How I Quit Smoking without actually Quitting

I started smoking for the same reason most people do, it looks cool. People with cigarette in their hand blowing different shapes of smoke from their mouth, looks cool.



I started college 3 years ago (I am still in college in last semester) and with all the freedom came smoking to me. I saw people from my batch taking short breaks from class and going to smoke, I too went with them, they smoked I didn’t. It started with smoking flavoured Seesha/hookah in restaurants. In few months I also started smoking, taking those occasional breaks in between classes to go with friends, coming back to class chewing gums.



Smoking was so awesome.



Something good happened, I am happy, lets celebrate with smoking a cigarette. Something bad happened, I am sad, need a cigarette. Before class, cigarette. Class is over, cigarette. After meal, cigarette. Cigarette, Cigarette, Cigarettes, Cigarettes, My life was all around cigarettes.



Later that I found out that every guy I know in my locality (well most of them) smokes. So, it was good for me. Before, we used to go out in the evening to play or have some snacks etc. Later every evening we went to that nearby tea shop who sells cigarettes and have a seating area for people to smoke. We went there every evening.



In my 3 years of smoking life, I smoked many different things, like Weed, Hash, and all the other things that people look cool on. I wasn’t any big smoker like a pack a day type. But I smoked like 5 - 6 sticks on an average. I was spending most of my money on Cigarettes. There was time when I used to smoke taking credits from my friends, because I didn’t have any money and I can’t ask for money from parents.



Cigarettes were getting expensive. I got this idea in my head for saving up some money. Idea was that until I don’t save $2000 in my bank I won’t smoke or drink or party. Well, I wasn’t quitting, I was just putting my smoking on hold, until I save $2000. I wanted to have an emergency fund saved up for myself.



With this idea, I didn’t wanted to make it another quitting of me where I end up getting back to smoking after few days. So, I planned and waited for right moment. There were a few birthday parties lined up so, I knew even if I quit know I will go to those parties and will start smoking and drinking again.



It was time.



3 weeks later, me and my smoker friend got ourselves Gym Memberships. We wanted to be fit and get into good shape. As usual, before doing anything we smoked, so did we before hitting the gym on our first day. We both did our first day exercise and left for the our usual spot where we would smoke our last smoke of the day and then we will leave home.



Now this thing popped in my mind while my friend was driving to the smoking spot “there are no parties lined up anytime soon and I have started working out, what better excuse to start working on the idea I was planning to quit smoking” That day I quit smoking, I said “No” when my friend offered me the cigarette.



I went home and planned this out more, No Cigarettes, No Alcohol, No Partying until I save up $2000 in my bank account.



Next day I called all my friends I hangout with and told them what I was trying to achieve and also said “if you ever see me smoking, ask for my Bank Statement if own $2000? If not then please slap me”. Everybody agreed, as I was doing something good and if I started smoking they will get a chance to slap me.



24 Hours passed, all good, no cigarettes smoked.

2 days passed, without cigarettes..

On Day 3 I had an urge to smoke in the afternoon, it felt like there is something missing, I needed to smoke. I passed that somehow.



Day 4 was when my body just wasn’t willing to do anything, I needed that one smoke. Thoughts came in my mind like “no one can quit immediately, one needs to lower the count of cigarette first then slowly he will quit” but I knew I wasn’t quitting I was just on hold until I make my $2000 so things like this should not stop me from what I am doing.



I knew one thing, when I work out and I am tired I don’t like to smoke, I just can’t smoke at that time. Even if I put a cigarette forcibly between my lips, I can’t smoke, I will vomit.



So, on Day 4 I did what I thought would kill this need of cigarette, I got my bike and raced it around my colony for 30 minutes. Came home all tired and all was good. day 4 passed.



One week was passed like this, whenever I needed a smoke I got on my bicycle and raced around. Many of the times I would go on the same shop where I used to smoke. But because I am all tired and everything I can’t smoke.



I don’t know the exact date I quit but it was last week of July that I had my last cigarette. It has been more than 2 full months, because I haven’t save up $2000 yet. Now I don’t get any urges to smoke, I stand with friends who smoke and sometimes they even blow smoke on my face for fun but I don’t get any urge to smoke.



Also, few weeks back I decided that even if I get $2000 saved up, I won’t start smoking again. So, from putting my smoking on hold now I quit. I may smoke cigars rarely but no cigarettes. I may start drinking and partying after I save up $2000 soon but no cigarettes. I am very close to my goal.



Why I quit smoking?



After putting the smoking on hold, I felt very good, saved a lot of money everyday. There are many days when I don’t even spend any money at all. Feels good. I still hangout with all my friends, I still do all the fun that I used to just that others smoke I don’t.



We all know cigarettes are injurious to health, quitting to smoke was one more than a health issue for me. I wanted to prove myself that yes I do can control my body. I am the boss of my body.