Forumer About.com smoking cessation forum member and moderator Lesly shares perspective at three years smoke-free:

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Three years ago I was a desperate woman.

I was desperate to quit smoking – I was desperate to smoke.

I was sick to death of smoking – I loved to smoke.

I hated how I smelled – I loved the smell of my smokes.

I hated the burn holes, fears, sickness – I loved the rituals.

I hated being told I should quit - I knew I should quit.

Most of all – I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I hated feeling stupid. Bottom line. So – I jumped off the teeter-totter and jumped into the forum’s smober boat with both feet. I clung desperately to the lifelines thrown to me and I held on with all my might through the storms (heck, more like hurricanes) that followed.

I held on with both hands and all my heart to one thing that a man who was one of my dearest friends told me. He told me this:

You think you love to smoke and you think it is so important to your happiness, but when you quit (and I know you will), you will find out that all that happiness associated with smoking is a lie. It’s a cheap carnival trick. It is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

Guess what? He was right! There is not one thing in my life that I can’t do better without a cigarette hanging out of my mouth – well, except maybe applying eyeliner. Ha ha – I am SO kidding! Anyway, one of my greatest sorrows is that he died before I found the courage to quit smoking.

Quitting is hard – it takes effort, determination and commitment, but it can be done. You need to be brutally honest with yourself, though, and you cannot quit by continuing to smoke. You have to stop! Not one – not one puff and no excuses.

There is a sign in my gym that motivates me. I’ll try to recreate it for you.

The Ten Steps to Success

Try

Try again

Try harder

Try tomorrow

Try thinking about what has worked in the past

Try and ask someone who has done it

Try and figure out what is not working

Try it a different way

Try it once more

Don't stop trying!

The longest journey has to start with one simple, tiny step. I took my first step three years ago today, and I have never regretted it.

Thank you Terry.  I love this and it is so true!