Value your body

Pros

• ability to have a bonding experience with other smokers.
• attain a feeling of creating a ritual.
• fun in watching the cigarette burn, and watching the smoke swirl.
• enjoying momentary gratification.

Cons

• The after-smell on clothes, furniture, car, house, everything, yuck.
• Inability to breathe properly.
• Severe throbbing headaches, occasional migraines.
• Lingering colds and bronchitis.
• Racing heartbeat, more sweating.
• Increased rate of hypertension.
• Nausea from smoking too much.
• The constant coppery, ashy taste in the mouth.
• Yellow skin, teeth and fingernails.
• Scaly, unhealthy-feeling skin.
• Anxiety from the fear of the consequences.
• No relaxation, always feeling in need of something. A constant feeling of not being satisfied.
• Mini-withdrawals throughout the day.
• Feelings of shame while spending time with non-smokers.
• Feelings of inadequacy and substance dependence.
• Fear of being unable to quit, of dying an untimely, painful death.
• Overflowing ashtrays, ashes and dust everywhere.
• The cost. All that money wasted on ruining your health and well-being.
• Fuels compulsiveness relating to other bad habits, such as nail-biting, and binge-eating.
• Lighting the filter end by mistake…
• Dropping hot ashes or losing the tip of a cigarette.
• Feeling “exiled” in the smoking section/smoking room.
• Dulled sense of taste and smell.

When I was in high school I took puffs on numerous occasions when I was offered by friends. The ability of bonding easily with another person holding a cigarette was interesting. However, I discovered that smoking contains more cons than pros. I also understood the fact that no one in this world can stop me if i chose to continue smoking. It’s the same that no one in this world could stop me if I chose to value my body and stop. I have friends who have stopped and friends who have continued. I have collected numerous tips for quitting smoking.

Decision

Like I have said before, no one in this world can stop you if you WANT to continue. Words like ‘I can stop’ or ‘I will try my best to..’ are all bullshit. Anything containing ‘will’, ‘can’, ‘try’ is bullshit. Ask anyone that you may come across who has successfully stopped smoking. They did it because they ‘WANT’ to not because they ‘can’ or ‘will try’. The 9 remaining tips will only make sense when a true, genuine decision is made.

Banish

The first thing to do when a decision is made is to THROW AWAY all your cigarettes and matches. Give your lighters and ashtrays to your favourite pub. Tell the person who has been serving you at the pub, ‘thank you’ and leave. Remember the ashtray and lighter in the car as well.

Clean up

Make things clean and fresh at work, in your car, and at home. Clean the curtains, seats, carpets and clothes. Shampoo your car. Buy yourself something fresh like potpourri and leave it around somewhere. You will enjoy the scent as your sense of smell returns.

Maintain white teeth

Go to a dentist to clean your teeth to get rid of smoking stains. Level up your confidence when you notice how great they look.

Craving

Some smokers save one pack of cigarettes. They do it ‘just in case’. Or even just to prove they have the willpower not to smoke. Don’t! Saving one pack just makes it easier to start smoking again. It will take 3 months before all the toxins leave your body after quitting smoking.

Identify ‘triggers’

Here are 15 common triggers identified. Add your own to the list.

• Feeling stressed
• Feeling down
• Talking on the phone
• Drinking liquor, like wine or beer
• Watching TV
• Driving your car
• Finishing a meal
• Playing cards
• Taking a work break
• Being with other smokers
• Drinking coffee
• Seeing someone else smoke
• Cooling off after a fight
• Feeling lonely
• After having sex

Make a plan to avoid & deal with the ‘triggers’

Plan for how to deal with the urge before it hits. Avoid times, places and things that you did when you enjoyed smoking most.
Like the ones listed above.

Avoid tobacco altogether

Light or low-tar cigarettes are just as harmful as regular cigarettes. Smokeless tobacco, cigars, pipes, and herbal cigarettes also harm your health. For example, bidi cigarettes are just as bad as regular cigarettes. Clove cigarettes are even worse. They have more tar, nicotine, and deadly gases. All tobacco products have harmful chemicals and poisons.

Tell someone

Quitting smoking is easier with the support of others. Tell your family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit. Tell them how they can help you. Some people like to have friends ask how things are going. Others find it nosy. Tell the people you care about exactly how they can help. Ask them to understand your change in mood. Remind them that this won’t last long. The worst will be over within two weeks. Tell them this : ‘The longer I go without cigarettes, the sooner I’ll be my old self. =)’

Time

You’ll realize when you began to just plain feel better the longer you’re without tobacco use. Everyone will experience withdrawals in the first 2 weeks. Withdrawal is the discomfort of giving up nicotine. It is actually the body’s way of telling you ‘hey buddy. I wanna be smoke-free. Continue passing this training and I will promise you more stamina when you perform in bed’. In 3 months time, these feelings will go away.

Reward Yourself

For everyday you successfully stop, put the exact amount you would spend in a money jar. Here’s an example of how much an average joe would have saved:

After	You’ve saved
1 day	$5
1 week	$35
1 month	$150
1 year	$1,820
10 years	$18,200
20 years	$36,400

Live your life and grow old, happily.