The Long Good-bye to the Death of My Health

When I was 19-years-old, I started smoking cigarettes. I was in Beauty School in a new town, with new friends, and I figured why not. It was not too bad at first, but over the next couple years, I found myself getting close to two packs a day. That's nearly 40 cigarettes a day. Also, that's disgusting. Once I caught myself, I took it back a notch. More like, three notches. It was a bit tough at first, but it's a bad habit and so damned addicting.

I did stop for a bit when I was 21-years-old and had a new boyfriend, but eventually found myself sneaking them when he wasn't around and would take a bath to make sure I didn't smell like cigarettes. That was not a proud moment in my life. I eventually went back to smoking full-time, back when Pall Mall Menthols were $2.99 after tax. I remember being so desperate for a pack that I counted out 299 pennies, put them in a jar and handed them over in exchange for a pack.

When I was 24-years-old, I got pregnant with my daughter. I refrained from smoking until I was 28-years-old. I never got as bad as I did in my earlier years of smoking, but nontheless. When I was 30-years-old, I got pregnant with my son. I also refrained then, but ended up picking up the nasty habit shortly after he was born.

Now that I'm 32-years-old, I'm really starting to feel the effects smoking has taken on me. I have also found out recently that a reoccuring cyst I've had since I started smoking is only there because I started. And apparently, that's a common link. Thankfully it is non-malignant, but it does need to be surgically removed at this point.

I am only at the beginning of my journey of no longer smoking, but I have decided to go full speed ahead and transform other lifestyle habits. Cigarettes alone will save me at least $84 a month, but with other things included, I will be averaging $350 a month of savings. I have also found that whenever I get a major craving for a cigarette or fast food, that if by the end of the day the craving is bad enough, I have a stash box that I put money in of what I would have spent on bad habits. And hey, there's another bill paid.

If you take away anything from this post, I hope it gives you the courage to stop smoking yourself. We all have our vices and we all know it's easier said than done. But I've got this and so do you.