So Here's the Deal... Literally

[joshm74]

So I will try to keep this short.
I have been reading everything I can on this and other forums like this for about a year now. I have been trying to learn everything I can so when I build my first saber I don't have to ask Noob-ish questions.
But alas here is my problem. It's not that I'm broke. I have the money for this hobby and wish to do this more so than anything I have wanted in awhile.
I am a smoker. I have smoked at least a pack a day for 10+ yrs now. I have slowed down quite a bit but I am having trouble stepping down to the next step.
So here's the deal... my wife said as soon as I quit I can use the $150+ a month I spend on smoking on Saber Building.
I am not asking for sympathy or any responses.
I want to be apart of this community. I have never before seen such nice, patient people like this. This is my first post and hopefully there will be more to come.
Hopefully within the next few months I can quit this horrible habit and become something more than a broke smoker.

[Silver Serpent]

I currently work with several ex-smokers. I've seen them quit many different ways. Cold turkey, patches, gum, one even tried the e-cigs. I've learned one thing: quitting is easy. *Staying quit* is the hard part. You're going to need to make some intentional changes to your daily habits. Figure out when you smoke, and try to avoid those situations. Also, try to avoid hanging around other smokers. It's too easy to bum "just one" to take the edge off.

If you do slip up (most people do), don't fret. Go right back to not smoking again. Don't fall into the trap of thinking, "Oh I slipped up, I guess I can start smoking again." Get right back on the wagon. It does get easier, trust me.

[Weaver]

SS is totally right about the behavioral changes. Changing anything about your life will require more than just "fixing" a particular thing; it requires changing how and why you do things. It requires a change in mindset and thinking.

However, I think you're on the right track about adding an incentive. I would say cleaner clothing and better health are excellent incentives, but those things can be hard to notice right away. It would be difficult to ignore the benefits of a pile of saber parts delivered to your door, knowing that they came from an improvement in your life that you chose to make.

A lot of people say that their smoking also has to do with keeping their hands busy. It may also be an oral fixation. If you can figure out the habitual side of things and replace the physical act of smoking with something else, that may go a long way toward stamping out the desire to smoke. After a while, your body will become used to the fact that it's not getting those chemicals anymore, but it may be harder to convince your mind. This is why hobbies are commonly suggested.

Though you don't know me, and I don't know you, I want to say I admire you for making this choice. I have always believed that nothing good could come from smoking. A few friends of mine just can not break the habit. They started with clove cigarettes because they liked the aroma and flavor, but when they were no longer available, they switched to the commonly available cigarettes and just kept using more and more. I can't spend more than a couple of hours hanging out with them because the air chokes me. I worry constantly about their health and how long it will be before it fails. Trust me: You're doing yourself and everyone around you a huge favor.

Be proud of the choice to take control and make a positive change in your life. Let each new saber remind you of your victory. Above all, remember that you have the power to control what you do. I won't wish you luck; luck is for the unprepared. Instead, I wish you success.