Benefits of being off weed

61. The ability to relate: I actually fully hear what people are saying, so my responses are more appropriate.
62. There is now way less stress in my life
63. I do a better job at work, so I have less to take home with me.
64. All of my relationships seem more vibrant.
65. I seem to have stronger mental control over my own moods and thought processes.
66. If there is a crisis, I have the presence of mind to do what needs to be done.
67. Experiencing natural highs
68. Have money to treat others and myself.
69. The ability to inspire other people.
70. The development of healthy habits.
71. A sharper mental game.
72. Increased muscle tone
73. Heightened sense of humour develops
74. Clearer voice (speaking and singing)
75. I have so much more love in my life now.
76. My son seems so much more responsive to me now
77. I feel like I am establishing new neural networks for coping with emotionally charged situations.
78. I have a renewed sense of life, waking up to greet the morning sun and air.
79. It is only through doing the work of staying balanced (riding both highs and lows) that I am able to offer a hand to others.
80. Life is easier without pot.

81. The return of emotional ‘seasons’
82. I can leave the house without having to get all my ‘stuff’ ready.
83. Easier to tune an instrument
84. Easier to get out of bed
85. Finding more inspiration in life
86. Developing mature, competent coping mechanisms.
87. Learning to enjoy to the fullest our families, jobs, free time, hobbies, and passions.
88. Feeling in control.
89. I have a stronger sense of optimism about my life than has ever existed previously.
90. I am finally reading all those books that I bought but never read.
91. I'm better at controlling other aspects of my health: I cook healthier meals; I exercise more.
92. The quality of my work is better.
93. I am more present for my family and friends.
94. I can carry on an intelligent conversation with other people instead of stumbling over my words and feeling like I sound like an idiot.
95. I don't have to stress every day about wanting to stop smoking weed.
96. I don't have to worry about hiding the smell
97. I am not constantly craving something every time I get bored or stressed.
98. My health is better, so I get sick less often.
99. When I get stressed out, I am a lot more likely to actually deal with the thing stressing me out, resulting in a lot less stress overall
100. I think I’m a better, less angry person with the people I love

101. I'm more interesting
102. No more phantom aches in my chest
103. My clarity of thought helps me cope with whatever comes my way without getting swept away by it.
104. Giving myself permission to let go of things that no longer serve me.
105. I can distinguish between what was weed induced (either while high, or grouchy when burnt out) and what is actually my core personality.
106. I have no need to smoke to be happy.
107. I am not constantly checking the time, to see when I can rush home to get high.
108. I'm coping with problems a whole lot better.
109. I can communicate my feelings a lot better.
110. Overcoming addiction was a learning experience and I’m ready to move on to the next chapter in my life.
111. Creating clearer memories than I've had in years.
112. Dramatically improved self-esteem.
113. I am laughing more
114. No panic attacks.
115. I'm talking with people rather than to them, and the people I don't know, I'm not just using a variety of stock responses (like a talking pull string doll).
116. I feel more independent and empowered.
117. My house / clothes / breath, etc. don’t smell like smoke.
118. No stress of feeling paranoid if someone stops by my house unexpectedly
119. No stress of health concerns associated with smoking – asthma, bronchial infections, lung cancer, etc.
120. I once again have faith in myself.
121. No longer frozen in time
122. Getting glimpses of memories that I thought were lost forever.
123. I am gaining the perseverance required to walk this road of self-discovery.
Click here to go to benefits 124-200: http://www.uncommonforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=327317&highlight=#327317

So inspirational! Thankyou wakinglife.

I had a week without at the tail end of '06, then a (minor) relapse of one hit at the new year bash, but so far '07 is weed free. I'm not going to beat myself up about the relapse; I didn't enjoy it so much, and I'm not finding it that tricky to not do it again now. Friday evening always used to be major 'go and score' time, but this evening I'm happy to be home and non-high

At work we have weekly meetings which previously I never seemed to have much of an impact on (surprise surprise, as I was usually half-baked) but this week, with a clear head, I got my points across and felt like part of the team. It's a good feeling, being aware and non-fuzzy for a change. Like finally growing up, which is something I really ought to be doing by now, at the age of 36!

I'm still not seeing the plant itself as a bad thing, just a part of my past and not a part of my future, which I think is a healthy way to look at it.

So, anyway, good luck and wishing y'all a weed free 2007.

SpoonBanger

"Overcoming addiction was a learning experience and I am ready to move on to the next chapter in my lfe".....I really liked that, Wakinglife. It made sense to me. I'm ready to put my smoking days behind me.

Waking Life, this list is excellent, and I vote to make it a sticky!

Those who are struggling with whether to quit smoking weed might try this:

With a pen and paper, look over the list of 123 benefits (split over pages 12 & 13 of this thread). Make a tally mark on your paper for each benefit that you have noticed during times you are off cannabis. (If you haven't noticed any benefits yet, you can tally how many of the benefits you would like to see.)

Count up your tally marks once you've gone through the list. These are all the things that you can gain by freeing yourself from your addiction.

Next, decide how many benefits you gain by smoking pot chronically (most of us can't do moderation). Use your fine powers of distinction to see if you gain more by smoking or quitting smoking.

It is entirely up to you whether you create the life you want to live.

I used to think smoking weed gave me some kind of edge. I though it made me cope w/ problems better and see things from a "better" perspective. I even thought it inspired me to clean the house, workout, etc... Little did I know that the high I was experiencing was an illusion. The euphoria I felt after smoking gave me false inspiration that was almost never acted upon. Looking now at your list of benefits, wakinglife, I can see just how foolish I was through the years (as if I didn't already know). The verdict is in: chronically smoking weed hinders a persons true potential. I don't see how it could truly help anybody that does it occasionally either (aside from medicinal purposes). Anybody that can look at the list of benefits and say otherwise, in my opinion, is in denial.

Wakinglife, thank you for continuing to wake us up.

Peace.

Nice point, Rise_Above. I felt the same way, especially with music. I thought it made me a better musician, more in tune to the invisible rhythms of the world, but it really was self delusion. At this point (about 3 weeks), my rhythm and improv ability has improved, along with my ability to remember lyrics, not to mention my voice sounds so much less strained.

While I'm on here, I might as well add the balls factor... Tonight, my buddy Dave said singing is 80% balls, 20% other. The problem with the perpetual haze is it keeps me meek and insecure, unsure of myself. Being clean and clear headed has improved my self confidence, increasing the size (in my head) of my balls, thus making me a better singer.

So...for all you musicians out there, it might seem cool when you start smoking, the music sounds so much better, and you think your playing is better, but it really is a 'grand illusion' (Sorry, I had to quote a line from one of the worst bands ever--Styx). You get my point.



Getting high will not make you a better musician.

Hey,

I know that procrastination is a common problem for many of us. I might blame my 20 year weed habit on 'procrastinating quitting'. The stuff that needs to be done might as well get done today. If it is truly important, why put it off? I am finding myself procrastinating much less now that I have regained my clarity: it something needs doing, I do it.

Feeling very good about my decision to give up weed. I have gained more by giving up my addiction that I could have ever imagined.

Keep on racking up the benefits. Share them with the rest of us, as together we are even stronger!

Of all the downsides of being a habitual pot smoker, procrastination is probably the worst, at least for me.

In a way we are the sum of our experiences, and my experiences while smoking pot were very limited to the point where I could claim every day was pretty much a replica of the day before.

Since quitting I've had a lot more interest in doing new things, and more energy to combat any anxiety I feel about doing them which is something many people face when they're accustomed to 'doing nothing' for so long.

It's a strange thing, trying to realize that every moment is truly the present moment, and how when we envision the past or future, it's emanating from the eternal present. Grabbing onto the present and taking action here and now, and setting into motion that which our core yearns for is sort of frightening in a way, as we realize just how responsible we are for ourselves. However it's totally worth it and then some.

In retrospect I appreciate my pot days as I do feel, at least at the beginning, pot opened new thoughts in my mind that otherwise may not have come or would've come a lot later. However it's up to us to recognize when the relationship is souring and to do what we know is right, perhaps not for everyone, but for ourselves.

Take care of yo self. One life. (as far as I know)

I'm sure the 123 reasons why not to smoke probably has this covered to some extent, but the thread must go on...

I've sensed a very great rejuvenation of my feelings for others. Whether they have done wrong to me or me to them, I can find it in my heart to forgive and say I'm sorry. Being stoned all the time made me indifferent to alot of things; especially those involving relationships. I'm slowly finding a part of me that cares for others. Through this process I'm able to take ALOT of focus off myself. By taking some focus off myself I am able to continue my weed cessation with greater ease. I'm not saying I've got this thing beat, but I am saying that each passing day is strengthening my resolve. By helping others, I am helping myself.

In the past, I would smoke when times were rough. I would smoke when times were good. I would smoke for any reason and for no reason. What's the point to it all? What was I trying to accomplish? I basically didn't want to deal with life in general. You could call it lack of concern, lack of interest, or laziness. Or you could put into one simple word: Apathy.

The point is: my apathy is turning into sincerity. And by quitting the weed, my eyes can trully see just how trully selfish I've been and still am to an extent. And that's what I'm working on.

Thus, we have another benefit.

Peace.

To rise_above,

I am so glad that you encapsulated how you feel so eloquently. A lot of us have these new feelings that are freed once we put down the pipe, but few of us can translate them into words. Thank you for expressing how it really feels to move on with 'life after weed'.

When I joined this site last August, I was blown away by these deeply inspirational words from a man who is wise beyond his years. That was when you were on your 42 day clean streak. You were one of the first people on this forum that seemed to be tackling the larger issues rather than just grumbling about how much weed withdrawals suck. I saw an evolution in your posts from when you first joined, to where you were before your brief 'slide'. Your absence for a short while was deeply missed, but we are all lucky to have you back.

Keep the inspiration flowing: you are helping so many of us here to stay on track!

Just recently stopped after 25 years of smoking more or less daily, except for a few earlier attempts at quitting that would last anything from one day to a couple of months. I feel stronger and more determined this time, and was extremely glad to find this forum by chance while struggling during the first few days - and espesially nights! I've been thinking seriously about getting of the hasj (in my case, I live in Europe in a place where pot is less available) as I've been enjoying it less and less the past couple of years, and just feeling increasingly miserable while stoned.

Most of my closest friends are heavy hasj-smokers, my girlfriend (and mother of my second child.) also, and as I don't want to stop spending time with any of them I'm going to need all the support I can get. Hope what I write can be of help to someone else as well.

I have two children, one teenager, and one who is seven months old. It's the baby that's really giving this quitting attempt momentum. I have an extreme desire to be a better father this time. He should have at least one sober parent!

After twelve hasj free days I'm already experiencing a lot of the benifits you all describe. Hope I can add some new ones as the thc leaves my body. Thanks for starting this, wakinglife.

Great to have another person on the forum! People tend to come and go on a pretty regular basis, but those who need it can always use this to get support and have their voice heard.

Especially since you have a baby, you will be more present now that you have quit smoking hash.

Keep us posted as you continue your progress!