The obvious truth about smoking and quitting smoking

Okay, here's the deal. You are going to do what you want to do. I'm going to point out the obvious truth(s) as I see it from my own life experience.


Obvious truth: smoking cigarettes is highly addictive.

I smoked cigarettes since I was a kid (teen) and I've quit a handful of times. Throughout the years I never ever thought to myself: "Man, am I glad that I started smoking when I was a teen!" On the contrary, I always knew it was a bad idea and that I was addicted to cigarettes. When you think about it, who has ever looked back at their life and thought, "I wish I would have started smoking cigarettes sooner." ??

One Sunday about 6 months ago I woke up strong. (This is the only way I can describe it.) I woke up with the thought, "Today, I will stop smoking." I'm not sure what clicked in my head, but I knew at that point, I was ready to stop.

Knowing that I was addicted to nicotine, I went to the pharmacy to purchase nicotine gum.

The hardest part was breaking habits associated with smoking.

• I had to learn to not smoke in the car. (this could be the most difficult habit to learn)
  
• I had to learn to not take smoke breaks at work.
• I had to learn how to take deep breaths and hold my breath
  

Here's one for you. Had anyone told me to quit, I would not have quit. Human nature.

To not smoke is a choice that I had to make on my own.

So when did it get easy? It has not, really. Every day I want to smoke "just one". But every day that passes, actually makes me stronger to not make an exception.

If I break down now and smoke one, I know that I will continue smoking. That's how addictive smoking is. In fact, I'm not completely sold on the not smoking thing - but I'm at the point right now where I just refuse to make the one exception. I don't even use nicotine gum anymore, however I keep one piece around "just in case".

So let me end this post with this obvious truth:
I used to purchase 2-3 packs of cigs per week, spending an average of $10-$15 per week on cigarettes. Now I don't. That is a yearly savings of $520-$780 per year.