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100 reasons to get excited about quitting smoking

John R. Polito

Want to stop smoking but haven't yet been able to pull it off? Consider a bit different approach. What's needed is what researchers call self-efficacy: belief that you can.

Try this. Instead of thinking in terms of strength or willpower, invite dreams and desires to become the wind beneath your wings. Consider borrowing from the following wish list in creating your own. Use this Word formatted copy to make additions or deletions in personalizing and printing your list.

Be sure to carry your dreams with you at all times and to reach for them if feeling challenged.

Woman excited after having quit smoking

Sample Dream Sheet

  1. Substantially improved breathing
  2. Much deeper sleep
  3. Greater calm during crisis (smoking is not a stress-buster)
  4. No more being nagged about quitting
  5. Being generally happier and less depressed
  6. Able to engage in brisk physical activity without becoming winded
  7. Better rational control over impulsivity
  8. Greater honesty with others
  9. Less risk of hearing loss
  10. Cleaner skin and hair
  11. Enhanced pride, confidence and self-esteem
  12. Up to 1,200 percent lower odds of developing COPD
  13. More coins in my pocket each and every day
  14. A hugely whiter smile that's not afraid to be seen
  15. Vastly diminished odds of mouth or throat cancer
  16. Clean, fresh breath that no longer needs to hide
  17. An end to inhaling up to 69 cancer-causing chemicals
  18. Less chance of developing leukemia: blood cancer
  19. A temporary journey to crave-less days, weeks, months and hopefully years
  20. Additional job opportunities
  21. Diminished anxiety and greater patience
  22. Slowly diminishing odds of coronary heart disease (up to 200%)
  23. Substantially cheaper life insurance
  24. My 37 trillion cells receiving more oxygen and fewer toxins
  25. No risk of making children sick by breathing my secondhand smoke
  26. Substantially less facial wrinkling
  27. An end to inhaling up to 250 tissue-destroying toxins
  28. Reduced odds of prostrate or cervical cancer
  29. Relaxed, wider, less clogged and generally healthier blood vessels
  30. Lower odds of developing squamous cell skin cancer
  31. More room in my pockets or purse
  32. Healed tastebuds with foods tasting more accurate: some better, some worse
  33. Less chance of an abdominal aortic aneurysm
  34. Keeping more hair longer
  35. Less heartburn
  36. No more inventing excuses for standing out in the heat, cold or rain
  37. Cleaner clothes
  38. Return of my natural sensitivities
  39. Increased fertility
  40. Lower odds of my cat or dog getting cancer
  41. Diminishing odds of a stroke (up to 200%)
  42. No more yellow fingers
  43. Healthier gums with fewer root canals
  44. Prolonged periods of deep relaxation
  45. Diminishing risk of stomach cancer
  46. Natural adrenaline levels
  47. No more setting a horrible example for kids
  48. A vacation for my heart (up to 17.5 fewer heartbeats per minute)
  49. No more ash, butts, ashtrays or lighters
  50. A cleaner-smelling house and car
  51. The possibility of never again experiencing bronchitis
  52. No more burn holes in clothes, carpets or upholstery
  53. An opportunity to again meet the real and forgotten me
  54. No longer feeling like a social outcast
  55. Diminishing odds of bladder cancer
  56. A vastly enhanced sense of smell
  57. Stronger bones, reduced osteoporosis and fewer back problems
  58. No longer creating 1 genetic cell mutation for every 3 cigs smoked
  59. Less chance of going blind
  60. No more late-night trips to the store
  61. Each puff no longer permanently destroying additional lung air sacs (alveoli)
  62. Diminishing likelihood of pancreatic cancer
  63. The ability to fall to sleep faster
  64. Re-grown cilia with fewer colds and flu
  65. Self-honesty about why I smoked: a real drug addict / mentally ill
  66. Greater opportunity to make non-smoking friends
  67. No longer needing to tank up every waking hour of every day
  68. Less absenteeism from work and greater productivity while there
  69. The ability to stay seated for an entire movie or drive for hours
  70. No longer exposing others to my smoke
  71. More teeth at old age (an average of 5.8)
  72. Less likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (44%)
  73. Never having to think about quitting again
  74. No more social pressure to quit
  75. Diminishing odds of rheumatoid arthritis
  76. Fewer doctor visits and medical bills
  77. Smoking no longer gradually diminishing my IQ
  78. Fewer headaches
  79. The prospect of looking years younger
  80. Declining odds of macular degeneration (200%)
  81. An end to my wheeze or chronic cough
  82. Gradually diminishing odds of lung cancer (up to 2,500%)
  83. Lower blood pressure inviting serenity
  84. A bigger bounce in each step
  85. An end to inhaling smoke's 7,000+ chemicals
  86. Less chance of experiencing middle-aged memory loss
  87. Quicker wound and fracture healing
  88. Improved odds of not becoming a smoking statistic
  89. Hopefully, many extra years of life (at least 10 - the average lost)
  90. No loved one left pondering why I committed slow suicide
  91. No longer waiting for a house to fall on me before awakening
  92. Living long enough to enjoy and draw retirement or social security
  93. Living far healthier, happier and calmer once there
  94. A permanent end to my neuro-chemical slavery
  95. No longer daily handing the neo-nicotine industry my money
  96. The promise of becoming nicotine-clean within 72 hours
  97. The promise of moving beyond peak withdrawal within 72 hours
  98. At last, realizing that recovery is good and wonderful not bad
  99. Within 2 weeks, watching fear and dread melt into like or even love
  100. The confidence that flows from mastering successful quitting's only rule (the Law of Addiction): that one equals all, that lapse equals relapse, that one puff would be too many, while thousands wouldn't be enough, that failure is impossible so long as I keep all nicotine on the outside.

Why fear coming home?

Baby steps, just the next few minutes, yes you can!

Breathe deep, hug hard, live long,

John

A former 30-year 3-pack-a-day smoker, I took my last puff of nicotine on May 15, 1999 and have loved every minute since. Okay, so maybe the first few days, not so much. My health then in rapid decline, frankly, if I had not quit I'm absolutely certain that you wouldn't be reading these words. Online group support saved my life. If this quitting reason's list helps you, please share it. Together, we can make a difference.





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The Law Joel's Library Turkeyville
Written 01/27/17 and updated 01/01/23 by John R. Polito