It’s time we had that talk. The serious one when I make a commitment and really mean it.
I will quit smoking cigarettes.
For the past 15 years I have been a smoker. I smoked because I thought it was cool. I smoked because it became a habit. I smoked because it felt like a way I was able to deal with stress. I smoked because I was around other people smoking and I smoked because there was no reason, only my body responding to the withdrawal of noxious chemicals. I started small, maybe a few a day and this gradually increased over the years, until recent years, where I was smoking 5 – 10 cigarettes a day. Years ago the cost of smoking wasn’t that high. Now, it is massive. I pay $36.75 for a packet of 40s. Which can last sometimes a week, usually a lot less because of others smoking as well. On average it costs me over $250 a month which is completely ridiculous. Why would I want to knowingly spend so much money on a habit that does nothing only cause problems???!? 😖
I no longer want to have this vice hanging over me, spending so much money and causing numerous health issues. I don’t want my thoughts to be clouded by such things as; “when can I smoke next”, “how long until I am home so I can smoke”, “I don’t know if I really want one, but I should anyway”, “how can I plan this holiday so that I can smoke easily”. I don’t want to feel that smoking is part of who I am and something I have to do, because it isn’t.
I want to do this because I have found a lot of positive ways to help myself recently and think it would be another way that I can lead a healthier/happier life. The fact that I have been able to quit soda and cut down on my sugar intake is something that I am setting as an example and motivator. I am not going to lie. This is going to be extremely difficult. I am partly scared that taking away something that has been a crutch for so long might have heavy impacts on my mental health. There will be some psychological effects and I need to monitor that they are hopefully subsiding as time goes on, seeing my doctor would also be a good idea. I have to avoid ‘tricks’ my brain plays, finding reasons to keep smoking or give up. It happened many times when quitting soda, but found the strength to really give up.
I have decided that I am going to approach my quitting by gradually reducing the amount that I smoke and when reduced to a minimal number to remove it completely. I made some free planner pages/printables to help me track and record my progress, being aware of what you are doing and how you are feeling when you are quitting can be really helpful. 🌷
Every time I resist a cigarette it is a small victory. It is also essentially (with Australian cigarette prices) like giving myself $1 for every cigarette I don’t smoke. $u$ That sounds good.
If you have quit smoking in the past, I would love to hear your story in the comments. 🤗
- Have you ever smoked?
- Have you ever given up or quit a bad habit?
- What steps did you take to give up or quite the habit?
25 Responses
It’s a good thing you already have decided to quit smoking. It’ll be hard I guess, but you’ll get used to it. Please keep us updated on your cigarettes withdrawal.
1. Have you ever smoked?
– I tried smoking when I was on my last year in college and it lasted for say 2 months only. I stopped it because I thought it’ll let stress go away, but it didn’t. And you’re correct about it making you feel cool. Lol
2. Have you ever given up or quit a bad habit?
– One of my bad habits is staying up super late, or sleeping for only 2-3 hours. And I have stopped doing it.
3. What steps did you take to give up or quite the habit?
– I lessened the use of all the parasites, I call it that way. Less computer usage, minimal use of cellphones when it’s time to sleep, scheduling TV watching, and the like. Gadgets make me stay up.
Good luck Kya! I hope it goes well, I feel I can relate to your sentence “I have to avoid ‘tricks’ my brain plays, finding reasons to keep smoking or give up.”, I don’t smoke but I am a terrible snacker. I always tell myself “It’s ok, I’ll just have 1” and then I have it all. Stopping letting myself do this is a big thing I am trying too.
I have never smoked so I don’t have any specific advise other than to be kind to yourself through the process of dealing with the withdrawals. Does your family or anyone close smoke too? Maybe they can also help you out by not smoking around you or even joining you on quitting.
You can do this! 🙂
Good luck to you! You got this! I need to get my butt moving on this one, too, but I know I’m still not entirely ready. But that day’s coming closer, so when I do this, I’ll be better off!
It’s definitely a money saver, and it will be healthier for you in the long run. *hugs* You can do it, Kya!
Nope. Never. Nada. The worst I ever did was weed, and that was by choice out of curiosity. Don’t care for it, and I’m surprised you smoked! :(((
Good luck with quiting smoking Kya! I know it’s definitely going to be hard for you after 15 years, but I know you can do it! Just as you’ve shown with other commitments you’ve shared with us all 🙂 I think a good way to track it is to write it down and make a tracker like on a journal/planner 🙂 It helps me!
I had no idea you smoked. I think you can do it, they say sugar is as addictive as drugs so if you can quit drinking soda you can quit this!
I’ve not smoked before but I have people close to me who have tried smoking and I know how hard it was for them, since they depended on it mentally. I’ll keep you in my thoughts! You can do it! You’ve already taken that first step towards making that commitment to quitting. Whoo!
I am happy to see that you’re taking the initiative to stop smoking! Cigarettes are so expensive, but all of the taxation makes sense because smoking is harmful and it’s one of the deterrent’s to drive people away from smoking.
Good luck with your journey! Small steps make a big difference :).
I’ve never smoked before whether it’s cigarettes or any other substances. I have given up on some bad habits before (such as my addiction to alcohol), and the first step on lessening the habit is to admit that I have a problem. I preoccupy myself with other things so I don’t think about it as much :).
I used to have a similar relationship with smoking. I dislike the anti-smoking shame ads, but I know it’s not healthy. I had so much trouble because I enjoy it. The best thing I did for myself, personally, was to tell myself I’m not going to quite. If a situation comes up and I want one, I’ll have one. Like cake. And so far, I haven’t had a cigarette in a year.
I never tried smoking and I think I never will. I have friends who smoke and being with them I become a “secondhand smoker” which is worse, so when they smoke I make sure to keep a distance from them. I really hate the smell of the smoke. 🙁
I have nothing against smokers, because see, have friends who smoke. But I always remind them that it’s not good for their health. But just so you know, my friends told me that it is not impossible to quit smoking. They have tried it, they could stop smoking for months. And if they can do it, I know you could too. And hopefully you can stop for good. 🙂
I think that’s great that you’re working on quitting smoking! That sounds like it’ll be really tough, but I know you can do it 🙂 Gradually reducing the amount sounds like a good way to go. I’ve never smoked before, so I never realized how expensive it is. This will be good for both your health and your wallet! Good luck!
Good for you and very good luck! Smoking sucks, it’s unhealthy and expensive, so I’m happy you try to minimize it 🙂 I smoked a bit when I was around 17, mainly because all the cool kids were doing it 😉
I only tried once, didn’t like it and never touched em again. But I do know it can be extremely hard. I’ve seen my brother and mom struggle with it. Its especially hard if you happen to be stressed and what not.
Those planner pages are an awesome idea! I might make my own, but for other bad habits!
Good luck with quitting! YOU CAN DO IT! XD
That is a huge challenge. Actually I was kind of surprised when I first learned before that you smoked, mainly because you talked about how you were working your way to cutting down your sugar intake. In a way, I kind of secretly thought to myself if you would also consider cutting down (if not completely quitting) your smoking as well. If you can cut down on your sugar/soda intake, I know you can overcome smoking.
I’ve never smoked before, however, I have experienced second-hand smoking since childhood. I had a lot of relatives, my mom also included (though for a short time), who smoked like there was no tomorrow. I also had sensitive lungs, even to the point that I was sent to the hospital to see if I was asthmatic, then turned out that I have absolutely no tolerance towards tobacco smoke or any other type of smoke/vapor that isn’t oxygen (so to speak?). It wasn’t until my family and I moved here to the U.S. that I finally felt “free” to breathe in and breathe out without wheezing like I’m about to die.
Back in high school, I also had some friends who also started smoking around senior year (4th year) for the same reasons you did (to calm down the stress and because it looked “cool.”). I was an immature kid back then, and “cut off my ties” with them because I didn’t want to be anywhere near them whenever they started smoking at the bus stops and in public places (state/area laws in where I live no longer allow anyone to smoke in public places anymore today). Now I’m seeing a lot of people vaping, and even though they say it’s safer than smoking tobacco, it’s still smoking to me.
Today isn’t so bad as it was in the past with my family. A lot of my relatives who were chain smokers died early (lung cancer and other types of terminal ailments), and the sad part of it all for me was that ever since I left the old country, I never saw them ever again. I don’t miss their unending smoking habits, but I really miss them for the people they are.
As someone who is “creative,” I’ve always found art and writing a good therapy to kick my past habits. I was like you also with the sugar/soda intake, but by the time I finally kicked the habit, it was (kind of) too late for me because I was already diagnosed with diabetes. I also used to wake up at the last minute and rush to go to work too. I still haven’t figured out how or why I seem to wake up really late when I sleep very early, and why I wake up very early whenever I sleep really late. I don’t know if that makes any sense. Also, going out on hikes, whether if it’s through a park, trails, even at the shores, really help as well. I live pretty close to nature (river trails and beaches), so it’s easy and accessible for me.
I wish you good luck with your new journey Kya. I know you can overcome and come out victorious in the end. ^_^
Good luck with that, I really hope you will quit. Wow, the price of cigarettes in your country is really high. Here is about $5 for a pack of 20’s. But of course the average wage is also lower, for example for me $5/day for a pack are a lot of money. Anyways, smoking is such a bad habit from many points of view. It’s really bad for someone’s health (in so many ways), the smell of cigarette smoke is horrible, bad taste in the mouth and also is really expensive.
Have you ever smoked?
Yes, I am a smoker. I smoked for almost 7 years now. I always say that I have to quit because it’s bad for me and also I spend a lot of money for this habit, but I never actually tried to quit. I mean, it goes like this: I want to quit but the exams are coming and I’m going to be stressed so I have to smoke or I want to quit but I am going in that trip and I cannot quit now, I will try some other time. End I end up not even trying. The fact is that I like to smoke, I don’t know why, but the feeling of holding a cigarette in my hand is amazing and I also can’t drink my coffee without smoking a cigarette. Maybe I will try at some point. It is already a long time since I started and the thing I worry about the most is my health. I don’t want someday something happen to me because of this habit and regret I didn’t even try to quit.
Have you ever given up or quit a bad habit?
I don’t think I ever this that. I mean, besides smoking I don’t really have bad habits. I guess I stopped drinking Coca-Cola, which is a very good thing.
What steps did you take to give up or quite the habit?
One day I just said I don’t want to drink Coca-Cola anymore and I just stopped. And I never missed it.
Maybe if you manage to quit, you’ll tell us about it and maybe I will be inspired to do the same as you.
Good luck ! <3
I’ve never smoked before, and for several reasons. I never wanted to have that kind of addiction, as I’ve seen how people struggle so hard with it (as you are). My sister smokes, and she has been trying for several years to quit without any success – so I wish I had some advice that I could give you but I don’t. I wish you the best of luck Kya with trying to quit this addiction. It’s a great idea to use your recent successes with quitting drinking soda to help motivate you! You got this girl! We are all cheering you on!
I think it’s really amazing that you’re so determine to do this. I’m not a smoker myself but I’ve heard from others how difficult it can be to quit.
Have you ever smoked?
I tried once, but I didn’t like it as I really dislike the smell.
Have you ever given up or quit a bad habit?
Not really…I’m trying to give up some bad habits like not cleaning after myself.
What steps did you take to give up or quite the habit?
I haven’t really succeed so I can’t really say. So far I’m just making a effort to clean up around the house before jumping into bed each night. Wish I can give you more tips here.
Either way, good luck with everything! I really hope it goes well for you! Don’t give up no matter how hard it is. You’ve already started well by being determined.
I’m so so proud of you for making the decision to quit smoking. From my moms experience, I know that quitting the habit can be tough but if anyone can do it, I know you can. Plus, you’ll have so many people who would want to be there to support you and yes, that includes me =)
Count me as your own personal cheerleader. Go Kya! <3
I don’t smoke; it’s never interested me because of my asthma, the smell and the fact that my stepfather once burned my knee with the butt of his cigarette after forcing me into a hug I didn’t want to begin with. u_u
I wish you luck on nixing your smoking habit!
Oh boy. First off, GOOD LUCK. This is going to be REALLY hard. We can totally help you keep accountable on the blog, too! Just check in every once in awhile with your progress! And if you fall off for a day, don’t worry, you can get right back to not smoking the next day!
I’ve definitely smoked cigarettes but only as a social smoker and only once in awhile, never enough to form an addiction, which is lucky for me. But I know plenty of people who have tried quitting and I can’t think of a single person who was actually successful? But don’t let that deter you, it’s definitely possible and you can definitely do it. We’re all rooting for you!! Just take REALLY good care of yourself – there will be so many withdrawal symptoms, physical, mental, and emotional. Watch good movies, read good books, eat well, get some exercise, and treat yourself when you need to. Shift your addiction to sugar free gum or candy or sunflower seeds – it could help. People do sunflower seeds because they’re tricky to eat and are fairly healthy comparatively speaking (good source of healthy fats and protein). Anyway hopefully this will help, even though I don’t have personal experience with this!
My husband used to smoke and started smoking because he got extremely stressed and depressed after he got divorced from his emotionally abusive ex-wife. He then went to e-cigarettes right around the time we started dating and two years later he’s completely weaned himself off of nicotine for good!
It was easier to use a vape setup (the expensive ones) mainly because he could monitor his nicotine levels. I’m not convinced by any means that it’s necessarily healthier for you, but he was able to puff as often as he wanted with lower nicotine levels. He started at 18mg and weaned himself down to 3mg bottles of juices before he quit entirely 🙂
The bottles of juice can be expensive but lasted my husband at least a week or two. Considering he was smoking 1-2 packs a day which cost roughly $8-15 depending on which brand you like and high quality bottles at most cost about $20-30, you end up saving money buying the juices.
It’s also important to research if you took up this habit because regardless of intent, you could accidentally form a new habit/passion. That said, it’s worth looking into if you ever needed to 🙂
Good luck on your journey and I hope it all goes well! It’s terribly hard at first but after a while, you start seeing the changes and feeling better about your decisions surrounding quitting.
You go girl! Goodluck with this. 🙂
I have never smoked in my whole life. My mom did and I am usually bothered with the smell so I never dared to try it for myself. You should be proud of yourself that you’re considering to stop.
I have never smoked and never been interested in smoking, the smell has always put me off so I cannot imagine how it might taste. I know it has been a problem for you and you are not the only one I know who is trying to quit. I admire your open letter, and I am rooting for you and your little victories. It would be so silly to try and quit cold turkey, so I am glad you are taking small steps. 🙂
The only story I can share about someone I know is my friend who was smoking in the middle of the night, and her hair caught fire because of the wind. She said the smell of burning hair was enough to make her quit. Another story I heard from a friend is someone blowing an ashtray into her dad’s face, saying, ‘That’s what it’s like for us’, and he really cut down how much he smoked after that.
The encouragement I can give you as someone who loves taking care of her teeth is that your teeth will thank you when you cut down on the cigarettes, and that only means a better smile 😀 *hugs* I am so proud of you, especially since you managed to cut down on the soda, this is just another little goal that I am sure you will achieve 🙂
Hi Kya 🙂 how are you? Happy 4th of July! 😀
New link please update when you get the chance to. Thank you