Today it’s been one year I have
quit smoking…WOW. This is one of the best things happened in my life.
It all started in my late 16s when
I started smoking, for first couple of years I used to smoke once in 2-3 days but
then I started smoking daily, and in college days I was like “when cigarette is
in my hand I feel like a man” (What the f*** I was thinking).
Anyways, I was addicted to
smoking and I was not seeing anything wrong with it.
Slowly it started affecting my
teeth, my skin, my nails; my clothes started stinking with tobacco smell. When I
use the elevator after I smoke, someone in the elevator will make their face
because I was stinking with tobacco smell (initially I used to laugh on them but
I was stupid), but never thought of quit smoking.
Suddenly one fine day I am in my late
30s and still smoking. I was so addicted to smoking that I used to smoke one as
soon as I get up in the morning, before brushing my teeth. My teeth were
yellow, my nails were yellow, skin was not at all healthy and I started feeling
something is not right internally, I was not feeling fresh from inside.
I started trying to quit smoking,
sometimes I stopped for few hours and sometimes for a day or two and one time
for 3 weeks, but each time I was back to square and could not stop.
I was frustrated with my smoking
addiction and wanted to quit for good. I decided to stop smoking in step by
step manner, first I stopped my first cigarette that I used to smoke as soon as
I am out of my bad. Second, I stopped drinking tea/coffee as tea/coffee was triggering
me for smoking, combination of cigarette and tea/coffee is amazing (Ask any
smoker about combination of cigarette and tea/coffee). Third, I stopped smoking
after lunch or dinner (again, ask any smoker how it feels when you smoke after
lunch or dinner….the answer would be wonderful :-)).
Four, I started reading about smoking and effect on your body after quit
smoking on the internet, this was very encouraging. Five, I was talking to
couple of people at my work place who successfully stopped smoking, this was
very encouraging too. I was stuck to this approach for 2-3 weeks. With all
these efforts, I was still smoking but somewhere I started thinking I am on
right path to become smoke free.
One fine day, I woke up in the morning
and decided to quit smoking. I decided to take one day at a time. It was bit
difficult but somehow I managed for couple of days. On third day, it was tough,
I was craving so much for one cigarette but somehow I controlled myself and did
not smoke. After that it was bit easy to stay away from cigarettes and now I
have not smoked for one full year. My teeth are much better than earlier, my
nails are not yellow anymore and my skin looks healthy. I feel fresh from
inside. I feel wonderful and I feel proud of myself when I think I stopped
smoking after 22 years.
I wasted prime time of my life in
smoking, I feel bad about it but now I can say proudly I am smoke free, I don’t
stink anymore. I did it.
For reference - http://whyquit.com/pr/111605.html
