[Personal Story] How I Finally Quit Smoking for 2 Years After Many Failed Attempts

"You'll just fail again anyway."
"It's pointless to quit, you won't be able to keep it up."

Every time I declared I was quitting smoking, those were the kinds of things people would say to me.
Honestly, it was frustrating, and in my heart, I even thought, "I'll probably end up smoking again."

Even so, I tried again and again whenever I felt up to it.
After failing and not giving up, and trying again—
Before I knew it, two years had passed since I quit smoking.

Today, I'm putting together this note to share my real-life experience of how I managed to stay smoke-free and the tips that helped me keep going.

1. I prioritized "keeping at it" over "succeeding" at quitting

Some people succeed in quitting on their first try, but I couldn't.
I smoked many times, and I had to restart many times.
Every time I failed, people around me would say,
"You shouldn't say you're going to quit smoking anymore."
or "If you can't do it, you shouldn't even try."
I thought they were right, too.

But one day, I shifted my mindset to, "It's okay to fail as many times as it takes, as long as I don't let the fact that I wanted to quit go to waste."
Then, little by little, the number of days I didn't smoke increased.

Quitting smoking isn't a one-shot deal.
I believe now that the will to keep trying was what mattered most.

2. I just put something in my mouth. But I didn't gain weight because I was running

Whenever I felt like smoking, I just put something in my mouth.
I ate gum and candy, and honestly, snacks and meals too.

Many people are afraid of gaining weight, but in my case, I happened to be jogging, so I didn't gain that much weight.

Rather than aiming for perfection, I made "not smoking" my top priority.
That stance worked for me.

3. I ignored temptations from those around me. It was the "environment" that saved me

At work and among friends, there were people who would casually invite me, "Want a cigarette?"
When I was around people like that, I would definitely waver.

But the colleague I was paired with at that time happened to be a non-smoker.
Because we spent so much time together, the urge to smoke naturally faded away.

I realized that the influence of one's "environment" is greater than I imagined.

4. I intentionally avoided people who smoke. Reorganizing my social life was also an option

To keep from smoking, I also took it upon myself to "keep my distance from people who smoke."
For example, I wouldn't go near the smoking area, and I wouldn't join in on chats during smoke breaks.

It might mean changing my social life, but
I felt that such choices were necessary to protect my health and my resolve.

—

5. The benefits of quitting smoking all come back to my "family"

The best thing about quitting smoking.
It's definitely that "I've been able to have a positive impact on my family."

・Less harm to my children
・It became easier to jog, and I gained the stamina to play with them
・I stopped going to convenience stores, which reduced wasteful spending
・As a result, I have more money

There are tough times right after you quit, but
now, "not smoking" has become the norm.
I think everything I am today started from here.

In closing

People tend to think you can't quit smoking without "strong willpower," but
I am someone who failed many times, got discouraged, and yet tried again.

But even someone like me was able to quit.
So, if you are reading this article and have even the slightest thought of "I want to quit," I'm sure you can do it too.

Don't push yourself too hard, but don't give up.
If you fail, just start again.

I'm rooting for you.

Gratitude

Every time I tried to quit smoking, I would fail and get depressed.
I am truly grateful to my wife, who watched me go through that the whole time.

Honestly, every time I relapsed, it was hard to say "I failed again," so
there were times I covered it up or lied.
Even so, she didn't blame me and stuck by me many times.

I don't think I could have ever made it this far on my own.

Quitting smoking isn't something you do alone.
The presence of people who support you is more important than anything else.
I will keep doing my best.

Thank you very much.