How To Successfully Quit Smoking

Fabian Lee
Aug 25, 2017 · 5 min read

I remember it was the second quarter of 2016 where i came to my consciousness that i decided it’s time to quit smoking for good. I had my first puff when i was 6 years old, that was merely for photo taking purpose that my aunt wanted to capture, all i knew that time was smoking is normal for grown ups. I grew up with the people surrounding me from friends to family members that are smoking everyday, but i never really had any interest on picking up the habit. Even after i finished school and college, started working, i didn’t get attached to this unhealthy habit.

It wasn’t a problem for me all this years until i got a job as a car sales advisor. It was year 2006 when i started leaving my technical job for a new challenge which is sales. Venturing into sales was a tough decision for me at that time because i have no confidence and skills in selling to people, but there was a moment of guidance when a stranger actually encourage me to do sales because i can give good explanation. That in fact push me to accept the challenge.

A car sales job is definitely a very challenging job. You need to know your products well, give good explanation and advise to customers whom wanna buy your product, execute the process in a timely manner, deliver the goods and promises to meet customer’s expectation. It’s a great learning curve and definitely rewarding when you work hard, but there are days that various problems can really stress you out due to the high integrity and trust values of this job.

There was this one customer, Mr. C, that was working in the construction field which came to me for buying a Toyota Hilux pickup. Sales was always about building relationship with customers and people, and most of my time spent was doing this and building rapport with customers, bankers, suppliers and colleagues that soon some became my friends. Mr. C came over to look for me one day at my office and ask me out for drinks nearby, we then walk over to the cafe and sat down, order drinks and have chats in between. He pulled out his cigarette pack and offer me a stick. I told him i don’t smoke. He sounded me “you should smoke if you are working in sales”. I didn’t get the actual message but i gave in and took his cigarette that he offered so that i don’t offend him because i was really new in this sales line and i am willing to learn as much as possible. There goes my journey of smoking.

After that incident, i realized that when you smoke with someone, it actually breaks the ice barrier between people even we don’t really know each other or maybe just met. It’s easier to have a conversation with a stranger when you start a smoking session. Weird but it works in our society. Slowly i began to notice my colleagues that are smoking with their customers, they tend to have a better relationship with them. And in a short time, i picked up this habit, smoking with my customers, bosses, colleagues, friends and family members. It became a daily routine for many years, and i became a heavy smoker.

I smoke when i wake up in the morning, before i sleep, after meals, clubbing times, in between work hours, when i feel stressed out, it doesn’t end… There was a time i felt it was too much smoking way over my body can accept, then there were thoughts of stopping. I had nicotine patches, tablets for sucking. Had it for couple of weeks and months. It help a little but i was back with the cigarette stick on my hands again in no time. It was tough. It never end.

After several years, i had a resolution to try quit smoking and every time i procrastinate the resolution to the following year… excuses over and over again and there is no will power to execute my intentions until year 2016. Prices of cigarettes went up high because of taxes, the introduction of vape and also the change of surroundings trigger me to tell myself, i am going to stop smoking for good.

Vaping help me a lot, because i had clear intentions to stop smoking, i switch entirely to vaping once i bought the e-smoking replacement only with pure nicotine liquids without any flavor. It was really tough at first but i need to adapt to this change no matter how. After a week, it became a norm. Friends tried to offer me cigarettes but i have the will power to say no. Once in a while i will ask for one stick to puff, as a testing moment, it never felt good because it was smelly, the burning feel on the throat and also suffocating at times while inhaling the cigarette smoke. That really made a difference, smokers don’t know how they smell because they really forget the way they smell long ago before they start smoking.

It was getting better day by day, week by week, month by month… for less than four months, i decided to let go of the vape. It took a lot of courage and determination and my mind was very focus at it. I stop purchasing the liquids for vape, the filters and also stop charging the e-smoking device…

The first few days was really really hard because my body was craving for nicotine consumption, but i was really determine and focus not to think about it. Hanging on by keeping myself busy with work and not focusing on the thoughts of catching a puff of vape or smoke. It took some time for my body to adjust on the drastic lost of nicotine, you will feel very hungry, just feed yourself with food to keep away from the thoughts of vaping or smoking. Soon a week past, and i totally didn’t vape or smoke. I felt better, i ask for a puff from my friend and yeah, i totally hate that cigarette smell now. There was even no urge for vaping.

It slowly became a norm, a routine and a habit for not smoking and vaping anymore. I did it!!! I was really happy with myself. It was an accomplishment that i never thought i could succeed in such a short time. Fast forward today after 10 years of smoking, i left the habit for almost 10 months now. During this period, i do take cigarettes and smoke socially once in a while but it never became a problem next day.

During this whole process, what i can share to people who wants to quit smoking, it’s actually all in our head. If you have the strong believe, intention and will power to execute what you want, you can do anything you want and you will succeed. Stop giving excuses and procrastinate your actions, i can assure you will see the results. All of us know smoking is bad for health but still many people are keeping this habit. Once you stop smoking, you will feel different and look healthier.

Remember, what you believe will turn to reality. Only you can help yourself in achieving what you want not only by killing the bad habits, but also self improvement in life that will bring more value to you. Listen to yourself more than listening to other people’s opinions or advises if you know what’s best for you. Start today and take baby steps towards your intention and goals in life, slowly you will see the changes in your life that makes you feel fabulous.

Have a fabulous life peps !!!

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Fabian Lee

Written by

The Fabulous Empath - Life is Fabulous