r/selfimprovementday

Smoked for over a decade. Quit probably eight times before it actually worked. Here is everything I learned the hard way, hopefully this helps at least one person improve their life and health :)

(I owe it to this community - you guys helped change my life!)

1. The craving is lying to you

Every single craving feels like it will last forever. It won't. Cravings peak and pass within 20 minutes every time without exception. The cigarette feels like the solution but the craving would have gone anyway. You literally just need something to do in that window to keep you distracted.

I used an app called Smoked when I quit. It has a Panic Button you tap when a craving hits and it walks you through a guided breathing exercise that gets you through those cravings. Research literally shows using an app improves your chances of quitting for good by 3 times.. why argue with science?

2. Stop fighting it and start replacing it

Willpower is massively overrated and anyone that tells you thats all you need is lying. 97% of people who rely on it alone fail and that is not a personal weakness, it's just how nicotine addiction works. Your brain has been rewired. You need something to replace the habit not just the absence of it.

Go outside for your breaks still. Walk around the block. Listen to a podcast. The break was never about the cigarette. It was always about escaping your desk for five minutes...

3. Protect your first two weeks like they are precious

Because they are. Cancel your plans. Avoid any stress. Be completely selfish about your environment. Watch terrible television without guilt. Your brain is going through genuine withdrawal and it deserves the same respect you would give any other illness. Anyone who gives you a hard time about this during your first two weeks does not need to be in your life, they should respect your journey (smoker friends will be jealous).

4. Remind yourself how objectively strange smoking is

You are setting fire to a small paper tube and inhaling the smoke directly into your lungs. Voluntarily. Can you imagine explaining this behaviour to an alien? Or a golden retriever? It is one of the most bizarre things humans do and we have all just silently agreed to pretend it makes sense.

It does not make sense so keep reminding yourself of that. Looking back at it, I was one of those strange people lighting a paper tube for years.. ew.

5. Track your progress somewhere you can actually see it

The invisible wins are what kill most quit attempts. You cannot see your lungs clearing or feel your blood pressure dropping. But when something shows you that you are 11 days smoke free, have saved £140 and avoided 220 cigarettes it suddenly feels very real and very worth protecting.

That visibility kept me going more than anything else honestly.

The first week is so hard, expect the worst. But remember, you have done hard things before.

Hope you find this useful! Interested to hear what worked for you guys?