Where do I begin with this post… younger me would have walked outside to think this over; sparked up a cig, taken a couple deep drags and exhaled a cloud of brilliance. Genius thoughts would come flowing in as I quickly jot down these ideas onto my notepad prepared to go back inside to spew out a flurry of inspirational words meant to help the masses. With something so meaningful, why would anyone ever want to quit such a thing? Because that image fizzles up in smoke, pun intended. That “inspiration” would literally last only a few minutes before the craving, the feening for another cig over shrouds anything else.
I played this game of chicken with my friend Nicotine for 16 years. There were a few times where we would take a break from one another, but I guess I was a masochist, I kept going back for more. “This time will be different. I got it under control! I will limit myself to 5 a day.. 10 a day… Only when I drink. It is just a social thing! It goes great after meals! I am only smoking this cause she made me mad. It helps me think and relax…” My fellow smokers know what I am talking about. But news flash friends!! Our counterparts – the Non smokers never have to think such things. I am Very confident that I have Finally kicked the habit and if you are a smoker reading this, I hope to help you too. Now put out that cigarette you are smoking as you read this! Just kidding! You quit when the time is right for you.
I am not writing this to offend anyone. I also do not think I am better than someone who smokes just because I have called it quits. I actually do not even know how long it has been since my last puff, that is how I know it is over. I stopped counting. The secret to quitting – like Nike says, is “just do it.” No nicotine gum nor patches, no counseling, no cutting back nor rationing, you literally just have to want to stop.
I went from smoking 20 a day to zero overnight and never suffered a second of physical pain from withdrawal. It is all truly a mental battle.
How long does nicotine and the other chemicals from a cigarette stay within our system? Three days. Within three days All traces of nicotine will be out of your body. How long do the effects of a cig last after you take that last puff and flick the butt to the floor? 15-20 minutes. Again. It is all mental.
So why does cutting back not work? Because you are giving the cig monster all the power. Telling yourself you will only smoke at a certain time or after a certain activity prevents you from truly enjoying and experiencing life. By doing this we give cigs all the power instead of putting the power back into our own hands. For example, let’s say I am allowed to smoke five a day. I am now treating smoking as a lifeline or something essential. Let us say I am allowed one a day at 9pm. Now I am counting down the day until it is 9pm and I can finally “enjoy” myself. Even the concept of only smoking when something “bad” happens is just plain ridiculous. I will start a fight with my girlfriend every single day just so I have a good enough “reason” to smoke. All these tactics of rationing are ineffective.
Side note: for you nonsmokers who have a loved one who smokes, do not give them an ultimatum to quit. At one point I truly believed I would leave my girlfriend if she forced me into a corner. Each time my significant other tried imposing that upon me I immediately turned into Golem from Lord of the Rings. “No Not My Precious!!! Hisssss!!”
Also, do not form a pact with someone to quit together. You are doing this for yourself. Do not let their failure bring you back to what you got away from. You are doing this for yourself because you love yourself!
So the real only way to quit cigarettes forever is wanting to quit. If you are a smoker and just told yourself “yes i want to quit” then let us begin. Decide when your last TWO cigarettes are going to be (ex. End of this pack, 1st of the month… dare I say… maybe even Tonight?). That is right. I said TWO and please perform this operation when you are alone. After all, don’t we sometimes go outside to smoke a cigarette because we want to be alone? With that second to last cigarette. With each drag. I want you to really inhale every piece of that toxic smoke. Feel the pain and pleasure go through every inch of your body. Each exhale should only be faint clouds as your body inhales the bulk of it. Really feel how gross it tastes. It should not be easy to finish that first cigarette. Now light the second one right away and do the same thing. Exhale to your full potential. Remember how gross each hit taste and how icky it makes your body feel. Chances are you will not even want to finish this second cigarette (your last cigarette). Now put it out when you are done and go back inside and be prepared to rediscover yourself, rebuild your relationships with your loved ones. Never worry about smelling like an ashtray again.
Sure the thoughts of smoking will come back here and there. Just remind yourself how gross the last two felt. How you do not need it no more. How much happier you have been since you stopped being best friends with cigarettes. For me, I had to be conscious of fighting with my girlfriend for the next couple weeks. I had to remind myself each time “do not let her be the reason you smoke again. Do not let her have the winning last word ‘you are only acting like this because you need to smoke.’” Eventually you stop tracking how many days it has been since your last puff because you are too busy enjoying life.
Kiss your loved ones without worry. Feel the rush of getting a runner’s high again without gasping for air. See yourself lift more and sculpt your body into the god-like form it can be. Everything tastes better too. Especially… the taste of victory. Never pick up another cigarette again.
If you have a friend who is trying to quit smoking please share this article and Healthy Male with them.
I wish you all the best. Thank you for reading.
