When I stopped smoking, especially in the first few days, I thought that I was going to be going out of my mind wanting a cigarette for the rest of my life - and sure enough, even after a month, I still have good days and bad days.

Unfortunately I'm not in my usual routine at the moment (work, work and a bit more work) and I think that makes it more difficult.  If I go out and enjoy myself, I invariably want to enjoy myself with a smoke - it's just difficult to unlearn something you've done for over 20 years, but (and this is the thing that really surprised me) it's not impossible - in fact it's easier than I thought!

I'm still taking Champix and I believe that's actually half of the problem - the side effects aren't great.  One day I'll just want to sleep all day, and then I'll have a spell when all I want to do is bounce off the walls I feel so energetic! And then there's the stomach cramps etc.  I was following a forum in Aus, and everyone agreed Champix makes you feel like crap - but nowhere near as crap as chemotherapy or whatever else you might experience if you continue to smoke.  That really resonated with me.

A while back I found myself lecturing a friend about giving up smoking (a really bad thing to  do!), and a few nights ago  we were talking and she started the conversation by congratulating me on my progress - as the conversation continued she mentioned "Will Power" - and I've heard this a lot:  "I don't have the will power to give up smoking".

This is sooooo wrong!   I have got next to no will power whatsoever (just like my friend).  But I'm as stubborn as a mule! (just like her!) :) I make my mind up and dig my heels in - as my mum would say "it's sheer bloody mindedness" (not normally a good personality trait).  But it works.

Sure, to do this day (even after a month), my brain is still saying "go on, have a smoke - you deserve it!"... it's at that point I find something else to occupy my mind.  But after a month, the urge to smoke is less frequent... and it will get better as time passes, I'm sure of that.

So apologies if you made it this far - I've not  posted anything in ages, so had a lot to "off load"!

Hope everyone is doing fine with their quits, and using all of that extra cash to buy something nice for their nearest and dearest for Xmas this year! :)

Now off to sign up to the quest, so expect more posts in the near future! :)