Cat Party PSA

As of today it's been one year since my last cigarette. I remember all the times when I was still smoking that I would consciously talk myself out out of quitting; I would be bored on my walks and long car trips, I'd miss that satisfaction of the post-meal cigarette, I'd gain weight and how else could I relieve stress? After I stopped smoking I quickly learned that all these excuses I'd been giving myself were really just nicotine-fueled illusions.

The one thing I can tell anyone who's struggling with the thought of quitting is that your quality of life will increase dramatically! I'm not just talking about health, everyone knows that smoking is bad for you. I'm talking about little things you may not even notice now. You'll realize how nice it is to go to a leisurely dinner or see a movie without counting down the minutes until you can bolt out the door and light up. While airports will never be anxiety-free I can guarantee that not feeling chained to cigarettes will make the experience much more tolerable. No more worrying about sneaking another break at work or school to snuff out the craving because there won't be a craving to begin with. Also, how selfish is it to ask your non-smoker friend to stand in the bitter cold outside a bar while you puff away?

If you've been struggling to quit smoking or even if you've just entertained the idea I urge you to get your hands on a copy of The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr.  There's no forcing data down your throat or making you feel like you need to punish yourself for being a smoker. In fact, you're actually encouraged to continue smoking throughout the book! It really does work. I was a non-smoker from the moment I read the last page and have helped several friends quit by passing the book along. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy, I promise it will be the best $10 you have ever spent.

If you need more convincing you can go ahead and calculate how much money you would save! I smoked nearly a pack a day before I quit:

$6 (average price of a pack) x 7  = $42 a week

$42 x 4 = $168 a month

$168 x 12 = $2016 a year

That's almost a Chanel 2.55!

Still not buying it? Here's a photo of Anita Pallenberg in her heyday:

Here is a recent photo snapped outside Waitrose in Chichester:

Okay, okay. I know it's been 30 years but ouch! I'm sure she would have aged quite a bit more gracefully without the ciggies (and the bag lady getup).  Quel dommage!

The last two examples were purely for humor, I don't want any readers to think I'm nagging. Honestly I just know how great it feels to be free of the constant cigarette panic and hope that anyone who has been thinking of quitting will do themselves a favor and buy (or borrow) the book. Good luck, though I know you don't need it!