I smoked my last cigarette. I put the remainder of my carton (6 + packs I think) away into my shed and wrote down my reasons for quitting.
It was an unplanned quit, but I chose to always allow myself the option of having a cigarette, knowing full well that would work best for my personality. Each crave I just made the decision to not light up. I would ask myself a question from my list
- Do I really want to be addicted?
- Do I really want to smell like that?
- Do I really want to do my very best to keep the dogs healthy?
- Do I really want to keep feeding into big tobacco’s treasure chest?
- Do I really want to keep paying excessive sin taxes?
- Do I really want to be a smoker wanted to quit, or a non-smoker occasionally wanting to smoke?
Etc
A crave at a time, an hour, then a day at a time. I now have 365 days and can go weeks without thinking of a cigarette. I still have my list of questions though 🙂
I had a farewell ceremony for those cigarettes 10 days into my quit. I went outside, got the carton and sat down. I thanked them for their service to me and broke each cigarette up, stripping them and putting them into the garbage bag in my hand. Why thank them? Because they filled a void and lent me energy. They did help me in awkward situations and when I felt I could not cry in public. I then wrote a note on a ribbon thanking my Heavenly Father and angels for their help and guidance in becoming free of nicotine and let that ribbon fly gently away into the night, taking my need to smoke with it. I then asked for continued help and guidance in staying cigarette free.
I am here today, smoke free and 2 sizes larger. Two of my dogs have never known me as a smoker. I was able to let my sister move into my smoke-free house when she and her family most needed help. I have enough money saved from not smoking that I can have each dog in classes so we get quality time.
