Green Tip #65: Quit Smoking Now
Quit smoking now
Seems like a Green Tip, right?
Why? Well, it hurts your body. And those around you. And the chemicals end up in the environment. Regardless how hard the tobacco industry has tried to convince the governments and citizens of our great country that their product is harmless, they are wrong and clearly misconceiving whoever will listen. Cancer sucks. Please find me someone who doesn’t think as much. Plus, it cost a BUNCH of money to smoke tobacco. So if you want to learn more about how to stop smoking cigarettes please read our article. Quit smoking now, you’ll be happy for it long term.
Just an update for our readers: When I wake up tomorrow I will be 7 weeks smoke free! I told myself I had to quit smoking now and feel great. I do miss it – this is what addiction is. But food tastes better, I don’t stink anymore nor do I hide my habit at work.
Check out our 365 Green Tips Series!
Congratulations on being smoke free way to go. I quit in 1996. And I gave up alchol three years ago. If people would quit drinking think of the money saved there also.
Congrats on being smoke free for 15 years!
Agreed – if I didn’t love my beer i’d save even more money. That being said, we strive for balance not total frugality.
They’ve only gotten worse in the past year when it comes to your health. Have you seen what makes “fire safe cigarettes” fire safe? Two more pieces of cigarette paper and a layer between of literally carpet glue.
The irony is the according to a lot of smokers I know, the new FSC cigarettes are supposedly more likely to have the entire ember fall off the cigarette. How’s that for fire safe? LOL
And for your health? Can’t be good.
Ya, death by flame would suck.
Congrats on 7 months, having quit myself I can tell you that you are now out of the danger zone. All you have to do now is avoid thinking you have it kicked and just having a “cig here or there” (usually there is alcohol involved in this decision). For me that always brought back the addiction with a vengeance. Congrats and best of luck on your continued success!
Oh, i’m at 7 weeks, not months! Still hoping that i’ve gotten far enough, plus other motivations to quit, that I won’t go back
Congrats on your achievement so far! To put it into logical perspective, it doesn’t make sense to invest money for retirement while at the same time maintaining a habit that virtually guarantees you a shorter life. Both of my parents were smokers and both died of cancer; my stepmother has been a lifelong smoker and was just diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago.
Thanks for the support Brad. Sorry to hear of your losses. You are correct though – smoking is counter productive to investing for retirement.
Congrats!! My father in law just gave up smoking (for the millionth time) and I reminded him that my mom smoked and ended up dieing from lung cancer then spread to her brain, and he has a lot of grandchildren (one on the way!) to live for and be a Papa to. I need to also mention that if he were to take the financial route and see just how much money he’ll be saving, he could buy some nice guy toys!
Good job!!! Congrats on sticking to your goal!!
My dad smoked for ages and is now suffering. I can count with my hands how many of his teeth are real. root canals and what not… all because of smoking.
Good for you for giving it up!
Thanks Kay and Mandi! It seems this tip is getting more fanfare than the main article I wrote! (please check that one out too folks!)
Congrats on your progress. Being a health care provider I know how hard it can be for people to stick with quitting. You are doing great and when you are finding it tough, just link up with your supporters. We are all here and rooting for you.
Everybody that gives up smoking should be congratulated. I believe that the secret to long term success at quitting smoking is positive thinking and commitment. Believing that you will soon be a quitter may seem an impossibility. But those negative thoughts are based on your present belief systems and habits and rituals. You have to challenge yourself and see outside the box that your life currently revolves around. Committed people have their lives changed every day. Visualize yourself as being a non smoker and start thinking accordingly. Commit to it and it will occur. Make up a few positive affirmations that are empowering and specific to you and your circumstances. For example write “I am committed to no longer smoke and I am liberated” or “I have taken control of my life and choose not to smoke”. Make the commitment statements from a standpoint of a future time, so that you can get yourself and your mindset ready for a soon-to-be future timeframe. If you maintain this committed mindset, each time that you smoke in future will feel less fulfilling and will be counter to what you truly want. Make sure that each time you use the bathroom mirror, open the fridge or reach for a cigarette, look at the commitment affirmation and reflect on it. Believe the statements and allow them to take root in your heart so that your Shen is invigorated and empowered and it will only be a matter of time before this belief has become the new reality and you will be a contented quitter. Art Turock said “There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results. Other noteworthy quotes and pearls of wisdom about commitment include the following:
…… Vince Lombardi stated “Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It’s something we call heart power. Once a man has made his commitment, nothing will stop him short of success”.
…… Yoda admonished “a Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind”.
…… Jim Rohn stated “it doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions”.
…… Anthony Robbins said “stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach”.
…… Lester R Bittel advised “good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true”.
…… Charles Kettering said “high achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation”. So take heart that you will soon be a quitter. After ONLY 10 days you will no longer have physical cravings. You may have yearnings due to deeply entrenched former rituals formed around your smoking behaviour, BUT they are NOT cravings, so don’t let those former associations sabotage your resolve to QUIT FOR LIFE.
Thanks a ton for the detailed thoughts. Great advice for all who read this.
Good article, I think the same, you can save a lot of money. One year of not smoking can sponsor you a nice 2 weeks in mexico :) I think its worth it!
It sure can! To even pricier countries as well!
Quit Smoking – You Can Do It
Smoking is believed to be 10% physical addiction and 90% psychological addiction. The nicotine withdrawals usually subside in three days or less, but the psychological dependency on smoking is much more difficult to defeat.
In order to help you quit smoking, you need to do a self-analysis on the reasons you smoke and the reasons on why you want to quit smoking.
The easiest way to do this is to make a list. Label one column on why you started smoking and the other column on why you want to quit smoking.
In column one, list all the reasons you can remember as to why you started smoking. Was it peer pressure? Rebellion? Did you think it made you look cool? Did it make you feel like a grown-up? Really, try to remember the exact reasons why you started smoking and write them all down.
Now review your list of reasons why you smoke. Do any of those reasons still apply in your life today? More than likely the reasons you started to smoke does not apply to the reasons you smoke today. If you are like most people, you will see that your reasons for becoming a smoker are no longer valid, are often just silly, and are easily outweighed by the risks to your health and your family’s well-being.