Ringing in the New Year as a Nonsmoker

If you are ready to make a New Year’s resolution to finally becoming smoke-free, congratulations! You are taking a critical step toward living a longer and healthier life.

And for those of us who have lived smoke-free for a few years now, the New Year is a wonderful time to renew our commitment to health.

I know I spent many a New Year’s Eve wishing I could be free of my obsession to smoke. I longed to join the legions of people who had figured out how to do it. But with each resolution and each relapse, freedom just seemed more distant and unattainable.

After many years of frustration sprinkled with glimpses of success, I ended up not quitting as a New Year’s resolution after all. It seemed as though my rebellious spirit got in my way – I felt I was too independent to be part of the masses making similar resolutions – I needed my own special day. I ended up picking the day before Valentine’s Day – a gift for my sweetie and for my daughter, but ultimately for myself.

The thing is, our quit date has to work for each of us and we each have our reasons for picking the day when we end up quitting for good. Sometimes we don’t even know that we will never go back. It just happens. But sometimes we know darn well that this had better be it.

I always felt as though I dodged a bullet when I finally quit and made it through my first few years of holidays. My fervent hope is that I dodged the big bullet of lung cancer or other smoking-related diseases, but I guess none of us will know that for sure until we live to a ripe old age and die of just being old.

So, let’s lift a glass in toast to living to a healthy old age! I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

 

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