I quit cigarette smoking 13 years ago on March 10th.
I hope after reading this article you will consider quitting too.
I was a 2-pack-plus-a-day-smoker.
I made a decision to smoke, I made a decision to continue smoking then I made a decision to quit.
None of these times were met with fanfare, applause or notoriety.
It had nothing to do with "reasons" it was what I decided to do.
The decisions were just like any other countless decisions we make-where to eat, vacation, get married or live.
Some decisions are serious, requiring thought, but others happen in a second that can impact our lives dramatically.
This article isn't about why YOU should quit but why I quit and how.
If you want to continue to smoke that's your decision.
Everyone has very personal reasons for why they smoke or what motivates them to quit.
Here are some of the reasons why I decided.
I had begun to develop a post-nasal drip cough that was fast becoming chronic.
French manicures became popular but after a day some of my nails yellowed, which looked gross.
It was becoming a hassle not be able to smoke when I wanted or where.
At work I was on the 14th floor so every time I wanted to smoke I had to go up and down the elevator; which I am sure my bosses didn't appreciate.
The office building wasn't in the best location so an endless parade of unsavory characters wanting to talk or bum a smoke while I stood there like a statue puffing away.
Places that allowed smoking were harder and harder to find.
I had to consider my smoking needs in relation to where I went, with whom and if I would be able to smoke when I got there.
Smoking was becoming a full-time job in how I had managed all aspects of my daily life.
At the time I quit it was costing $195/month.
Today it would be $490/month.
My decision to quit was made in a moment of annoyance.
There is nothing like a Saturday afternoon nap but this simple pleasure was being invaded by a cough that was fast becoming chronic.
I had sinus problems which caused me to have post-nasal drip which was making me cough all the time.
Enough, I said to God, "If I quit, I never want to cough again, okay?" That following Monday I bought the patch, I think was Nicotrol, a 6 week program.
The next morning I woke, showered smoked my last cigarette then applied the patch.
I told only one person at work who was a smoke buddy what I had decided.
I didn't want to have to retract if I wasn't able to quit.
At the same time, another co-worker was on the patch but she kept bragging about how easy it was she would never go back and so on.
Three weeks later she was back smoking.
Quitting smoking is a personal decision not a time to seek attention.
She looked the fool.
One motivational tool I used was a mini-calendar, of sorts, I created on the computer.
It had Day 1 Not Smoking up to Day 42, which I kept in the office.
Mondays were the best when I could tear off three pages at once.
If the people around you aren't supportive then ignore them.
In the beginning, I was edgy and nervous.
My husband didn't want to deal with it so he said go back to smoking because it would be easier on him.
I say this not to bash him but to let you know that sometimes those whose support you need the most may not be there.
Don't give in.
Seek out someone who will support you or better yet look inward and find the strength to support yourself.
I do remember one tense moment a few weeks into the program.
I had scratched my cornea, was stressed from not smoking, aggravation upon aggravation.
I wanted to reach for a cigarette but instead of stretched out on the bed, closed my eyes and breathed in and out.
Smoking emulates this same process so people think the smoking calms them when it's the breathing that does.
I don't know how long I did this but soon the tension was gone-sometimes it's a simple case of refocusing one's mind instead of giving in.
After that I seemed to breeze through the 6 weeks.
I could be with smokers and I wasn't bothered by it.
What you don't realize is how quitting will affect you.
I could smell other smokers and thought, "If they only knew how they smelled or if I only knew?" Kissing someone who smokes tasted horrible.
My house was cleaner-no more yellow film on things.
Smokers need to realize they CANNOT just cut back.
Once you have smoked for years your lungs need to be completely smoke-free in order to repair themselves.
Many people think reducing helps it doesn't.
And there will come that day when the stress is overwhelming which might make smoke as you once did.
This happened to me.
I had cut back to only 6 cigarettes a day then I had a bad day and was back to how I normally smoked.
Most people think having REASONS will motivate them, such as, quitting for their family, health or money.
None of these REASONS generally work because you didn't START to smoke because of them so you aren't going to quit because of them either.
Stop fooling yourself.
Quit making promises to quit then don't, this just annoys the people around you.
I worked with a woman who would quit every so often.
We got tired of hearing her and, quite frankly, whether she smoked or not didn't concern us.
I don't know why she wanted to try.
She really wanted to smoke but her family kept trying to get her to quit.
She NEVER succeeded.
No matter what you say to a smoker unless they decide to quit they won't.
I lost 3 cousins to lung cancer who all died around the age of 60.
If you've tried to quit and haven't been successful it's because you WANT to smoke.
It's not about finding reasons to stop it's about your decision to continue.
Just to reiterate again if you didn't get it the first time.
I wasn't completely committed, at first, to quit because I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to.
BUT once I actually applied the patch I decided I could do it.
Whether I had support or not it was my decision to see it through.
I looked inward, found strength during those tense moments and forged on.
After a few weeks it became easier.
I kept my last pack with its few cigarettes for nearly a year in my purse, just in case.
By the way, the day I stopped smoking was the last day I coughed.
My sinuses improved and since then no sinus migraines.
Quit or smoke it's your decision-it's not a reason it's a choice.
I hope after reading this article you will consider quitting too.
I was a 2-pack-plus-a-day-smoker.
I made a decision to smoke, I made a decision to continue smoking then I made a decision to quit.
None of these times were met with fanfare, applause or notoriety.
It had nothing to do with "reasons" it was what I decided to do.
The decisions were just like any other countless decisions we make-where to eat, vacation, get married or live.
Some decisions are serious, requiring thought, but others happen in a second that can impact our lives dramatically.
This article isn't about why YOU should quit but why I quit and how.
If you want to continue to smoke that's your decision.
Everyone has very personal reasons for why they smoke or what motivates them to quit.
Here are some of the reasons why I decided.
I had begun to develop a post-nasal drip cough that was fast becoming chronic.
French manicures became popular but after a day some of my nails yellowed, which looked gross.
It was becoming a hassle not be able to smoke when I wanted or where.
At work I was on the 14th floor so every time I wanted to smoke I had to go up and down the elevator; which I am sure my bosses didn't appreciate.
The office building wasn't in the best location so an endless parade of unsavory characters wanting to talk or bum a smoke while I stood there like a statue puffing away.
Places that allowed smoking were harder and harder to find.
I had to consider my smoking needs in relation to where I went, with whom and if I would be able to smoke when I got there.
Smoking was becoming a full-time job in how I had managed all aspects of my daily life.
At the time I quit it was costing $195/month.
Today it would be $490/month.
My decision to quit was made in a moment of annoyance.
There is nothing like a Saturday afternoon nap but this simple pleasure was being invaded by a cough that was fast becoming chronic.
I had sinus problems which caused me to have post-nasal drip which was making me cough all the time.
Enough, I said to God, "If I quit, I never want to cough again, okay?" That following Monday I bought the patch, I think was Nicotrol, a 6 week program.
The next morning I woke, showered smoked my last cigarette then applied the patch.
I told only one person at work who was a smoke buddy what I had decided.
I didn't want to have to retract if I wasn't able to quit.
At the same time, another co-worker was on the patch but she kept bragging about how easy it was she would never go back and so on.
Three weeks later she was back smoking.
Quitting smoking is a personal decision not a time to seek attention.
She looked the fool.
One motivational tool I used was a mini-calendar, of sorts, I created on the computer.
It had Day 1 Not Smoking up to Day 42, which I kept in the office.
Mondays were the best when I could tear off three pages at once.
If the people around you aren't supportive then ignore them.
In the beginning, I was edgy and nervous.
My husband didn't want to deal with it so he said go back to smoking because it would be easier on him.
I say this not to bash him but to let you know that sometimes those whose support you need the most may not be there.
Don't give in.
Seek out someone who will support you or better yet look inward and find the strength to support yourself.
I do remember one tense moment a few weeks into the program.
I had scratched my cornea, was stressed from not smoking, aggravation upon aggravation.
I wanted to reach for a cigarette but instead of stretched out on the bed, closed my eyes and breathed in and out.
Smoking emulates this same process so people think the smoking calms them when it's the breathing that does.
I don't know how long I did this but soon the tension was gone-sometimes it's a simple case of refocusing one's mind instead of giving in.
After that I seemed to breeze through the 6 weeks.
I could be with smokers and I wasn't bothered by it.
What you don't realize is how quitting will affect you.
I could smell other smokers and thought, "If they only knew how they smelled or if I only knew?" Kissing someone who smokes tasted horrible.
My house was cleaner-no more yellow film on things.
Smokers need to realize they CANNOT just cut back.
Once you have smoked for years your lungs need to be completely smoke-free in order to repair themselves.
Many people think reducing helps it doesn't.
And there will come that day when the stress is overwhelming which might make smoke as you once did.
This happened to me.
I had cut back to only 6 cigarettes a day then I had a bad day and was back to how I normally smoked.
Most people think having REASONS will motivate them, such as, quitting for their family, health or money.
None of these REASONS generally work because you didn't START to smoke because of them so you aren't going to quit because of them either.
Stop fooling yourself.
Quit making promises to quit then don't, this just annoys the people around you.
I worked with a woman who would quit every so often.
We got tired of hearing her and, quite frankly, whether she smoked or not didn't concern us.
I don't know why she wanted to try.
She really wanted to smoke but her family kept trying to get her to quit.
She NEVER succeeded.
No matter what you say to a smoker unless they decide to quit they won't.
I lost 3 cousins to lung cancer who all died around the age of 60.
If you've tried to quit and haven't been successful it's because you WANT to smoke.
It's not about finding reasons to stop it's about your decision to continue.
Just to reiterate again if you didn't get it the first time.
I wasn't completely committed, at first, to quit because I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to.
BUT once I actually applied the patch I decided I could do it.
Whether I had support or not it was my decision to see it through.
I looked inward, found strength during those tense moments and forged on.
After a few weeks it became easier.
I kept my last pack with its few cigarettes for nearly a year in my purse, just in case.
By the way, the day I stopped smoking was the last day I coughed.
My sinuses improved and since then no sinus migraines.
Quit or smoke it's your decision-it's not a reason it's a choice.
Source...