Tomorrow is My Quit Smoking Day

Today is my last day as a "smoker". They say that the first three weeks are usually the hardest so I know this won't be an easy task at all for me come tomorrow morning. However, I have very good news. I have spent this weekend thinking and acquiring all the things I believe will help me through within budget. Each of these items should help me when I get an urge to smoke or help me not think about having an urge at all. 

I have...

Making progress in my quit smoking journey with 3 days to go

The good news is that I am mentally preparing myself for my soon to be quit day. It's suppose to be Monday, but my patches still haven't arrived yet. I am also really trying to handle my stress reactions better. I did say "trying" right? Over the past three days I have had an episode or two where my stress level was extremely high and I didn't do a great job in handling them. However, I am honestly proud to say that other than on Wednesday I didn't smoke my usual amount of cigarettes. According to my Quit Smoking app (which I am doing by habit now and I swear I am not cheating...LOL..seriously!!) my maximum amount of cigarettes per day right now should be 11. Only one of the past four days in my stats did I smoke that amount and that was on day one. I have been on an average smoking of 8-9 per day. Not a big deal to some, but to me that is a very good accomplishment. My goal is to be down to 7-8 by Monday. That is hard as hell for me, but we will see how things go Saturday and Sunday.

Starting Step 2 in my journey begins

So after completing all those Step 1 exercises for this online program I am a part of I received an email at work that I am officially on to Step 2. Again, more exercises for me to complete before going on to the next level which is suppose to be my official quit date. There are 8 Step 2 exercises instead of the 4 I had in Step 1 and they all require even more thinking and a quit smoking contract for myself. Hmmm...interesting! I haven't answered a single question yet, but I will. Like I said I do plan to do this the right way. Making this successful is important to me even if I still feel like my ass is back in school.

My First Six Days of My Quit Smoking Journey

As determined as I am to make this quit smoking journey of mine work, I can't help but say that I am already getting very annoyed. Why? Well let me run it down for you...

1. I understand why the online program my job is using feels that it is necessary to have us go through all these exercises, but I feel like my ass should be back in school. Some of the questions that should be easy have me doing research and thinking way too hard for answers I have absolutely no clue about. That alone has me frustrated and some days saying, "Screw this shit!". However, don't worry. I am continuing to do them regardless of my frustration. In fact, I am starting on the Step 2 Exercises this upcoming week. 

Its Official!! I plan to stop smoking!!!

This is a new year which means new things are about to happen. At least for me that is. And yes you did read the title correct....I have decided to quit smoking. This won't be an easy task for me at all since I have been doing this for so long and I usually get pretty mean and eat like a damn pig when I have withdrawals, but hopefully I am going to be getting help through the program my work is offering. Part of my journey includes keeping a diary. I figured since I need to do that anyhow I might as well add my journey to my personal blog. To make things a little interesting I will be posting about my changes and struggles as I try to be at least one month free by June 1, 2013. That is the one and only goal I have right now.

So what made me decide to quit smoking? Well, a few months ago I agreed to signup for my company's "Tobacco-Free Program". I won't lie. I mainly did it because doing so would reduce my insurance costs big time. I know that just sounds so selfish to some or just wrong to others. So be it. I definitely didn't do it based on anyone's thoughts or opinions of me. Yeah I know there are many benefits to becoming a non-smoker and as my time to finalize my enrollment approached I have realized that many of those benefits would do me some good. However, it was mainly because of my insurance costs that helped me to make the decision to quit smoking.