The 25th Hour

Sometimes it takes the mpst strength to simply let go.

For twenty years I've stubbornly clutched this habit. I let go for three years in my 20s, only to start right back. For the last fifteen years I've woke up And raced straight to it every single morning— I couldn't "wake up" without it.

But yesterday the last straw snapped. I saw red and then I saw clearly For the first time in over a decade. I realized I was done fighting a losing battle, Done kidding myself that it would ever be anything but. I finally surrendered and gave up.

It's been exactly 24 hours as I write this And I can truly say I am NOT going back. Ever. I don't miss it anymore. I don't crave it for once. I have found so much stress release and raw POWER Simply by allowing myself to let go.

It's so freeing there genuinely are not words: To not have to run when it calls my name. To not have to stress about how to fund it. To not be on a timer anymore. To not be attached to the ball and chain of it.

To simply sit here and type this on my phone, Enjoy the cartoons in the background, Fur babies curled up beside me. No constant back and forth. No tick-tick-tick counting down to the next cave in.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life, A gift to the woman I’ll be at forty, A reclamation of the air for me and my babies. Today is the start of the recovery of mine and my babies' health. Yesterday was the last day I'll ever be a smoker. I am no longer a servant to a small white stick.

They say the best time to quit was ten years ago, but the second best time is today. At 38 years old—just five months shy of my 39th birthday—I hit that 'midlife' realization. I wanted my 40s to be defined by vitality, not by a 'timer' or a cough.

The science behind this milestone is what finally pushed me over the edge. Research shows that smokers who quit before age 40 reduce their risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by about 90%. Within just 24 hours (where I am right now!), the risk of a heart attack already begins to drop. By quitting now, I’m essentially giving myself back a decade of life that I would have otherwise traded away.

I’m doing this for my future, and I’m doing it for the 'babies' (my beloved pets) who share my home and my heart. If you are approaching a big milestone and feeling that 'big 40' drive, let this be your sign. You don't have to fight forever; you just have to decide you're done.

Resources for your Day One:

1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669): Free support, quit plans, and resources.

SmokeFree.gov: Tools and tips to track your progress.



SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP

Even Grok & Google Can Be Very Supportive (they were vital for me!)