Day 1... I quit

[ChristopherJ]

3,100 miles.
That was the sum total of driving on the latest family road trip.

Holy. Shit.

I barely sit still for an entire movie so, yeah, epic feat for me to sit on my ass, in a car, all day, and... drive! 3ish years ago the mere thought of a few weeks on the road would've freaked me out. Big. I would have found, or made, some secret compartment in the car to stash as many cans as I thought necessary. Some of you know exaaaactly what I'm talking about! It was just sad and a total waste of energy y'know?

Pathetic.

Anyway... I gots no real nugget of wisdom to lay down here. Just a reminder to myself and an encouragement to anyone else... noob or vet... freedom is soooo much more than just "not chewing". It's a truly untethered life, man. It's not even the "I don't think about it anymore" stage because, dammit, I still do on occasion. Especially a 10 hr day on the road! Nah... freedom is that stage where even having the occasional crave doesn't matter because it has no more power over you. None. Fear and shame and all the other bullshit our addiction saddled us with goes away. We win. Guys/gals... if you own this... really own the decision to Quit... addiction will eventually be seen in the rearview mirror. It won't ever completely disappear but you'll be so damn far ahead of it, it won't matter. Do what we teach/preach/beseech... it works. Ask me how I know...

AJ... 1,183 days of freedom.

Right on Shane. There are a lot of badass quitters on this site and you are at the top of that list. I'm so thankful for our freedom too. You said it perfectly. Untethered!

True. All that!!

Right there with you, the things I used to do to sneak the poison into my lip.... so much easier being free, proud to quit with you!

Great post AJ! I do know exactly what you are talking about and you just described a transformation that I am still working to achieve. But I have confidence, one day at a time, that I will get there.

[luby]

3,100 miles.
That was the sum total of driving on the latest family road trip.

Holy. Shit.

I barely sit still for an entire movie so, yeah, epic feat for me to sit on my ass, in a car, all day, and... drive! 3ish years ago the mere thought of a few weeks on the road would've freaked me out. Big. I would have found, or made, some secret compartment in the car to stash as many cans as I thought necessary. Some of you know exaaaactly what I'm talking about! It was just sad and a total waste of energy y'know?

Pathetic.

Anyway... I gots no real nugget of wisdom to lay down here. Just a reminder to myself and an encouragement to anyone else... noob or vet... freedom is soooo much more than just "not chewing". It's a truly untethered life, man. It's not even the "I don't think about it anymore" stage because, dammit, I still do on occasion. Especially a 10 hr day on the road! Nah... freedom is that stage where even having the occasional crave doesn't matter because it has no more power over you. None. Fear and shame and all the other bullshit our addiction saddled us with goes away. We win. Guys/gals... if you own this... really own the decision to Quit... addiction will eventually be seen in the rearview mirror. It won't ever completely disappear but you'll be so damn far ahead of it, it won't matter. Do what we teach/preach/beseech... it works. Ask me how I know...

AJ... 1,183 days of freedom.

Right on Shane. There are a lot of badass quitters on this site and you are at the top of that list. I'm so thankful for our freedom too. You said it perfectly. Untethered!

True. All that!!

Right there with you, the things I used to do to sneak the poison into my lip.... so much easier being free, proud to quit with you!

[JGlav]

3,100 miles.
That was the sum total of driving on the latest family road trip.

Holy. Shit.

I barely sit still for an entire movie so, yeah, epic feat for me to sit on my ass, in a car, all day, and... drive! 3ish years ago the mere thought of a few weeks on the road would've freaked me out. Big. I would have found, or made, some secret compartment in the car to stash as many cans as I thought necessary. Some of you know exaaaactly what I'm talking about! It was just sad and a total waste of energy y'know?

Pathetic.

Anyway... I gots no real nugget of wisdom to lay down here. Just a reminder to myself and an encouragement to anyone else... noob or vet... freedom is soooo much more than just "not chewing". It's a truly untethered life, man. It's not even the "I don't think about it anymore" stage because, dammit, I still do on occasion. Especially a 10 hr day on the road! Nah... freedom is that stage where even having the occasional crave doesn't matter because it has no more power over you. None. Fear and shame and all the other bullshit our addiction saddled us with goes away. We win. Guys/gals... if you own this... really own the decision to Quit... addiction will eventually be seen in the rearview mirror. It won't ever completely disappear but you'll be so damn far ahead of it, it won't matter. Do what we teach/preach/beseech... it works. Ask me how I know...

AJ... 1,183 days of freedom.

Right on Shane. There are a lot of badass quitters on this site and you are at the top of that list. I'm so thankful for our freedom too. You said it perfectly. Untethered!

True. All that!!

[rdad]

3,100 miles.
That was the sum total of driving on the latest family road trip.

Holy. Shit.

I barely sit still for an entire movie so, yeah, epic feat for me to sit on my ass, in a car, all day, and... drive! 3ish years ago the mere thought of a few weeks on the road would've freaked me out. Big. I would have found, or made, some secret compartment in the car to stash as many cans as I thought necessary. Some of you know exaaaactly what I'm talking about! It was just sad and a total waste of energy y'know?

Pathetic.

Anyway... I gots no real nugget of wisdom to lay down here. Just a reminder to myself and an encouragement to anyone else... noob or vet... freedom is soooo much more than just "not chewing". It's a truly untethered life, man. It's not even the "I don't think about it anymore" stage because, dammit, I still do on occasion. Especially a 10 hr day on the road! Nah... freedom is that stage where even having the occasional crave doesn't matter because it has no more power over you. None. Fear and shame and all the other bullshit our addiction saddled us with goes away. We win. Guys/gals... if you own this... really own the decision to Quit... addiction will eventually be seen in the rearview mirror. It won't ever completely disappear but you'll be so damn far ahead of it, it won't matter. Do what we teach/preach/beseech... it works. Ask me how I know...

AJ... 1,183 days of freedom.

Right on Shane. There are a lot of badass quitters on this site and you are at the top of that list. I'm so thankful for our freedom too. You said it perfectly. Untethered!

[AppleJack]

3,100 miles.
That was the sum total of driving on the latest family road trip.

Holy. Shit.

I barely sit still for an entire movie so, yeah, epic feat for me to sit on my ass, in a car, all day, and... drive! 3ish years ago the mere thought of a few weeks on the road would've freaked me out. Big. I would have found, or made, some secret compartment in the car to stash as many cans as I thought necessary. Some of you know exaaaactly what I'm talking about! It was just sad and a total waste of energy y'know?

Pathetic.

Anyway... I gots no real nugget of wisdom to lay down here. Just a reminder to myself and an encouragement to anyone else... noob or vet... freedom is soooo much more than just "not chewing". It's a truly untethered life, man. It's not even the "I don't think about it anymore" stage because, dammit, I still do on occasion. Especially a 10 hr day on the road! Nah... freedom is that stage where even having the occasional crave doesn't matter because it has no more power over you. None. Fear and shame and all the other bullshit our addiction saddled us with goes away. We win. Guys/gals... if you own this... really own the decision to Quit... addiction will eventually be seen in the rearview mirror. It won't ever completely disappear but you'll be so damn far ahead of it, it won't matter. Do what we teach/preach/beseech... it works. Ask me how I know...

AJ... 1,183 days of freedom.

[rdad]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

Screw the leap year and celebrate twice AJ! Proud to be quit with you. 3 yrs is an awesome achievement! Well done.

3 years deserves a picture! Congratulations!!!!

pure. cornerstone. of. my. quit.
Thanks! Congrats! Close you're eyes, Michael has his phone out!

You have come along way from that guy who locked himself in his basement while the withdrawal was talking place I am proud to call you my friend CONGRATS on 3 years pillar of our site.

Leader, supporter, and friend. That's why I fortify my quit foundation with guys like this. Congrats brotha

Technically, congrats on 3 years ?
Thanks for support and leading the way.

I'm with Chick Dip. Happy technical 3 years. I wasted all my posting juju a day early yesterday. Anyway, congrats again my left coast brother.

[ChickDip]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

Screw the leap year and celebrate twice AJ! Proud to be quit with you. 3 yrs is an awesome achievement! Well done.

3 years deserves a picture! Congratulations!!!!

pure. cornerstone. of. my. quit.
Thanks! Congrats! Close you're eyes, Michael has his phone out!

You have come along way from that guy who locked himself in his basement while the withdrawal was talking place I am proud to call you my friend CONGRATS on 3 years pillar of our site.

Leader, supporter, and friend. That's why I fortify my quit foundation with guys like this. Congrats brotha

Technically, congrats on 3 years ?
Thanks for support and leading the way.

[Steakbomb18]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

Screw the leap year and celebrate twice AJ! Proud to be quit with you. 3 yrs is an awesome achievement! Well done.

3 years deserves a picture! Congratulations!!!!

pure. cornerstone. of. my. quit.
Thanks! Congrats! Close you're eyes, Michael has his phone out!

You have come along way from that guy who locked himself in his basement while the withdrawal was talking place I am proud to call you my friend CONGRATS on 3 years pillar of our site.

Leader, supporter, and friend. That's why I fortify my quit foundation with guys like this. Congrats brotha

[traumagnet]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

Screw the leap year and celebrate twice AJ! Proud to be quit with you. 3 yrs is an awesome achievement! Well done.

3 years deserves a picture! Congratulations!!!!

pure. cornerstone. of. my. quit.
Thanks! Congrats! Close you're eyes, Michael has his phone out!

You have come along way from that guy who locked himself in his basement while the withdrawal was talking place I am proud to call you my friend CONGRATS on 3 years pillar of our site.

[brettlees]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

Screw the leap year and celebrate twice AJ! Proud to be quit with you. 3 yrs is an awesome achievement! Well done.

3 years deserves a picture! Congratulations!!!!

pure. cornerstone. of. my. quit.
Thanks! Congrats! Close you're eyes, Michael has his phone out!

[worktowin]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

Screw the leap year and celebrate twice AJ! Proud to be quit with you. 3 yrs is an awesome achievement! Well done.

3 years deserves a picture! Congratulations!!!!

[ChristopherJ]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

Screw the leap year and celebrate twice AJ! Proud to be quit with you. 3 yrs is an awesome achievement! Well done.

[AppleJack]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

Well... technically it's tomorrow since it's a leap year ;)

But, I'll take a kudo for any +1, any time!

[Mike from AB]

Congrats on 3 awesome years!

[rdad]

Congrats on 3 years AppleJack!
Great example of a strong quit.

Fuckin'-A Shane! This is so damn cool. What a milestone. You are the mortar in my quit wall brother! Thank you for all you do for us. Have a damn great day. Congrats. 'oh yeah' 'oh yeah' 'oh yeah' ;Ironman: