Give the gift of Freedom From Smoking® Online

Mary Ella’s Weekly Message

January 9, 2012

New Year

If you recently joined Freedom From Smoking Online, welcome!  Quitting smoking is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions and if it’s one of your resolutions this year, you have landed at the right place!  Be sure to read through the Program Overview and the Program FAQs to get a sense of how the FFS Online program works.

FFS Online begins by helping you build a foundation for quitting. If you already quit before joining, the program can still be helpful to you.  We recommend that you still read through all lessons in the first four Modules, as each one builds on the previous and the program will make better sense if you read through all of them.

The pace we recommend you follow in FFS Online is to read one lesson, then wait a full day before going to the next one.  For example, if you read Lesson 1 in Module 1 on Monday, wait until Wednesday to read Lesson 2 in Module 1, and then Friday to read Lesson 3 in Module 1 and so on.  This pace gives you time to think about the information in each lesson, post on the Message Boards and complete the suggested activities.  Following this timing will give you a full three weeks of building a strong foundation before your actual Quit Date.  Rushing through the program by reading all of the lessons and not taking time to reflect on the material or complete the activities just cheats yourself in the long run.  Everything in the program has been thoroughly researched and tested to give you the best possible chance at staying smokefree for good.

An important component of becoming smokefree for good is offering support to fellow participants in FFS Online.  Many participants find that offering help, even after they have quit, helps them to stay smokefree.  As you need support, ask for it! Be sure to give back to the FFS Online Community by offering support to others when they need help. If you’ve been a member of FFS Online for a while, remember that we have a lot of new members at this time of year and be sure to give them a hand as they begin their quitting journey.

If you have any trouble navigating through the Message Boards in the FFS Online Community, check out the Technical Support Board for help.  You’ll find good advice there.  Also, don’t be shy about posting a question on any of the boards for help.  If you need some immediate help, put “HELP NOW” in the subject line of your post. 

The Message Boards are meant to be a supportive network for all members of the program.  Sometimes this one-dimensional mode of communication can cause misunderstandings.  If you’re irritated by a post, take time to really think about it before responding and remember that the written word often does not convey the intention or emotion behind it.  When quitting, nerves can be raw and emotions can run high.  Telling the truth as you see it is fine but striking out to hurt others on the Message Boards is not acceptable.  No one will have the same quit experience and it’s helpful to remember that when reading posts and responding to them. If you’re truly upset by a post or believe it’s inappropriate, click “Report This Post” and it will be reviewed by an American Lung Association staff member.

All of us at the American Lung Association are thrilled that you have joined Freedom From Smoking Online and we wish you the very best in your journey to a smokefree life.  You are doing the best possible thing you can to protect your health!

I’ll see you on the Message Boards!  :-)   Mary Ella

Don’t forget: If you're in the Premium program and want help fast on the Message Boards, put "HELP NOW" in the subject line of your post. If you're looking to offer help, watch for those, "HELP NOW" posts and alert your other FFS Online buddies to offer some assistance as well.