Why I Quit Smoking

I quit for one main reason: I was tired of that life.

I was tired of being a person who relied completely on nicotine to get me through the day.

Everyday I would go through the same motions: getting up and smoking, finding an opportunity, smoking in private, and thinking about when the next time will be.

It was awful!

I WANTED A NEW LIFE – As the years progressed, I saw everyone around me getting promoted, getting married, having kids, living happy lives, and just enjoying themselves.

That wasn’t me. I hated my life.

I wanted a new one, and I was determined to do it.

CIGARETTES WERE KILLING ME – They really were. I could feel it.

I could see it in my skin, I could definitely feel it in my lungs, and I was getting sick all of the time. I was tired of it.

Whenever I would quit for an extended period of time, my skin’s appearance dramatically increased and became more clear.

Do you have skin problems?

Smoking reduces oxygen intake to your body, so naturally the more oxygen your body gets, the more quickly it can heal.

SMOKING LEAD TO OTHER SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS – This is a biggie for me.

Along with smoking, I was and still am a problem gambler, and I drink too much. All 3 of these things go hand-in-hand, in my opinion. With one comes the other.

When I quit smoking, I drank less because it was not as fun to drink and not have the pleasure of lighting up.

If I wasn’t smoking and drinking, I certainly wasn’t in the bar gambling with just a glass of water at hand. I just wouldn’t do it at all.

If I relapsed, I would be at the bar the same night drinking and gambling. That’s just how much of an addict I was.

The combination of smoking, drinking, and gambling will destroy you like it did me.

I DIDN’T WANT TO BE AN OLD PERSON WHO SMOKED – I work at a bar and I see a lot of regulars who come in on a daily basis, and they all smoke.

I didn’t want to be one of them.

If I continued to be someone who went to the bars every night after work, I was destined to be one of them.

Plus it’s all so fake and stupid.

They come in and drink the same drinks every night and talk the same talk and they all think they’re doing something with their lives by befriending everyone in the bar night after night.

They aren’t!

I also didn’t want to be someone who couldn’t quit, or it was too late in their mind.

I work with someone who is well on her way to emphysema, and she knows it, but she is too stubborn to quit.

She knows she has to quit, but she’s prolonging it as much as possible, and suffering because of it.

I don’t want to be like that.

I KNEW GREAT THINGS WOULD HAPPEN IF I QUIT – And they did.

Even after 1 week, those 7 days were terrific! They were the best days of my life!

Well no, but I certainly was headed in the right direction and enjoying myself.

I was moving forward, I was saving money, I was sleeping better, and I was definitely looking better, too. The list goes on and on.

But I knew deep down that great things happened once I threw my cigarettes out for good.

I just had to do it once and for all!

SMOKING WAS KEEPING ME FROM REACHING MY GOALS – In my personal experience, smoking kept me from attaining my goals of life.

I wanted to go to the gym, but when I smoked, I lost the desire to be healthy.

I wanted to be buff and possibly run a marathon someday, but as an addict, that wasn’t possible.

I wanted to buy a car, buy a house, buy a nice TV, but none of that was possible as long as I was a slave to nicotine.

I wanted to be in a loving relationship.

But, if I hated myself and my life, those negative vibes would branch out through the universe and that person would never show up.

I truly believe with positive thoughts and actions come positive reactions.

Like attracts like.

I DIDN’T WANT TO DIE YOUNG – Simple as that. I can almost guarantee that if I continued down the path like I was, I’d be dead by the age of 45.

I was spiraling downhill fast!

Plus you only get one life, you only get one chance to do things right.

I quit smoking because I wanted to lead the most healthiest life possible. I wanted to feel good and take advantage of all that life has to offer.

Obsessing over cigarettes and smoking every moment of the day was not the winning formula.

I WAS SICK OF THE ANXIETY ATTACKS – Smoking causes anxiety, and I would have an anxiety attack almost everyday during work.

I always would blame it on the stressful situation, but it’s the withdrawal that caused the stress.

How do I know that?

Because when I quit for any length of time, my anxiety fizzled away even though work was just as stressful as it was before.

Only now it was 100% more manageable.

Anxiety was a killer for me, and now that I’ve quit, it’s about 85% non-existent in my life. That’s a great thing!