How did I quit smoking cigarette?

In between 2009-2011, can't remember which year or month. In winter, my dad sick again. He been always sick in winter like one month, looks like something serious. This time doctor saying:

You have to quit cigarette otherwise you might get cancer.

The funny part is doctor also smoking and giving this advice. Before going back home I am talking with my dad:

Me: Promise me! You will never gonna smoke it again. I am promising you I will not smoke it dad. Promise me too dad! Please!

2016, my dad not smoking, at least not a package a day. I saw couple times smoking but not much, maybe once a day or two, but still can smells it. Almost %30 of students smoking in high school which is really bad. Some of them offering free cigarette. Never try it, not gonna smoke it.

2017-2018, bad friends gonna make you bad person, I tried my first cigarette. Why this people smoking this bad tasty thing ever day. Didn't like it, I will not smoke it again.

2021 New year night, I smoke a cigarette. Another friend's offer. Didn't like it but kinda know the taste. Didn't wanna smoke a while but everything gonna change.

2021 June, I joined my first full time position as a software developer role. Working really good. Our company working once or twice days in office and other days in remote. Really good one, I really like remote companies. Anyway, I started to notice some people going every hour or two somewhere. And when I go with them the next time, I noticed they going for smoking. They offer me a smoke and I started to smoking frequently.

First couple weeks, 3-4 days one package was enough but I started smoking while coding and it was a very bad decision. I was getting addictive more and more. The worst part is if you smoking and working like a this kinda work and never do sport, you gonna gain weight which in my case started like that.

I started smoking full time in 2021 August. Broke my promise. Every morning after breakfast I had to smoke, Every time while drinking coffee, I had to smoke. Caffeine + Nicotine = Feeling awesome ( looks like a drug )

2022 August. Homeless, new job, depression. I checked my weight for the first time after one year. 16 kilogram extra. (35 pounds) I said: "F******"

I get out of breath when I climb stairs. This was the last time I decided to quit smoking. In that time I was reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. I decided and I was continue on reading my book and guess what I read in that section. Quitting bad habits. I was shocked, this must be a signal from universe or just a coincidence. Whatever it is I decided quitting.

In that section, James basically saying you have to find the habits root. I asked myself these Questions:

• Why am I smoking?
• What drives me to smoke?
• How can I change my smoking habit? (You need a plan)

Why am I smoking?

I am smoking because when I stress out about something I am smoking. Example, when I try to solve a problem on software or work related, I am smoking.

What drives me to smoke?

Coffee, breakfast, outside working spaces, or someone smoking around me.

How can I change my smoking habit?

Do not drink coffee a while, pass breakfast. Work inside working spaces. Do not hangout with smokers a while.

I did it all. The first 3 days were good. Feel nothing. But after third day, It was horrible. I started taking nap daytime. Feeling tired, angry and craving for smoke. I dreamed about smoking. Need just 21 days, after that gonna be easy (Spoiler alert, not 21 days 😆)

90 days later. I quit smoking cigarette. It was hard but I figure out. Now I can eat my breakfast and coffee without looking my lighter. Sometimes I wanna smoke but I can stop myself. A small victory for me

Thank you for James Clear for Atomic Habits books. Highly recommending it. Thank you to my dad for showing me that bad habit in my early ages. And lastly, Thank you for all of the cigarette companies for teaching me how can I change my bad habits.

Thank you for reading it, hope you enjoy it