And my life is sweet like cinnamon.....

Ten months smoke free today

I think I can officially call myself a  confirmed non smoker

My uncle was here the other day

He was telling us about his upcoming holiday in Spain

Out of pure habit

I opened my mouth to ask him to get me cigarettes

400 cigarettes

Then I remembered

Oh

I don't smoke anymore 

It was a nice feeling

I regularly have dreams in which I am smoking 

And I'm really annoyed at myself for relapsing

Ten months down the drain

Then I wake up and realise that I haven't in fact smoked 

And All is well

I can remember the day I stopped smoking like it was yesterday

I had put it off for so long

As I had fallen for the myth that you gain weight when you quit

To me

Being thin and broke was more important that being a healthy weight or over weight and flush with money 

The sane uncle had just come back from Turkey 

And had brought me home two cartons of smokes

I decided that day

That when I had finished the cartons

Then I would give up

So I smoked my little head off for the next two weeks 

I was averaging 30 - 35 a day

I smoked like it was going out of fashion

Which in fact it was 

I thoroughly enjoyed smoking

I loved it

Cigarettes punctuated my life

I remember when you could smoke in restaurants

On trains

In pubs and clubs

Then the smoking ban came in

And us smokers were banished outside

Some pubs and clubs made very comfortable smoking areas

And do all the 'craic' seemed to be happening out there

I always had cigarettes in my bag

I bought two packs a day

And always had a selection of lighters on the go too

I even had a cigarette case

And a cigarettes purse ala Betty Draper from Madmen

I smoked any where and everywhere I could 

At home

I smoked out the window 

Up the chimney 

In front of the extractor fan

And I thought I was being considerate of others!

Smoking was a huge part of my life

And if my identity

It was the first thing I did in the morning 

Make a cup of tea

And light up a smoke

I smoked after food especially 

It was like a cigarette finished off the me

And smoking was a social thing

Me and my friends would nip outside for a cheeky smoke any chance we got

There was great banter out with the smokers

It was like we were all doing something naughty

And we were all In it together

I used to really enjoy a cuppa with a smoke

I did my best thinking then

And also had the best chats over a cuppa and a smoke

The worlds problems could be solved then

So now I am a non smoker

And I can't deny the benefits

My number one reason for quitting was the money

I wish I could say it was for health reasons 

But if I'm honest it wasn't 

I was broke all the time

And I couldn't stand it anymore

So 

They had to go

There was no other option

I've so noticed an improvement in my health

My fitness has improved

My breathing

My lung function

My stamina

Have all drastically improved

To address the weight gain

I did gain weight after I quit 

But I was gaining weight anyway

So I don't know if it was my quitting or my body re-gaining naturally

Whichever it was

It seems to have settled down  now

Thank Jebus

I was wondering about you

Do you smoke?

How long have you been smoking?

What made you give up?

What stops you from giving up?

Inquiring minds want to know......