I did what I said regarding the last pack and made it on 14 cigarettes from last Wednesday morning until last night when I finished them off. I saved that last one until bedtime last night and told myself that it would be the last one I'd ever smoke. My mindset on quitting is completely different than it's been with all of the other times I've tried and the fact that I've gone an entire day without running to the store to buy a pack has added to my motivation. I even got out and went for a walk with the wife this afternoon. I wish I could take back the last 15 years, before I picked up the habit, but what's done is done. Hopefully winning the battle now will allow me to spend many extra years with my wife and kids. That's enough motivation to make me look forward to being a non-smoker. Now, on to day two!

One other thing to remember and motivate you. It is a statistical fact that kids of smokers are much more likely to smoke that kids of non-smokers. My step kids are 24, 22, and 16. All three have smoked and the older two still do. I can't forgive myself for my contribution to their bad habits. I wanted my son to see me go through the hard times in life without a crutch so he can see that it is possible and we don't need addictions.

I'm happy to update that I haven't had a single puff of a cigarette since May 22. I still have urges occasionally, but they are less and less very day.

One drawback I've noticed is that I seem to have a shorter fuse and sometimes my wife and kids get the raw end of that. My wife understands the "why" when I have my moods. My kids, probably not so much. I do make it a point to talk to them and try and explain that I don't mean to be the bad guy that I come across as sometimes. I only hope that will get better and that they somewhat understand in the meantime. I have gotten better at attempting to control myself when I feel the stress building, but I'm a fairly high strung person in general, and sometimes simple issues build and set me off. I feel bad that my family have had to deal with my stress brought on by withdrawals from a habit that I should've never had to begin with.

I hope they realize that I'm not only fighting the fight for my health, but for them, and more time on this Earth with them, as well. I pray about it each day and try to handle the stress, without the vice of smoking, a little better each time it arises.

It gets better everyday, but it hasn't been easy.