Post by judyb on Sept 20, 2004 11:31:58 GMT -5
It’s been over 3 years since I’ve had a cigarette. I’m not going to lie or try to kid anyone, I use to enjoy smoking and I miss it. I use to enjoy drinking coffee with a smoke. I use to enjoy a beer with a smoke. I use to enjoy sitting back after a meal and having a cigarette. I chose to smoke because I liked to, I also use to smoke because I was addicted to nicotine.
I miss the pleasure cigarettes use to bring, I don’t miss the addiction I had to them. One situation certainly followed the other. I surely didn’t quit smoking because I was offended by my addiction. I didn’t quit because the cost became prohibitive. I didn’t quit because smoking offended other people. I finally quit smoking because I didn’t want to die of lung cancer (or other diseases caused by smoking).
After putting out my last cigarette, one door closed; another door opened. When one lifestyle came to an abrupt halt, I forged another. It might be said it was a forced change but it’s one that I feel quite comfortable with. It would be an understatement to say the transition was difficult. It took focus, determination, drugs (zyban), and lots and lots of support (this site). It also took a desire to change my life in a huge way. I’ve always enjoyed sports, the outdoors, physical activity, and music. After quitting smoking, all these things played an enormous part in keeping my quit intact.
I’ve mentioned in other posts that quitting smoking is much more than just giving up cigarettes. Lifestyle change is necessary. A wannabe quitter will have a difficult time without this understanding. Individuals who suggest they gave up tobacco without a hitch were not addicted to nicotine or are in the very least, quite extraordinary. It just doesn’t seem possible to give up something that consumed hours of each and every day without impacting lifestyle in some way.
Giving up cigarettes affords extra time and energy which are substantial benefits. As a non-smoker, I’ve found the motivation to eat better, exercise longer and harder. Of course these things translate into a better quality of life. As a non-smoker I’ve also found the time and money saved to invest in something I’ve always wanted (guitar). It’s difficult to smoke while the fingers are busy. Of course the list of benefits of quitting smoking is endless but quality of life, time, and money are a great start.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that even though I enjoyed smoking so much, I had to make a serious decision to quit before the d**n things killed me. I always use to hassle my kids when I'd tell them to do something and they'd respond by saying they would take care of it 'tomorrow'. The famous last words. Of course tomorrow never got here. When it came to smoking, those were my own infamous last words. It took years but tomorrow finally did arrive and I’ve gone without tobacco for 1222 days (give or take)(but who’s counting?).
When quitting cigarettes, it must be understood that change is necessary. Not with just the elimination of tobacco, that’s only the beginning. One must understand that living and life isn’t found at the end of a cigarette. Cigarettes are what terminate living and life. And that is the sorry truth about smoking.
I miss the pleasure cigarettes use to bring, I don’t miss the addiction I had to them. One situation certainly followed the other. I surely didn’t quit smoking because I was offended by my addiction. I didn’t quit because the cost became prohibitive. I didn’t quit because smoking offended other people. I finally quit smoking because I didn’t want to die of lung cancer (or other diseases caused by smoking).
After putting out my last cigarette, one door closed; another door opened. When one lifestyle came to an abrupt halt, I forged another. It might be said it was a forced change but it’s one that I feel quite comfortable with. It would be an understatement to say the transition was difficult. It took focus, determination, drugs (zyban), and lots and lots of support (this site). It also took a desire to change my life in a huge way. I’ve always enjoyed sports, the outdoors, physical activity, and music. After quitting smoking, all these things played an enormous part in keeping my quit intact.
I’ve mentioned in other posts that quitting smoking is much more than just giving up cigarettes. Lifestyle change is necessary. A wannabe quitter will have a difficult time without this understanding. Individuals who suggest they gave up tobacco without a hitch were not addicted to nicotine or are in the very least, quite extraordinary. It just doesn’t seem possible to give up something that consumed hours of each and every day without impacting lifestyle in some way.
Giving up cigarettes affords extra time and energy which are substantial benefits. As a non-smoker, I’ve found the motivation to eat better, exercise longer and harder. Of course these things translate into a better quality of life. As a non-smoker I’ve also found the time and money saved to invest in something I’ve always wanted (guitar). It’s difficult to smoke while the fingers are busy. Of course the list of benefits of quitting smoking is endless but quality of life, time, and money are a great start.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that even though I enjoyed smoking so much, I had to make a serious decision to quit before the d**n things killed me. I always use to hassle my kids when I'd tell them to do something and they'd respond by saying they would take care of it 'tomorrow'. The famous last words. Of course tomorrow never got here. When it came to smoking, those were my own infamous last words. It took years but tomorrow finally did arrive and I’ve gone without tobacco for 1222 days (give or take)(but who’s counting?).
When quitting cigarettes, it must be understood that change is necessary. Not with just the elimination of tobacco, that’s only the beginning. One must understand that living and life isn’t found at the end of a cigarette. Cigarettes are what terminate living and life. And that is the sorry truth about smoking.
