How I Quit Smoking – My Personal Story

Eight Years Ago Today, I Quit Smoking

Eight years ago today, I quit smoking.

It took a lot of prayer.

I had smoked for Thirty-Seven years. Thirty-Seven years! And I was a good quitter. I had quit at least ten times, but I could never seem to stay quit.

Over the years, I tried just about everything: acupuncture, hypnotism, books, patches, and e-cigarettes. I even contracted pneumonia twice while I was using e-cigarettes. Was it the vapor? I don’t know.

I read articles and tried every kind of advice. Looking back, I think it all finally came together at the right time, with the right knowledge.

This time, I picked my quit date two weeks ahead. In my head, I was already becoming a non-smoker. Believe it or not, I chose the date from the almanac, which listed the best day to quit smoking.

But I also made one important decision:

I am never going to smoke again.

No negotiations. No bargaining. No “maybe just one.”

When a cigarette came to mind, I told myself:

I am a non-smoker.

When cravings got bad, I took deep breaths, drank water, walked, and prayed.

I also carried a piece of amethyst in my pocket. Amethyst has been labeled by some as an aid for addiction. I don’t believe it has magical powers, but I do believe everything has a vibration.

I would take the stone out of my pocket and study it—the veins, reflections, colors, and depth. It took my mind off smoking.

You could use anything that gets your attention—a piece of jewelry, a marble, anything you can really look at and study for a few minutes. The point for me was to get my mind off that cigarette until the craving passed.

I also used black pepper essential oil. This was something different from my previous attempts at quitting.

I only put a tiny amount on the roof of my mouth about ten times. After that, I didn’t even do that. I would just open that little bottle, run it under my nose, and smell it. That little bitty bottle lasted and lasted—there was barely any gone.

And yes, before anybody asks, I tried regular black pepper too.

It did not work.

What a mess! And a lot of sneezing.

But hey, I had to try.

The Black Pepper essential oil seemed to dissolve the craving then the cravings got less and less, then gone. Then I was a non-smoker.

I wouldn’t recommend putting an essential oil in your mouth unless the specific product is labeled and considered safe for that use. I’m simply sharing exactly what I did and what seemed to help me.

Mostly, though, I kept reminding myself:

I am a non-smoker.

I didn’t count the hours, days, weeks, or months. I didn’t want to measure my life that way.

I thought in years.

I was a non-smoker, and I intended to remain one.

You’ve probably heard it a million times:

When it’s time, it’s time.

For me, it finally was.

Eight years later, I feel so much better and lighter—in my mind, body, and soul. I’m grateful that after forty-five years of smoking, and many practice quits, I finally had the quit that stuck.

Now, one thing people told me didn’t exactly work out.

They always say, “Think of all the money you’ll have if you quit smoking!”

Well…

Eight years later, I’m still not rich yet.

And then there’s the famous warning: “You’ll gain weight when you quit!”

I gained about seven pounds. The next year, when I wasn’t substituting food for cigarettes anymore, I lost five of those pounds. The last two pounds came off slowly over the years.

At my age, slowly is perfectly fine with me.

So I keep walking.

I keep going.

When you quit smoking, Just quit. Don’t think about anything but “You Don’t Smoke” Period…

Take a deep breath. Drink some water. Take a walk. Find something that takes your attention away from the craving. Pray, if prayer is part of your life.

And remind yourself:

I am a non-smoker.

Eight years ago today, I said I would never smoke another cigarette.

And I haven’t.

Self Talk:

Smoking is not my friend. No terrorist negotiations. Smoking is out to kill me. Period…

I will never, ever put another one in my mouth. Ever.

Not just ponder. Live it.