Here is my first essay, the topic was something you were successful at.
A
Successful Quitter
Quitting is rarely synonymous with success, but being a
quitter is my greatest success to date. After thirty-four years of being a slave
to smoking cigarettes, and many unsuccessful attempts at quitting, I was able
to quit smoking cold turkey on April 19, 2012. I did not get up that morning
and just say today is the day and that was that. Seven months before that I
began to plan, network, and research how to be a successful quitter once and
for all.
At
first I had to honestly understand and recognize the hold that my addiction to
nicotine, and smoking cigarettes, had over me. The last time that I had tried
to quit smoking, I didn’t even make it one day quit. I can remember crying on
my back porch as I lit that cigarette and thought to myself that I would never
be able to give them up. I was a slave to nicotine, every day, every hour, a
little voice in my head would say “time for a smoke” and I would oblige or else
that voice was relentless. I often would have to check my supply to make sure I
would not be caught without a cigarette. I would not leave the house without my
pack of smokes, even if I was just going to the corner drug store, because I
could have a flat tire or a car wreck and then I would really need a smoke. It
was beyond ridiculous when I thought about it, but this was how I lived my
life. Nicotine was in charge not me, but I became determined that day on my
back porch, that I was going to change that some way, somehow.
My
next step was to get some help and figure out how others had been successful
and make a plan for me, but first things first I needed to set another quit
date. Six months out was my son’s birthday, it would be an easy day to remember
and I would have plenty of time to figure out a plan. Next, I made an
appointment with my doctor; after all he had been nagging me for years to quit
smoking and said he could help. I started taking inventory of when and why I
smoked and how I felt, and I began to change things up working toward my goal.
I reached out to my family, friends, and co-workers; I made sure everyone knew
so I would have lots of support and accountability.
It has been a year and half since I quit
smoking and some days I still can’t believe I did it. I didn’t need a reason to
quit there were literally hundreds of reasons to quit smoking, what I needed
was a plan and support to achieve my success. Quitting smoking was the hardest
and most gratifying successful goal that I have achieved, and I am very proud
that I am a successful quitter.
