Artful Dodger: No more nicotine ring on your undies? Hmmmm, I wonder if that would work for me? I'm tired of having to wash my undies on a regular basis, so it appears there is one more reason for me to quit. I'm assuming no more nicotine stained fingers either... that IS nicotine, right? Okay, maybe not nicotine, but it does come from cigarettes... right?

Half way through this week it occurred to me I didn't have a plan. I expected to feel discomfort, but no plan for how I would deal with those moments of "hunger", and what to fill the extra time with. I thought this should be easier than when I was younger, when I didn't have as much experience and my days were full of things to do, but that's not the case. When I was younger I had more resolve, and more physical and mental strength. I needed those things when I was younger because of all the trouble I caused for myself. Smoking is one of the few things that hasn't naturally fallen away after I didn't want it anymore.

For me this is actually a normal way of doing things, jump into something with an idea that turns out to be wrong, then try again with a better idea, or plan, and then fail again... and again... and so forth. What eventually happens is I'll finally get it right, just so long as I don't give up and I keeping going with it.

I think I know what you mean by "will" power... my will can actually get in the way of what I want to see happening. It seems counter-intuitive, but sometimes giving up and surrendering is the only logical (practical) path to winning. It's like trying to tune in on one of those Magic Eye pictures... I can't make myself see it, I have to let myself see it. Does this make sense?