Your Reasons to Quit

Do you want to be healthier? Save money? Keep your family safe? Reduce your stress and anxiety? All of those reasons? If you’re not sure, you can ask yourself these questions:

• What do I dislike about smoking?
• What do I miss out on when I smoke?
• How is smoking affecting my health?
• What will happen to me and my family if I keep smoking?
• How will my life get better when I quit?

Make a list of all the reasons you want to become smokefree. Keep the list in a place where you will see it often, like your car or where you used to keep your cigarettes. When you feel the urge to smoke, take a look at the list to remind yourself why you want to quit.

People often want to quit because of their health, lifestyle, or family. Check out these common reasons many people want to quit.

My Health

• It’s part of my transition into civilian life.
• It will help improve my stress and anxiety.
• I want to prove I can do it—I’ll feel better about myself.
• My chances of having cancer, heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, cataracts, and other diseases will go down.
• I will be less likely to get sick.
• I will breathe easier and cough less.
• My blood pressure will go down.
• My skin will look healthier, and I will look more youthful.
• My teeth and fingernails will not be stained.

Find out more ways smoking affects your health.

My Lifestyle

• I will have more money to spend.
• I won’t have to worry about when I can smoke next or where I can or can’t smoke.
• My food will taste better.
• My clothes will smell better.
• My car‚ home‚ and kids won’t smell like smoke.
• I will be able to smell food, flowers, and other things better.
• I don’t want it to control me—I want to be free of this addiction.

Want to learn what a smokefree lifestyle is like? Discover the benefits of quitting.

My Family Life

• I will set a great example for my kids; it takes a lot of strength to quit.
• My friends, family, co-workers, and other loved ones will be proud of me.
• I will protect my friends and family from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
• My children will be healthier.
• I will have more energy to do the things I love with friends and family.
• I will get healthier so that I am around to share in my family’s special moments.

Now that you’ve thought about your reasons to quit, you’re ready to build a quit plan.