10 Reasons to Be Thankful About Stopping Smoking

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

09 Nov 2006 04:43 AM

It's been 32 hours since my last cigarette and I'm doing okay. I had the cravings yesterday, at least three times it seemed like I was going to go nuts if I couldn't get a cigarette, but I did all right - I didn't give in and I didn't light one up. Thanks to everyone who sent such kind words of support yesterday. I feel better about it this morning than I did yesterday morning, but I'm also a lot more tired today than I was yesterday and I'm feeling the effects in my sinuses as I'm pretty congested today too.

So to kick start today off right, here are my 10 reasons to be thankful about stopping smoking:

• I'm thankful for all the money I'm going to save, I don't live in a state where it's $6.55 a pack, but on average a carton is $30 here and I went through 4 a month, so that's a nice $120 a month into the savings account
• I'm thankful for the fact that my hair doesn't smell like cigarettes - it still smells like my shampoo 24 hours later - and that's a nice switch
• I'm thankful that my daughter jumped up and down and did cheers yesterday when I told her I wasn't going to smoke anymore - she said my heart was going to be healthier and that would make her heart happier
• I'm thankful that I have so much support from people I know and don't know alike, I thought I would feel weird 'confessing' to all the people that I have - but the confessions have paid off with cheers of encouragement and support
• I'm thankful for some of the hilarious advice that I've received - including the fact that one of the perks of quitting smoking is you get a free pass to be as cranky as you want for a while and all you have to do is say that you're quitting smoking and people will be sympathetic
• I'm thankful for the idea that if I do get sick this winter, I have decreased my chances of getting bronchitis by almost 50% as long as I don't keep smoking
• I'm thankful for the fact that food already tastes different - this is a mixed blessing, because some of the more potent tastes I enjoyed might be too potent as my taste buds recover
• I'm thankful for the exercise that's helping me keep my stress levels down, but my focus is still muddled and it's harder to write right now - I've got faith that will clear up in time too
• I'm thankful for the patches and wish I didn't need them, but the nicotine supply is helping me while I cope with the hand and mouth habit
• I'm thankful for the pencils on my desk - because chewing on the erasers is definitely helping

So I have my 10 reasons to be thankful today and I'm happy to be 32 hours smoke free. The hardest part yesterday was standing near someone who was smoking - I could smell the cigarette smoke and I had to move upwind to get away from the craving for it. The insidious idea that just one won't hurt - but it will and I resisted. Thanks again for all the support, I can't tell you what it means to me!

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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