precisely two years ago, I put out my last cigarette.
It was a habit I never pictured I would be able to kick, particularly as a traveler. For almost a decade, I lit at least 10 sticks a day. Some days, when things got so stressful, I might surface an entire pack. My cigarettes were my constant companion, a enthusiast I always wished to dump however I believed might never go without. Our connection was based on false satisfaction — unhealthy, obsessive, suffocating, however he made me feel so, so good.
Without him, things felt incomplete as well as unreal. From the balcony of my hotel room, the view of trees enveloped in mist as well as the foggy outlines of mountains was not quite sufficient up until I see it with my own sheet of smoke. The karst cliffs rising in the horizon as I laze on the beach were not as arresting up until there’s a stick in between my fingers. A meal wasn’t filling (or fulfilling) up until I add nicotine for dessert.
But it wasn’t just about pleasure. I felt more useful when smoking. My finest stories as well as advertising strategies were conceived as well as born in between sips of hot tea or ice chilly beer as well as puffs of cigarettes on rainy nights. as well as when I was backpacking alone, it assisted me make new buddies with other, uhm, smokers. many of the conversations with strangers began with “Do you have a light?” as well as when there was no one, at least I had something to do while standing outside. I had depended on it for a long time, enslaved by it.
In my sinful affair with smoking, it’s remove who was in control. as well as it was not me.
But two years ago, I lastly wept “Enough!” great old chilly turkey. funny since travel, which was part of the reason I kept smoking in the very first place, had a great deal to do with it.
WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?
All about the Money
No Ifs, No Butts
Counting locations as well as Years
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All about the Money
I’m the type of guy who measures the value of things by airfare. חחח. Whenever I want to buy something, I try to compute exactly how far it would take me if I book airplane tickets instead. exactly how much is that new gadget? As much as the cost of a trip to the Maldives. exactly how about that refrigerator? Bali. as well as that jacket? Tokyo on sale.
The road to my very first awakening began in 2013 when higher transgression taxes were implemented in the Philippines. The government just made cigarettes less cost effective as well as it started to hurt my pockets. When I went back to having a day task in 2014, I spent most of my time in the BGC area, where cigarettes expense P100 per pack.
And I would always spend P100 even when I couldn’t surface a pack since there was always somebody who would request a stick every time I would smoke. as well as being the generous guy that I am, I would provide away the cancer sticks.
The thing is, smoking is an costly vice. You just don’t recognize it since you spend a little amount per day. however they all add up. When I did the math, I found that if I stopped, I would be saving around P30,000 per year. That’s sufficient money for a roundtrip ticket to Europe! as well as true enough, after over a year of refusing cigarettes, assumption where I went…
Sure, P30,000 won’t be enough. Tickets ain’t everything. however my point us, it provided us extra funds.
No Ifs, No Butts
Ever smoked on the beach? When there’s no ash trays around, where do you put your cigarette butts?
My habit had been to put it out as well as keep it in my pocket. It’s an unhygienic, disgusting habit, however I didn’t want to throw it just anywhere or bury it in the sand. frequently I fail to remember that I had a filthy cigarette butt in my pockets, like a filthy bit trick I brought around anywhere I went.
I developed that habit after traveling to a great deal of beaches to join cleanups. I witnessed first-hand that cigarettes are likewise an environmental problem. together with plastic bags, straws, as well as sachets, cigarette butts are a few of the most typical trash we collected everywhere where went. as well as since these ugly fckers don’t decompose quickly, they sometimes end up in the bellies of marine animals.
Counting locations as well as Years
I was in Australia when I decided to lastly kick the habit.
Even before the trip, I understood we would be trekking a great deal so I decided to stop smoking temporarily to prepare for it. just temporarily, I thought. however on our very first day, I realized just exactly how much my body had changed. I’ve always liked treks. For most of my life, I was quick as well as nimble, as well as I didn’t tire easily. however that day, I wasn’t the same. My breathing wasn’t as deep as well as full as it utilized to. add the truth that I was likewise dehydrated, I almost passed out. I dropped to the ground, shaking.
I believed I was going to die. as well as it dawned on me that I didn’t want to kick the container just yet. funny since while I was on the ground, I was counting countries. I want to see more of this world. I want to travel more: experience new things, satisfy new friends, see new places. Heck, Australia was only the second country outside Asia that I visited. I am so not prepared to die. Pleeeease.
Was that since of smoking? Maybe, perhaps not. It might be a combination of many factors. For all we know, I was just getting old. I don’t know.
But there’s one thing that I understand for sure:
Smoking is poor for my health.
And if I wished to online longer, I had to get rid of it. Whether or not that incident was triggered by smoking, I had to quit.
That night, I downloaded a stop app — which is why my app is Australian, LOL — as well as and ended that awful decade-long affair. לִצְמִיתוּת.
It wasn’t easy, particularly provided that most of my buddies are likewise smokers, however I made a pact with myself as well as guaranteed to honor that. Whenever my buddies would invite me for a smoke, I would get upset at them for trying to draw me back as well as disrespecting my decision. Eventually, they stopped. After every meal, I would crave it, however I would discover something else to do. Or to eat. חה חה. To be honest, I gained a bit more weight since I stop since I never felt satisfied even after a full course. There was no nicotine to trigger the release of dopamine in my brain, so I would get it from more food. Sweets, usually. חחח. however I’m taking care of the weight problem, too. One at a time, my friend. Mahina ang kalaban.
According to my stop app, I have avoided almost 77,000 mg of tar as well as saved almost P55,000 in 730 days.
Yes, it feels good. I feel much better now. I no longer feel uneasy during long-haul flights since I couldn’t smoke. I no longer have to go out in the middle of winter since I stay in a no-smoking hotel room. I no longer have to bring cigarette butts in my pockets. I no longer requirement to sacrifice my physical health and wellness just for an ounce of innovative juice. as well as without smoke to cloud my view, I now see clearly just exactly how gorgeous this world is as well as exactly how lucky I am to be here. I won’t danger it anymore.
2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣7️⃣ • 6️⃣ • 1️⃣1️⃣
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