The Thirtieth Day

Success!!!
I made it through my thirty days!
I hope you can say that for yourself right now too.
Now the question is: will you ever smoke again?
You definitely beat the habit, but you may think back now.
The trick is, as always, to ignore it.
Because you'll see that you'll have forgotten about that pretty fast.
And I'm quite positive that a short thought on picking up smoking again that you'll have lost a few minutes later isn't worth the trouble again.
Just remember: you're now free of that addiction.
And even if you have to say no to something that you maybe even enjoyed for a while, remember to keep your ultimate goal in mind.
If for some reason the craving for smoking is still haunting you constantly and you feel like saying "I did my time, I'll go back to smoking now.", feel free to rename your quitting schedule to "Stop Smoking in 60 Days" :D
Look at yourself, evaluate:
How much money did you save?
How much better does your skin/face look?
How much less do you pant after chasing the bus in the morning?
How much better do you/your home/your clothes smell?
Doesn't the difference make you confident?
It surely should.
Welcome to a longer, healthier life. Give yourself a pat on the back, and tackle those challenges of your life with new found strength.

My Twenty-ninth Day

Hey everybody!
You may wonder whyI didn't write anything for about a week.
Well, to be completely honest... I didn't know about what.
I didn't think about smoking, so I kind of lost sight of the blog.
I guess I actually made it already.
Nonetheless, this is the day before the last day, so sit tight and check back for another post tomorrow.

My Twenty-first And Twenty-second Day

Hey everybody!
So we're almost into the last week.
How do you feel?
I, for myself, feel kind of like I never smoked before.
When I see cigarettes or people smoking, the idea of smoking myself feels somewhat distant.
That was exactly what I was hoping for.
My body now seems to have (re-)adjusted to a smoke-free routine, and I feel quite good about it.
My tendency to be a little smug about it makes some of my friends confused, since I had always been a pro-smoker - up to New Year's Eve, I always officially proclaimed that I actually enjoy smoking.
But then the reason for me to quit was when I remembered what it was like to smoke in the last time: I noticed that the smoker's mental impression of smoking actually appears better than smoking itself.
I always thought "Damn, I'd love a cigarette now." So I lit one up, but it wasn't quite what I "expected".
Adding the increasing health problems, I decided to quit. Just like that.
Sometimes, it is better to act fast than to think about it too thoroughly.
In most cases, when overthinking descisions too much, one ends up talking oneself into the less painful or easier solution, regardless of the consequences.
It was similar to when I got a new computer:
I was totally fed upt with Windows catching viruses all the time, having to reformat my hard drive all the time, losing all my files, constant Spyware, system crashes, enigmatic menus and so on.
So I asked myself: I 'll get a new computer - but will it be a Mac or a PC? (Linux wasn't really an option - I'm not a supergeek (and yes, I know ubuntu and so forth))
I could've told myself that sticking with Windows would probably be the best solution; wide compatibility, low prices, not having to adjust to a completely new OS - yeah, that would've been easy.
But instead, I knew that in the long run, I would end up with the same problems.
So I got a Mac - and I don't regret it.
Of course, a Mac has a few downsides too - and adjusting to the system takes a while. But it gives me what I really want: a reliable, easy-to-use system.
So don't be afraid to face challenges.
Don't aim for the easiest way out.
Be willing to go the extra mile.
Forget about your proximate happiness. Aim for the ultimate.
We already regret too much choices as it is.

My Eighteenth, Nineteenth And Twentieth Day

Hi everyone!
So, I'm back after another weekend pause.
The only problem is, I don't really know what to write.
I haven't thought about smoking this weekend.
I guess that's a positive sign.
That brings me back to the "Out of sight, out of mind" theory; my personal conclusion is that smoking is way easier to quit than you might think.
You decide to quit, but then you're not prepared for suffering through the first days of quitting. Then you hear about nicotine gum or plasters, or some weird herb cigarettes. Because you feel the urge to fill that void with something, you go out and get one or more of those products.
But with that you're actually working away from your goal; they keep your desire alive and prevent you from what you're really trying to do: get rid of smoking once and for all.
You have to kill the nicotine craving in a battle rather than hoping to slowly famish it over some time. How does it make sense to take in nicotine a different way to get rid of the addiction?
I went through it, so I'm pretty sure you can too. Just never forget who's in charge of yourself.

My Seventeenth Day

Hey everybody,
Today, there was a massive storm in Berlin, which prevented me from going to a concert tonight. All the subways and buses were discontinued for the evening, and some events were cancelled.
So I was stuck at home and watched some episodes of Scrubs.
I have to say that there's a certain addiction in TV series; if you like a show a lot, you can't get enough of it.
Some people tell me "What's so different about nicotine addiction? All the people addicted to whatever are all the same.".
Where is the truth in that?
Theres different types of addictions; benevolent ones and malevolent ones.
The benevolent addiction encourages you to do more of what you like.
For example, if you really like reading, you'll have a hard time putting a book down when you're addicted to it.
Malevolent addictions, however, force you to do something even if you don't want to.
Like smoking or an eating disorder.
I've seen so much people that don't want to smoke but just can't stop.
The only problem is: many people feel controlled by their addictions.
But, in fact, you aren't.
Most people just don't realize that.
They think they HAVE to give in.
But they don't.
If you know your addiction is not unhealthy, just feed it within reasonable bounds. comfort doesn't hurt. But try to learn to differenciate between those two addiction types.
Find out what your addictions are. Reject the ones that want you to go against your will.
Remember? As a kid, you probably often wished to "do what you want". You only really fulfill that dream when you're fully in control of yourself.

My Sixteenth Day

Hey everyone!
Today was widely unspectacular.
But I talked to a friend who also told me that he tried quitting, but says that after having gone without for a few hours, he just starts freaking out.
And I also helped someone on the German Yahoo! Answers network.
She was asking about nausea and dizzyness after having quit for two days, and if that were normal.
To both I answered what I wrote already: Stick with it! It only gets better!
The first one was unsuccessful; he said he'd rather be comfortable than to really challenge himself.
But the second one was really grateful for my advice; she stuck with refraining from smoking and reported me that the dizzyness progressingly got weaker and that she was feeling better every day! Success :D
I have to admit that this actually adds to my experience. Go out and give help and experience to others who need it! Just remember one thing: Give help to people who want it. Don't waste your time trying to talk people into something they surely don't want. If somebody, for some reason, really does not want to quit, don't try to talk him or her into quitting. I mean sure, you can ask if they're interested in quitting or in your experience, but don't push em. To quit smoking, you have to WANT it. You have to want it BAD. It's hard, and it takes a lot of power to pull it off.
Another health update: my skin looks even better now.
Carry on, I'll be back with another post tomorrow.

My Fifteenth Day

Hi everyone!
Day number fifteen - that means the test period is halfway over!
And I have to say, everything is going smoother.
But I'm not in favour of repeating what I already wrote earlier, so rather than evualating your past success, you should now look towards the goal.
If you did exactly how I told you to, you'll have told yourself to quit for a month, holding the option to continue after 30 days.
Do you now feel like smoking again?
Maybe you think that 15 days isn't much yet, but write it down and compare to what you say in 5 or 10 days.
To embiggen yourself is an important part, but facing challenges is one, too.
Because remember: the deadliest weapon a challenge has is surprise. Never let it hit you suddenly.
Try to already anticipate your thoughts in 15 days.

My Fourteenth Day

Hi, everybody!
So now I've gone through 14 days of smoking.
I felt secure that I were through with smoking now.
But today, as I smelled somebody's smoke, it reminded me of that taste I used to crave so much. And I have to admit that I felt like smoking again for a second.
So my assumption that 2 weeks is not enough yet was right; I obviously still knew what the taste was like.
That's the trick: out of sight, out of mind.
If you get rid of something you don't need but you want for some reason, you'll be missing it at first, but after a while, you just forget about it.
For example, if you borrow a friend a video game, or a movie, or a CD you're already done with, you'll probably ask him to return it a few days later. If he says that he still needs it and would like to keep it for another while, you'll probably be mad at first, but you're probably much busier with a new game or CD so you just forget about it.
While in the example, forgetting about your belongings is not too good, forgetting about smoking is excellent.
Try to remember:
Did your parents/your guardians/those around you smoke when you were a kid?
Did you like the smell back then?
I just remember that when I was a kid I was occasionally exposed to smoke on family partys. I hated that smell.
Not convinced? Yeah, so you don't also love chocolate and Sesame Street above everything anymore.
Then remember when you smoked your first cigarette.
Did you enjoy it?
I'm pretty sure you didn't.
For myself, I remember when I smoked my first cigarette. Of course it was with a classmate who was like the most badass guy around.
I trembled while lighting it, hoping that by no coincidence my parents would be anywhere near.
Then I coughed.
Then that classmate explained to me how to smoke properly.
I guess a lot of people's smoking history starts in a similar fashion.
Getting a coke to get that weird taste out of my mouth was the first thing I did afterwards.
But still, I was compelled to do it again 3 days later.
And so it started, soon I started buying my own cigarettes and smoking on a daily basis, then also more than one a day.
At that point it was okay for me because I got to hang with all the cool kids and was being a "normal" youth, something that was hard for me in the past because we had to move every 3 years due to my dad's job, which meant I never had friends for long.
But now my friends are over 90% non-smokers, so it occurred to me that you can be a social person without smoking.
The whole moving thing taught me exactly that lesson though.
The first time we had to move, I was completely bummed that I wasn't going to see all my friends again. But after a while, I made new friends and I kind of lost sight of the old ones. I hardly remember any of the names.
The second time, it was easier to let go, also because a lot of other people left my former class.
I had learned that time doesn't stand still and that although we like to bathe in comforting memories, we should not grab hold of them too tight. We are moving further away from them every second and all we can do is find other ways to produce a similar comfort.
Also, those memories paint a false image: because one likes to remember the good moments in life, one tends to forget about the bad stuff in the past.
This means: the past wasn't as great as your imagination.
So if you smell smoke and think of the relaxing effect, try to remind yourself at the same time what bad it did you at the same time. So maybe you had moments of comfort, but what about shortness of breathing? Unhealthy appearance? Shaky hands? Maybe, if you've been smoking for a while, even impotence, cancer or amputation?
Time is moving on, and so should you.

My Eleventh, Twelfth And Thirteenth Day

Hey everybody!
So I did predict right that the weekend was too exhausting to find the time in between to write any posts.
But now I actually came to notice that I've almost gone through 2 whole weeks without smoking. Did you already?
If so, you may pat yourself on the back; although you're not free from nicotine craving yet - you sure already got somewhere by now.
And at this point, you should start evaluating:
How much money have you saved?
How much healthier do you look?
And more important: How much healthier do you feel?
I for one noticed that had already saved enough money to buy myself a new DVD. Just after two weeks, and I wasn't even a heavy smoker.
Then, I noticed my skin looking smoother than before; the colour is already a little more even. In addition, the rings under my eyes are starting to disappear.
And also, I feel much healthier. Getting up in the morning has been a lot easier the last few days, and I also feel less exhausted while watching TV.
So you might say - considering all those advantages you gain even after quitting for a short while - how could I not consider myself free from desire for smoking?
Well, just because it got easier dealing with quitting doesn't mean it's over.
You probably still remember the smell of tobacco and the brief tranquillity of smoking. And you're not done with it until you practically forgot about those.
Quitting the smoke is a long road. You'll most probably still have to struggle after the 30 days.
But as I mentioned before; Quitting is not easy, nor is it supposed to be that.
Life IS struggle. You'll always face challenges.
The living are not designed to be content with everything.
Of course you can be content with your family, your relationship, or even just with watching your favourite TV show and eating a nice meal. But being fully content with EVERYTHING is impossible.
And that is why we are alive.
Imagine: if the first creatures ever were content with their life, they most probably wouldn't have bothered to mate, and we wouldn't have ever existed.
We are supposed to run so we can pass on the torch. It may seem weird that we race for something we will never reach personally and most probably mankind won't ever reach as well. But we don't lose. We would lose if we stopped running and eventually died with the extinguishing torch in our hand, never to be passed on.
So keep your eyes out on what's ultimately best, not proximately.
It's not important that you ease up for 5 minutes, but rather that you feel healthy, save money, live longer and not poison the ones around you.
You just have to know that you're making the right choice here. There's other less invasive and unhealthy ways to calm down and relax. Those vary from person to person, but examples are music (listening to or playing), literature, TV, (healthy) food (especially cooking gourmet meals - get a nice cook book or sign up for a cooking class) card games, spending time with people important to you or whatever your hobby is.
Just remember you have the power, and that you should grasp it and use it to it's full potential. Grab that torch and run!

My Eighth, Ninth And Tenth Day

Hi everyone,
Sorry that this post is so late - I was constantly on the go the last 3 days, constantly running back and forth between driver's ed, rehearsing drums, taking drum lessons, watching a concert and so forth.
I haven't had more than four hours of sleep a night for the last 3 days, so I guess this post won't be long :D
Any, so what did you think when you read the above lines?
Sounds like stress, doesn't it?
As I mentioned before, stress is one of the three "triggers" I mentioned at the beginning; being stressed makes you more desperate for a feeling of calm and relief, so it makes you more vulnerable to letting down your principles just so you can ease up a little for a moment.
But instead of grabbing the next cigarette you can find, you should grow a little more conscious of your behaviour.
In most cases, you actually invoke you stress yourself.
I am pretty positive that I inflicted it on me in account of not sleeping enough.
Sleeping well is not only the key to reduce stress, but also to gain physical and mental strengh.
I'd say the optimum sleeping duration is 8 hours. Maybe a little more or less for some.
But, in general, after 8 hours of sleep, you don't lose your reserves at 3 PM already (like one does when sleeping 6 hours), nor do you take about 3 hours to get your system going (10 hours).
Try to be early with everything. Having more time to do things gives you a sense of control, which definitely reduces stress.
If you're a heavy coffee drinker, you might want to cut back on that as well; as much as coffee accelerates in the morning, it definitely slows you down by the afternoon.
Just remember: stress can be resolved otherwise. Just be creative about that.
For instance, if you're working on something and you're not progressing because you're constantly distracted by some stream of mind, take a few minutes and concentrate on that thought to clear your head.
If you're getting frustrated because you can't manage to progress, take a short break. Working continuously for more than maybe 90 minutes is unhealthy.

So, back to the first week theory.
I stated that I believe quitting will be easier after going through the first week.
And my conclusion is: I was right!
For the past three days, the scenes from last week were recurring, and it seemed quite normal to me to not smoke.
So if you just began quitting: Keep your eyes on the prize, it gets easier. A lot.
I noticed that another weekend is coming up, meaning that the next post might only come on saturday or even sunday.
Until then: Keep the spirit up!

My Seventh Day

Hello everyone!
I'm back from another day without smoking. My seventh, to be precise.
As I stated earlier, I expected the whole thing to get easier after 7 days, so I'm psyched to see how my day tomorrow will go.
Observe yourself as you return to your everyday life, going through the motions smoke free for the second time (this especially applies to those who have their work/school schedule vary from Monday to Friday). Maybe you decided to quit on a Tuesday, and Tuesday might have been the day you have to work longer than usual.
If that happens to be that way, then prepare to take on that challenge again tomorrow.
It's going to be a lot easier, I'm pretty sure.
After all, practice makes perfect. Many things in life work that way. You'll have to repeat something to improve at it. Whether you're learning a song on an instrument, practising a martial arts move, playing a video game, operating a software or cooking a meal.
The first time you do something like that (or almost anything else), you have to put your full effort towards it so you can keep up. If you manage to win, you're certainly good at it. If you surpass other people's expectations - I guess that's what you call "beginner's luck" (I'm sure there's beginner's luck amongst people quitting smoking, too !). If you fail - don't be upset. It just means you'll have to lower your pace a little and stay focused.

If you happen to actually give in to the temptation of picking up your smoking habit again - don't feel you're hopeless. Just flick the cigarette(s) away and start over.
Then, think about what you did. Did it really feel good to break your self-esteem and integrity for a smoke? I bet it didn't. And I'm not talking about the taste or the effect of the nicotine. I'm talking about your inner self.

Is it really worth scrathing an itchy wound when you know that it'll make your wound worse and leave permanent damage just for a half second of what feels like relief because it feels different than the itching?

Of course it isn't. You have to suppress your instincts and keep you from getting what you desire. You have to reach further: for what you want.
There is a strong difference between wanting something and desiring something.
I'm not religious, but I certainly believe that people want certain things while they desire other things.
For example: If you decide to quit smoking, you probably want to save money and improve your health in a lot of aspects. However, you desire to just smoke again.
Your "wants" come from your mind: you rationally evaluate what you think is best for you and will make you content. Your desires however mostly come from a spontaneous impulse; they're driven by instincts and they pop up suddenly instead of being thought about for a while. In the case of quitting smoking, it's clearly the innate desire for something you can't have.
That theory has been around for a while; it keeps people aiming at more. But it also keeps them making stupid, irrational descisions.
You'll have to take a good look at yourself and ask what it is that you want and what you desire.
And even if you should come to a conclusion that you will find happiness in smoking;
why? Because your friends do it? Because so kind of enjoy the taste? Is that happiness or rather the desire to be accepted or to consume?
I hope I didn't confuse or annoy anyone by this; just remember that I am an apprentice too. I'm not giving advice to you, I'm trying to share it.
I'll be back tomorrow and we'll see how my theory works out...

My Fifth & Sixth Day

Hey everyone!
I was so tired when I got home yesterday that I decided to make this post cover two days.
On Saturday, I went to a club with some of my band mates and others.
This was actually the first time that I actually noticed how much people smoke in there. It's screwed up!
The smell was much stronger that usual when I entered. Of course you only really notice the difference when you're not used to that smell around you all the time anymore.
And again, the factor alcohol triggered my desire for a smoke. But already at this point, you have to ask yourself: Is it worth it? Did you do all this for nothing? Aren't you trying to do something here? Even when you're through "only" 6 days without smoking, you've accomplished quite something. The first week is almost over, which, according to my theory, means that you have to go through one more day and quitting will go a lot more smoothly from there.
On Sunday, I basically just rested and sort of took a vacation from vacation.
Since I didn't eat much and spent most of the day in front of the TV (I never smoked inside), it wasn't hard resisting to smoke. Having to get up and go outside seemed like way too much effort for any form of comfort. I actually didn't think a lot about smoking, something that has actually decreased since I started quitting.
In the beginning, you tend to think about smoking all the time, sometimes even in moments that you didn't think about smoking before.
But the hard ones are actually the "triggers": situations that you used to directly connect to smoking, like waiting for the bus, having eaten a decent meal or drinking a few beers (or whatever alcohol of your choice, actually). But I have happened to find out that the more you ignore those triggers, the weaker they become. I'm actually quite confident that the next time when I go out on the weekend, I won't be thinking about smoking while drinking anymore.
We'll se about that - just stay tuned!
Meanwhile, let's observe how my 7 day theory proves itself...

My Fourth Day

Hello Everybody!
I know it's late (about 3:45 am), but it's the weekend now, so I normally go out with my friends.
I used to smoke a lot during those weekends.
Was it hard? Yes, definitely. None of my friends has decided to quit (yet), so of course it felt different hanging out with them. But again, that is a part of quitting smoking.
You shouldn't feel intimidated by changes while quitting, because it is definitely a big step.
The trick is acknowledging that; meny people think that it's not a great deal to quit, and are later overwhelmed by how hard it actually is.
Just always keep in mind: what you're doing is not supposed to be easy.
Of course it's hard to take on the challenge of quitting something comforting for the rest of your life. But you're stronger, no matter how hard it is on you.
You always have to be in control of yourself. You know you want to quit, so why let your body (or even someone else) tell you to continue? It all boils down to you.
Even if you're in the situation of partying with your friends like I was, remember that you're better than to just take a cigarette again. You don't need money to quit smoking, just some self esteem.
So, I have another 3 days to go till my first week is over and the whole affair is supposed to go easier to my theory. We'll see...

My Third Day

Hello to all!
I'm now through my third day without smoking. Although it's still not smooth, it's been going easier. I have also been coughing less than yesterday, so I dropped the thought that I might have caught a cold.
Today, I talked to somebody who wanted to quit with me. I asked him on that when he lit up a cigarette.
He said: "So I was at work, totally stressed. my nerves were so wrecked, that I started to annoy other people. So they said, "Just get a cigarette, you need to calm down!". So I gave in. I just felt so uncomfortable anyway."
That's the problem that I already talked about: the first step is the hardest. Don't let yourself be tempted into giving in to your desire to feel "pleasant".
The biggest problem is actually that people talk themselves into the idea that quitting smoking is hard. It wasn't too easy, but I never actually thought about getting up, going to a store, buying a pack of cigarettes and starting again.
Don't bother yourself if you think about it. Just don't do it.
Because: If you really get up and get cigarettes again, is that the nicotine controlling you?
Is the nicotine taking control of your legs and forcing them to walk? Does it take control of your brain and figure out the next best place to get cigarettes?

That sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?

Well, some people believe that.
Don't be one of them.
That would all be you.
All your body does is detect a deficiency of nicotine and changing according to it.
Imagine that as something a child builds out of Lego. It builds a shape out of tones that are mostly yellow.
One in the middle is red. That's nicotine.
If the child wants to take the red stone out, it has to break the shape in order to get to the red stone (the first and hardest phase of quitting - parting with nicotine) and then, it has to rearrange the yellow ones so that the shape is complete again (the second phase of quitting - adjusting yourself to living without nicotine). The child sometimes finds it easier when it replaces the void with a green stone tostabilize the process (conveying your addiction to something else - be it listening to music, reading or some personal hobby. Just be careful that this substitution isn't unhealthy food or alcohol!).
However, some people think they are the shape. They aren't.
They're the child.
They have to control the shape.
If you would want to put the red stone back in because you find it too hard to rearrange the yellow stones, it would be your descision. Not anybody else's.
Just remember that.

My Second Day

Hey everybody!
Now, I've got through my second day of quitting smoking for good.
I already noticed interesting things: while the subconscious urge to relapse is still persistent, I somehow seem to be less attracted by the smell of smoke; today, I had to wait at public transport stations, where a fair amount of people smoked. I used to not really mind, but today, I sort of instinctively kept away from them.
It was sort of cancelling a membership for a club that you're still somehow interested in, but that you feel uncomfortable when near it.
I also noticed something negative: I started coughing today. I heard that it's sometimes part of quitting smoking, but it also kept me from smoking in a way, since its stupid to smoke when you're coughing.
I will be back soon, and then we'll see how it develops. Everybody, still remember: this is still the first week, so it's in a way supposed to be hard! It's not wrong to have thoughts about relapsing, actually listening to them is wrong. Substitute your routines, i.e. instead of smoking at the bus station every morning, take your favourite music in some portable player and get over the wait that way.
If you're not into music, then get an audiobook. Or a portable radio.

My First Day

Hi everyone!
I've now gone through my first day without smoking, and I have to say, it wasn't that easy.
I know that some people claim that it's no problem to quit "cold turkey", but it at least turned out harder than I thought.
Let's start from the beginning:
When I got up, I took all tobacco products as well as related stuff in my possession and threw it away.
This step is very important, since you're in a vulnerable phase at the beginning and you need to take every measure to prevent a facilitation of a relapse. That means you should get rid of:
- cigarettes (of course), rolling tobacco
- cigars or similar types
- pipe tobacco (and also the pipes)
- water pipes
- in the best case, it's also good to dispose of lighters and ashtrays. You won't really need those when you're through.

Be sure that you render all those products unusable before you throw them away; break cigarettes apart, throw loose tobacco away removed from the package and so on (get creative on that one :D). Also, I recommend you not throw it away in your own household; throw them in some public garbage. If there is any type of smoking paraphernalia in your possession that you consider valuable, maybe deposit it at a bank or so. Don't keep it!
This step is not only getting rid of what you don't want to use anymore anyway, but also resembles a ritual, being a psychological step: if you can show yourself that you can willingly destroy cigarettes and such, then you'll automatically distance yourself from them.

Then, next thing is the trick:
Don't quit forever. Quit for 30 days.
Why, you'll ask? It's simple. The human mind does not take well to an ultimatum that involves doing something that you somehow enjoy "never again". That's about as hard as saying "I'll never eat my favourite dish again." or "I'll never watch TV again." Sounds hard, right?
I'd say, to some it probably sounds impossible.
And that's the key.
You don't really need smoking, you just think you do. And I'm convinced that if you "forget" what it's like to smoke, you won't be tempted to do it. And that time is 30 days.
So you "appease" your mind by saying you'll only quit for a while, so that your subconscious goes "at least I can start again when that time's over" and loses the memory of smoking more and more.

There's this rule about the "Three-Day-Hump", saying when quitting something, the first three is hardest part.
I say, the whole first week will be the hardest part.
The reason: There are three main "triggers" for lighting up a cigarette: boredom, stress and routine.
The routine part is based on your week, and also the stress and the boredom parts are connected to it. Most probably, you have breaks at work where you always go smoking.
Then maybe, you have to wait for a bus on the way home, so you usually smoke.
And the hardest part: you normally smoke with other people.
Then you maybe go out on fridays and saturdays, where you usually smoke, too.
You'll see how many events in your everyday routine are connected to smoking; it's quite a lot.
but when you stand through one normal week without smoking, the following 3 weeks will go much smoother.
Optionally, you can also put away the money you normally would spend on cigarettes. In most cases, you can already see quite a sum of money after 2 weeks.

So today, I got rid of my cigarettes and lighters and decided to face a challenge: hanging out with my friends.
That was really hard, also because you're very vulnerable to give in after you've had a few beers.
Although I imagined it worse, there were a few moments where i considered forgetting the idea.
But I'm proud to say that I went through the whole day without smoking, and now I already fell a bit better.
Always remember: the start is the hardest part! The thing you can look forward to is that it becomes easier every day, probably even every hour. Don't ever talk yourself into relapsing; you know that's not what you want.

Introduction

Hey everybody!
I know that New Year's resolutions sound old fashioned to some, and that quitting smoking is a classic. A lot of people have tried it, and most of them failed, some miserably.
However, my theory is that you can stop smoking within 30 days, and I decided to keep a journal on that.
That might sound a lot compared to products like plasters, gums and other stuff that promise success in less time, but I'm pretty confident that all I'll need is self confidence and persistance.
Of course I invite you to join me if you're interested.
So go ahead and enjoy this journal while I try, and maybe lose that growingly expensive and unhealthy habit yourself!