…And I did what every smoker does: sneak a cigarette in here and there with an, “Oh, I’ll quit tomorrow,” thrown in for good measure. My girlfriend at the …

By the time I got to college, I was a full-time smoker. By the time I graduated, I was up to a pack a day. By my 24th birthday, I had “quit” a number of times… one month here, three weeks there. Sometimes I’d get sucked back into it slowly while other times I just bought a pack and picked up where I left off. But in the winter of 2008, I was broke, unhealthy, and ready to quit. Perhaps the realization that I had spent half of my life as a smoker inspired me on some level. But regardless of its source, my decision to quit had been made.

I smoked my first cigarette when I was 12 years old. My friend and I stole his mom’s pack out of a cupboard late at night and smoked them in his backyard. They were disgusting, but I was fixated on being rebellious and cool -- a dynamic that led me to smoke on and off for the next seven years.

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I record audio versions of all articles, as well as audio commentaries with backstories and research. Members can stream and download all of them, so if you've ever wanted to hear me talk about Kant during a flight, this is your moment. Improve your relationships, conquer your fears, and build a better life. Once upon a time, I created a number of professionally-made, online video courses about relationships, anxiety and social skills. I sold them for $29.95 per month each, but now these and more are all included in the subscription: The membership includes 6 courses to improve your life: Dating & Relationships Course – Get insights about how to build a healthy and lasting relationship. 10 high-quality video lessons, with exercises. Connection Course – Learn how to become better at social interactions and have deeper conversations, leading to more fulfilling connections. 11 high-quality video lessons with exercises. Overcome Anxiety Course – Understand the root of your anxiety, and then overcome it. Using concepts from the most successful form of therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy. 8 high-quality video lessons with exercises. Blogging & Writing Course – A collection of videos, articles and other materials about my approach to writing and blogging. Recommended for people who are looking to start a book or blog themselves. Escape Plan: The Long-Term Travel Course – An extensive written course for people who want to travel long-term, but don’t know how yet. Create your own Escape Plan tailored to your budget and travel goals. Build a Better Life Course – A system I use to figure out what I want out of life, and how to get there. It's helped me to get where I am now. I recommend doing it at least once a year.

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