Kimberly Quits Smoking: One Week Update

I have felt every single second of those ten days, twelve hours and fifty minutes these past two days.

I'd hoped when I reached this stage, my cues (or smoking triggers) would have subsided to a large degree but I've had several moments over the last 48 hours where I was close to yearning for one. I didn't give in to it. I didn't even get close.

When I experience those frequent but fleeting moments, I repeat the bible verse from Philippians 4:13 , 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'

I also remind myself of the support and encouragement you've shown and those urges are easy to ride out.

The first day wasn't as hard as I expected, but the second day was way worse than I remembered from before. My irritation and anger peaked around lunch on my second day, but the feeling I had when I first woke up that third morning was almost worth the pain. I felt like I'd weathered a storm. I felt lighter.

Days three through eight were uneventful, but steady and consistent. I would think I wanted a cigarette, remind myself I really didn't and keep going.

Something seemed to shift around Day nine however, and I find myself fighting over  my cravings more often and longer. It's almost as if my internal junkie is giving myself one last shot to pick up and resume the habit but I haven't even held a cigarette since I smoked my last. I'm not turning back. Period.

One side effect that's been ZERO fun is the bone-numbing lethargy. By 3:00 in the afternoon, I'm dragging and pretty much worthless. I don't really feel any better yet but everyone says to be patient and I am. I really have no other option.

I continue to count down the days until I've got an entire month under my belt. 30 days has been my Achilles Heel attempted to quit but I'm going to actually quit this time.

You can bank on that.