Preface
This blog post describes how I became a smoker in 2014, and how I quit smoking 5 years later.
The beginning
I was always against bad habits like smoking and unhealthy foods. I was hitting the gym regular, trying to stay fit and in a good shape. Until I started my first job in the software industry.
At the beginning of my career, because of environment and stereotypes, I was a loner, an outsider. My colleagues were going for a smoke now and then, discussing day-to-day work topics, personal life, politics, sports, etc... They were going for a lunch - pizza, Mc Donald's, and other junk food. And there was me - bringing lunch boxes, non-smoker, put in the corner of the office space. I had nothing against my colleagues, I just felt as outsider.
From time to time, I had the change to be invited with teammates for a smoking pause and soon I've realized that those smoking breaks are quite productive - I've got the chance to know more about the company, the teammates, the future plans, conferences, etc... Still, I was not willing to roll the cig.
Fast forward to my second software job. This time, with all the learnings from how cigarettes socialize, I went to the store and bought a pack of cigarettes - the Dunhill brand - my first and last cigarettes love. As I was late in game being 22 years old back then, it was difficult to get used to smoke - my knees were shaking, I was receiving low-level blackouts, but at the same time I felt my brain super relaxed, my focus improved, it was a nice feeling.
Prepared with my pack of cigarettes, gaining experience with smoking, I didn't miss a smoke break with my new teammates. And, not surprisingly, I've got close with them. We were discussing everything, we were talking about everything. I was not the loner anymore. Amazing.
I discovered that cig and coffee are amazing combination for starting the day. As time passed by, not only for starting the day, but day through also. I was smoking frequently. I smoked with one of my bosses on one interview, I was smoking with my teammates, with friends, with my father and stepmother. I was smoking while walking the dog, while waiting the bus, on my way to work, while I was waiting my lunch, after my lunch, before dinner, after dinner... I was smoking A LOT! There were days smoking a full pack of cigs, there were nights smoking two packs of cigs.
The end
So, being a passionate smoker, how I decided to quit? Lately, I started feeling that there's something wrong with the whole smoking thing. I started to realize that I'm doing a big harm to my health. Suddenly, at the time, my father gave me a call and he told me - "I've quit with the shits" (he called the cigarettes "the shits"). He has quit for a month and he was more than happy. And I started thinking more and more about quitting. I've read the book "The Power of the Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business" by Charles Duhlgg (link). It made me realize that this is more a habit, than a need. And I started analysing and thinking about my behavior, my actions, my thoughts...
I also switched my job - I've entered an environment with non-smokers, healthy guys, thinking about the environment. I was the only smoker! Yeah, karma exists....
And my wife got pregnant. This was it. I decided to not light a cig anymore. Because of my child, because of me, because of my beloved ones, because of the environment.
To be honest, it was more than easy to quit. When you have the right motivation!
Summary
I became a smoker in order to socialize. I sacrificed my health smoking cigarettes. I made a plenty of social contacts, but the price was too high. I realized that you could socialize without exercising bad habits. Now I'm clean since 2019. My clothes and my breath do not smell, my skin is not yellow, and I do not waste money on harming myself. I have more power and energy to enjoy the time with my family.
If you, dear reader, smoke, please take a moment and think about yourself. Do you really need it?