A cigarette break WITH A DIFFERENCE
I saved a small fortune by quitting for good
Folding my clothes into a small suitcase, I counted down the days until we jetted off.
‘Only two weeks to go,’ I texted my friends excitedly.
We’d booked a long weekend in Barcelona for a girls’ holiday.
I couldn’t wait to explore a new city with my best mates.
The best part about it was, I had a huge reason to celebrate.
After giving up cigarettes more than two months ago, I’d saved a fortune.
An app on my phone told me I’d saved £350.
I’d basically covered the cost of my weekend abroad without even noticing!
‘It’s like you’re getting a free holiday,’ my friend Rachel laughed when I told her how much money I’d saved just by giving up fags.
Sure, the past few weeks had been filled with ups and downs.
I’d caved under stress, finding myself back at the newsagents for a sneaky pack of 20.
But I’d come through it, and the rewards were so worth it.
I deserved to let my hair down now.
That night, I researched all the things I wanted to do on my trip.
Visit the famous Sagrada Familia, drink sangria by the sea, and tuck into a huge pan of tasty paella in a traditional Spanish
restaurant.
Looking at my calendar on my bedroom wall, it suddenly hit me how far I’d come.
It was almost two months ago when I made my pledge to give up for good.
I’d managed more than 60 days without a fag.
‘I knew you could do it,’ Rachel told me proudly.
After more than a decade as a dedicated cigarette smoker, the past few months had proven to me just how strong I am.
I don’t need cigarettes to get me through the day. There have been times when my cigarette cravings have got the better of me.
But I’ve managed to overcome them.
After years of being ashamed by my disgusting habit, I’m now proud to call myself a nonsmoker.
On nights out I don’t have to leave my friends in the bar while I go outside for a sneaky puff.
I can no longer smell the remnants of ciggie smoke on my clothes.
I’ll never go back.
After being in cigarettes’ grip since I was 14, I finally have control of my life.
A health app I use has estimated I was clogging up my lungs with around 105 grams of tar every year.
Just the thought of it is utterly grim.
Yet for years I carried on puffing away on cigarettes, not even thinking about the damage I might be doing to my body.
I wish I could go back to the teenage me and tell myself just how much of a mistake starting smoking cigarettes was.
They took their toll on my pocket, my health and my lifestyle.
But I’ve kicked the bad habit for good now. I feel so much fitter.
After two months I can last a full hour on the badminton court without stopping to catch my breath.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
My trip to Spain will be my ultimate reward to myself.
For the first time ever, I am truly proud of my achievements.
No ifs, no butts!
Who knows what else I’m capable of now.
‘I was clogging up my lungs with 105 grams of tar every year’
I’m a nonsmoker now and never looking back
