You Can Quit Smoking

As a jet setter in her early adulthood, Dr. Medge’s smoking was a pathway to confidence in her high-pressure work life. However, distressing physical symptoms eventually led Dr. Medge to realize that a change was much needed. She was able to quit on her first try using an incredibly simple method that anyone can use to support themselves through the quitting process and develop greater self-awaren...

For Mo, smoking up to 60 cigarettes a day was never just a physical habit. It was how she navigated awkwardness and heavy emotions. Though emotional setbacks led to past relapses, a sudden turn of events gave Mo a fresh chance to stop. In this episode, Mo shares how facing her feelings head-on allowed her to finally break the cycle.  About Mo:  Mo started smoking first around 1978 and quit in 2005...

Leigh knew she was ready to move on from smoking as a young adult, and she managed to quit through sheer discipline. Later on, however, she found herself relying on alcohol to quiet the harsh inner critic in her mind. Through deep self-reflection, curiosity, and hope, Leigh transformed her life by learning to put trust in herself rather than her critic.  About Leigh: Leigh Gall is a speaker, execu...

Jani didn’t like being addicted to smoking, but found herself trapped in a cycle with it due to many contributing factors of her childhood, neurodivergence, and navigating adulthood in a new country. She struggled to quit, going as long as eight months at time before falling back into the habit from “just having a couple pulls.” Jani finally found her way out by following her heart’s wisdom and so...

Originally trying to be cool by smoking, Jeannie came to see the habit as anything but. She felt it kept others at a distance and carried deep shame around both the habit and her struggle to quit for good. Though she disliked it, she leaned on smoking as an emotional crutch for years. After a life crisis, Jeannie turned inward and realized the direct link between her self-esteem and smoking. Given...

Cathy never wanted to think of herself as a smoker yet smoking was a major part of her life. The cognitive dissonance became overwhelming as she joined the composting community and grew increasingly passionate about environmentalism. Realizing it was time to extend that same care to herself, Cathy finally left the habit behind after 30 years. Today, she enjoys life fully completely free from the b...

Starting young, smoking controlled a significant portion of Adrien’s life. Even after recognizing her struggle, she found it difficult to let go until a pregnancy caused a natural aversion. Yet despite quitting, smoking still held a grip on her freedom, surfacing in distressing nightmares about returning to the habit. It was not until Adrien made an unusual decision that she was finally able to re...

As a young person, Dawn was surrounded by smokers, so she used it as a way to fit in. But she also noticed that smoking seemed to fill the emptiness she felt within herself. After many attempts to quit, she managed to use a particular situation to finally get to the other side of it. Yet the void remained with her until she followed the guidance of her heart.  About Dawn: Dawn helps women who are...

Paul picked up a smoking habit in response to a relationship break up in which he felt adrift and overwhelmed by grief. Although he did manage to quit smoking, he then turned to other addictive behaviors to continue to avoid emotional pain. However, when Paul stepped on the healing path, he was able to reconnect with himself and has found purpose in helping others do the same work. About Paul the...

Jeff enjoyed the buzz of chewing in his youth. But after years of the habit, it lost its appeal and started making him feel ill. After trying to quit many times, he found his real motivation in simply wanting to live and do so healthily. He tried various tactics along the way to trick himself into quitting, but he finally found the one that got him through the worst of withdrawals to a better life...

Amy started smoking at a young age because it made her feel cool. But after seven years, facing severe hardships, and becoming a mother, she knew it was time for a change. With her daughter as her main inspiration, Amy focused on shifting her identity before she quit so the transition would go smoothly. As a glass-half-full person, Amy brought humor to her quitting journey while making conscious c...

Donna believed she struggled with discipline, carrying the heavy shame of trying to quit smoking only to keep coming back to it. That changed when she sensed the right opportunity and took it, quitting in a way that was surprisingly easy for her to adapt to. Today, Donna considers quitting one of her greatest accomplishments, and she cherishes the confidence and health benefits that have come with...

Sam turned to smoking during a time of struggle as a young adult, rapidly finding himself smoking up to two packs a day while surrounded by smokers in both his personal and professional life. Driven by the heavy financial burden, Sam struggled to break free until he abandoned the rush to quit. He explains the slow, natural process that finally worked for him and how he never looked back once he fo...

Smoking was a means of connecting to her mother for Regina, from childhood to adulthood. It became a symbol of her mattering, of being seen. Yet in her own motherhood journey, she couldn’t accept the impact the habit was having on her own child. She decided that she needed to disrupt the cycle and so she set in place a system of checks to keep her accountable to her choice to quit smoking while na...

Starting smoking when she joined the military made sense to Akeelah at the time. But over the years, it became entirely at odds with the healthy lifestyle that she and her family wanted for her. When Akeelah started medication to assist her with quitting smoking, she actually found herself hoping for side effects just so she would have a valid excuse to go back to it. But the pressure of sharing h...

Trevor grew up around smoking and picked up the habit with friends in his youth. Smoking weaved its way into many phases of his life, from his time in the military to his years as a musician, but it seemed to fit less with his work as a comedian. Trevor tried many avenues to quit, but ultimately, it was his partner’s health that motivated him to go cold turkey and stay with it.  About Trevor: Trev...

Riley took a unique path to quitting vaping by using breathwork to connect to his breathing patterns and regulate himself. Before then, he had made many attempts to quit, but his irritability and anxiety would get the best of him. Through quitting, Riley’s view of himself has completely changed, and he is deeply connected to his health, his family, and the gift of his breath.  About Riley: Breathw...

Peter started smoking as a kid during a time when it was still widely accepted. As an adult, he became increasingly aware of the smell and made a few half-hearted attempts to stop. But everything changed when he found his true motivation to quit: he didn’t want to be a smoking parent. Though it was a rough transition, Peter's resolve actually deepened after he slipped and tried "just one...

Sarah started smoking and noticed right away that it allowed her to feel less deeply. Later, she made the switch to vaping, a habit she genuinely enjoyed and had no desire to give up. But after experiencing a profound spiritual awakening, she developed a deeper awareness of her body and decided it was finally time to listen to its messages. Instead of fighting herself, Sarah used identity work to...

James was exposed to smoke his whole life and did not see a clear need to quit. While he had made a few half-hearted attempts in the past, nothing seemed to stick. That changed when a major financial circumstance presented a stark choice in his budget: continue buying cigarettes or purchase a home. After choosing to quit for good and navigating the initial struggle, James found himself incredibly...

Kimberly turned to smoking as a kid just trying to fit in. When it came time to break the habit years later, she realized that quitting required looking backward. While the process was not easy, Kimberly found a mix of practical tools and deep internal strategies to get her through the hurdle. Even while being constantly surrounded by other smokers, she managed to stay true to her path. Kimberly s...

Smoking became Alex’s necessary crutch after she achieved sobriety from drugs and alcohol. Eventually, she transitioned to a heavy vaping habit that took over her life. She never went anywhere without her vape; it was a constant throughout her day. Though she was once vehemently against quitting, a turn of events gave her the push she needed. Alex shares how she overcame the habit to gain a level...

For over thirty years LaShaun lived with an unknown heart condition that was worsened by smoking. While he had considered quitting, many times, especially as an athlete, he wasn't able to stick with it until - he had a heart attack alone in the middle of the night. LaShaun entirely changed his lifestyle and while he cannot undo his earlier choices in life, now chooses to prioritize his health...

As a kid, Frank thought that smoking looked cool. He didn’t see it as holding him back but there were times in his life where he was smoking up to five packs a day. Frank didn’t want to quit smoking but a life circumstance put him in a place to either choose smoking or his loved ones. Now Frank is happy he chose love and while he did navigate some difficult realizations in quitting, he can now fac...

Jenessa took to smoking as she entered high school. She used it throughout her adult life in tandem with an alcohol addiction to cope with trauma and an unhappy life. Finally, Jenessa refused to listen to the excuses and underwent a healing journey. Now in alignment with herself and with a strong spiritual connection, Jenessa doesn’t crave smoking at all and enjoys the freedom of being smoke-free....