<<Don't know if I could ever quit, as I haven't ever really "wanted" to quit.>>
It does take YOU wanting to quit.
<<Perhaps I should let my family know about George and how this might be a good time for them to try to get me to quit again.>>
You cannot and will not quit just because someone else wants, begs, asks, etc., you to. It has to be something YOU want for your own reasons. Quitting smoking is (and has to be) the most selfish thing anyone can do.
I quit a year ago (from three packs a day to nada in a week). I did not think that I had experienced much in the way of health benefits until I was on the golf course with a long time friend who I had not seen in a few months. We were on the 15th hole, he looked at me, and said "I have not heard you cough once all day." It was not until that moment that I realized that I had not been coughing like I used to.
I have now managed to lose 20 of the 30 pounds and two of the three waist inches I added from substituting food for cigs so all is well.
Unlike many ex-smokers, I love second hand smoke -- probably because I truly enjoyed smoking. Besides, I swore that I was not going to be one of those testy, holier than thou, hypocritical ex-smokers (sorry, kind-of, to all those that offends) who refuse to let anyone within a mile of them with a lit cig.
As hard as it was to quit, and it was the hardest thing I have ever done, it was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. The patches helped cut some of the edge for a week or so and then I blew them off too.
For me the motivating factor was money. I added it up. My wife and I combined were going through three cartons a week which totaled $90-100 a week. or $4,500 to $5,000 a year. I also got to looking at how much more our life insurance was costing (about $3,000 a year) because we were smoking. All told: the $7500 to $8500 a year were 7500 to 8500 good reasons for me to quit. I decided that I would ultimately enjoy one more nice vacation a year more than I would enjoy the cigs.
The one thing I truly miss, however, is a good stogy with a good bourbon. Since I never inhaled cigars anyway, I may try that again at some point.
If you find YOUR reason, you will quit. If not, you won't. If you do, great. If not, enjoy.
Troy |
