12 months today!

52yo male smoked for 35 years and I tried to stop plenty of times, lasted a few weeks and once even months but today 12 months on for the first time I can say I am an ex smoker. Also first time I have posted here.

It is hard, one of the hardest things I have done but what worked for me is remembering the reason why I wanted to stop and making that more important than a quick fix. I'm got to 50 and wanted to get to spend longer with my kids and family, a photo helps here either on your desk on in your mind. My wife and I invented Club 100, we wanted to live as long as we could and to us that was more important than anything else.

First month is tough, you feel rubbish as the toxins leave your body begging you for just a hit, how ironic that while your body is healing all it wants is more toxins (ah the beauty of nicotine addiction!). You feeling rubbish is you healing remember that. Palpitations, stress, spin outs, being light headed are all things that are actually good for you at this time - remember that, it does pass. Embrace it, you feeling rubbish is you winning, and it passes, a little quicker every time. I had to do 15min youtube body scan sessions in that first and second month, it stopped my craving but also stopped me getting angry, just ducked off into the bedroom and put it on, eventually I did it myself without youtube just sitting on the couch..

Then the social occasions, I didn't tell anybody else, I didn't want to let them down but you do you, whatever motivates you. I stopped drinking not completely but limited it to one while I was eating, made sure I was driving, Sport was a big challenge for me, the halftime smoke was a ritual at the games as well as when it was on TV, so I just stayed in the stadium or at home stayed inside (didnt smoke inside). They were the hard ones to stop for me. Now it is hand weights at home, every half time, full session til the game starts again. I just saw that picture of my kids in my head every time. Yea I ate more but I didnt care, one thing at a time for me.

Six months on and I weighed myself, oops, not smoking was getting easier but I had packed some on, a combination of lockdown, working from home and too much snacking, needed to do something. Started walking every day, first month was hard but then, it helped me in every way, smoking was not even a thought, all I wanted to do was walk, breath in morning air and now find myself 12 months on with that last 6 months absolutely flying by.

Healthier and glad I persevered. Do I feel better for it? Funnily enough yes but also not really, there is no WOW geez I feel so much better, it is more you just dont feel rubbish. Food tastes better, lungs feel cleaner, water tastes so much better. You still have good days and bad days but etched in my head is a photo of my kids and I know that I have increased my days with them, that's all the motivation I need.

Good Luck with your journey! It is worth it.