Day 1 #smokefreeme
Friday May 21, 2010, 8:45 pm eastern standard time
It has now been approximately 22 hours since my last cigarette.
It hasn’t been a terrible day without my sweet sweet nicotine so far, but I’ve felt it.
My brain has felt the start of a couple headaches and my energy levels have been up and down. This morning I lay in bed, not wanting to move because that would be when I would make coffee, use the washroom and have my first puff of the day.
I did get out of bed. I made coffee. I used the washroom. I did not smoke.
Since this morning I have had cravings come and go. You may have seen me complain about them on Twitter (@phjoshua). But I have beaten them. In fact, the reason I am writing right now is to try and fight off a craving.
You see, because I am a creature of habit, my body is accustomed to a cigarette when I get up in the morning. When I drink coffee in the morning. After I eat breakfast, lunch or dinner. While I’m watching hockey, usually during intermission. But today, there has been none of that.
I have received encouragement from friends and family on Twitter and Facebook and I appreciate all of it. For most of them this will not be the 1st time they’ve seen me give quitting a chance.
In high school I actually won a stop smoking campaign contest in my grade 13/OAC year. I believe that I bought a Bon Jovi CD with my gift certificate. I quit for somewhere between 6 and 8 months that time. I can’t really remember. It was a long time ago now.
Most recently I gave it a go in 2008 when I decided that I would give up smoking for Lent. I made it 28 of the 40 days. It sucked. I remember the headaches. I remember swapping the nicotine for coffee and energy drinks. I chewed on straws and tooth picks and everything I could get my hands on. As you can see, I didn’t make it.
That brings us to now. And my 3rd major attempt to quit smoking in the last 12 years.
There are multiple reasons for the decision.
1) I’m out of money. I won’t lie, it’s a factor.
2) Caitlin will be happy. She’s been asking me to quit for quite some time now. I know I have to quit for myself or it won’t work, but making her happy while I do it is a nice side effect.
3) It would be nice to be healthier. I mean, I still look good, my body looks to be in good shape. Especially when you consider I don’t really exercise. But I’m not in shape like I once was. It would be cool to get some of that back.
4) At some point in the future I hope to not be living in my own little apartment. And I have already been told that there will be no smoking in shared accommodations and I’m lazy by nature, so going outside to smoke would just aggravate me.
5) Part of me, deep down somewhere, still wants to be a positive role model. That’s why I hid my smoking in high school. So if I can get part of that back too I’ll take it.
I’d say that’s a pretty good list of reasons. Those are things I can tell myself when it gets tough. And it will get tough. I know that.
And, as I warned my Twitter folks, I will be complaining, so be ready.
Friday May 21, 2010, 9:30 pm eastern standard time.
Another craving has been beaten.
Updates to follow.
Wish me luck.
creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.
Good luck Josh! I know you can do it!