Smoke Free For Two Years

I said I would do it some months ago, so here I am... writing this article to commemorate my second anniversary as an ex-smoker!!!

It is funny that I was writing about still "smoking in my dreams" some time earlier this year, because I do not recall that happening anymore since then.

Yes: it is possible to stay smoke-free. I have never felt, more alive and kicking! Indeed, I spoke about it on an interview by Tabex. Although I chose to quit cold turkey, I also believe in assisted ways to stop smoking.

On April 25th, 2014, I lit my last cigarette at 7 PM. I don't even recall finishing it. I remember, though, making a small pyre in which I burned all the items that were related to smoking, as well as the remaining cigarettes I still had.

The first month after quitting was the hardest one: I became Mr. Wild Mood Swings for a while. It was also the time in which the physical addiction was at its peak. I recall having trouble to focus my attention properly. From then on, the cravings started to happen less frequently. I wish I could tell you when was the last time I felt one, but I do not remember... so I am sorry about it! =)

On a positive note, I can tell that as soon as three days had passed since I quit, I had already started to feel more alive and less stressed. My body started to ask me to do physical exercise. For instance, I had always loved walking, but I started to do it every day: I would walk four miles from work to home.

I also started to enjoy a more satisfactory sexual life, as well as feeling cleaner and healthier overall. Furthermore, I have also felt how my body has been healing itself: less colds, less wrinkles, better looking skin, and more energy.

If you have been reading me often, you know I have been covering my experience as an ex-smoker on this blog since I started it. It is, indeed, one of my main topics. This is because I would love to be able to help others, the same way that other bloggers have helped me with their examples. You can read more about it here.

My self-esteem has also improved greatly. The journey has not been a smooth one, though. I had to accept, for example, that my weight as a smoker was not the ideal one. Just because it was 10 pounds less than it is now, that does not mean it was better. I did not become overweight, which is one of the fears people face when considering quitting. Yes, food smells and taste better, but you are the only person in charge of making your own decisions.

I also had to deal with anxiety, since I did not know to face it properly. I had been using tobacco to mask it, so it was kind of a new thing for me. In fact, I have also covered this issue through several articles. And I know this fact can look off-putting, but I would rather deal with anxiety for several months than constantly increasing my chances of starting the process of a fatal disease.

In summary, I am very happy of my achievement and that is why I want to share it with all of you. I hope I can inspire people that are considering going smoke free.

READ ALSO: Smoke Free For One Year

The greatest gift of giving up smoking is that I feel free as a bird :-)