QUITTING SMOKING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just celebrated my birthday last weekend, and decided to give myself the biggest birthday gift ever...QUIT SMOKING !!! ...Hopefully for the last time.  I have been down this road before, and unfortunately began smoking again. Of course I can tell you a million reasons why I began to smoke, if your a smoker, you get this..."I was stressed out", "Started gradute school", "Changed jobs" and blah...blah...blah it goes on and on!   This time is different, I have "experience" now...I have a better understanding of my addiction and what works and doesn't work...so that's why I'm hopeful that this time around will be a success. I have tried everything and finally discovered that nothing works...the only thing that works, which is the most powerful tool,...is... "YOUR BRAIN" !!!! ...And WOW how it can MESS (for lack of a better word) with your brain.
The first few days are the most difficult...It's like having an "evil friend" who tries every which way, angle, word, phrase possible to convince you that you need smoke again..."Oh, C'mon...one quick puff and the anxiety will pass"..."Maybe you should quit next week"..." Just cut down to a few a day"....This evil friend tries to change my thoughts, sentences and perceptions of reality...."Oh, you didn't even smoke that much, it wasn't harmful"...It is a constant battle, and I'm convinced that it doesnt matter what smoking cessation you try....the bottom line is, it's your brain and your thoughts that determine if your gonna smoke or not !

It has been 6 days since I last picked up a cigarette....and, a few celebratory birthday drinks and several coffee's later....."AND NO CIGARETTE YET".....WOW....CRAZY, I KNOW !

STAY TUNED... AS I CHRONICLE MY JOURNEY...IN HOPES OF HELPING OTHER'S KICK THE HABIT !!!