The Unexpected Connection Between Quitting Smoking And Quitting Your Ex

You never thought you’d be here. Stuck with two bad habits both equally as destructive. You and your “special” someone can’t just seem to let each other go, and to deal, you fund a cancerous venture that leads to you smoking endless packs a week.

You want out of both worlds, but you’re stuck settling with what you’ve got. Well, now is a better time than ever to rid yourself of the two awful things that are literally killing you.

I know it's hard. It always seems like when one of these vices irritates you, you can turn to the other for a two-second distraction.

However, when those vices cause you to start coughing up amphibian-looking mucus or makes unforgiving comments about your character, it's time to find a totally new one.

You deserve to find the peace both your body and your mind need. But how do you do it? How do you quit the only two things that help you get through the week somewhat sanely?

Well, the only way you’re going to see yourself out of this detrimental situation is by letting go. You’ve got to quit them both -- cold turkey.

While you may believe that's impossible, I assure you it's not. Most habits are formed by both curiosity and boredom. So, in order to successfully quit both your ex and your smoking habit, we must dig into the root of the problem, find it, fix it and begin to grow and change from there. Here are seven easy steps to help you quit your ex and your smoking habit simultaneously!

1. Clean, Clean, Clean

Clean and get rid of everything that reminds you of the life you shared with both of these bad habits. Old clothes, gifts, ash trays and hidden packs. Get rid of everything and try to reorganize your room, creating a new space that resembles change and is open for you to be a new you.

2. Cut Off Contact

Cut off all contact with everyone and anyone who is the righthand man to your vice. This could be anyone from your bestie to your next-door neighbor.

If they used to smoke with you, hung out with your ex, or did both, stay away from them. You don’t have to avoid them forever, but right now, you need to focus on you, not the pieces of your past that you’re trying to change.

3. Block The Actual Vice

Block all numbers, social media and contact avenues to your ex. This may feel awful at first, but blocking your ex forces you to stay true to your commitment and sends him or her the message that you mean business.

Also, avoid all stores in which you would normally go to buy cigarettes. Avoid your favorite smoking spots and avoid all previous rituals that led up to your smoking.

If this means cutting down on your number of glasses of wine... so be it. You must block out this vice and deny its actual existence.

4. Make Goals And Keep Hold Yourself Accountable

Keep a calendar by your bedside, at your work desk and on your phone. Consistently remind yourself of your goals, how much you have accomplished and how far you have to go.

5. Treat Yo' Self

Be sure to reward yourself with small but significant gifts for making it through a checkpoint. We all deserve to celebrate our accomplishments, regardless of how small or large.

Take a few moments to revel in the fact that you have stayed away from your ex and avoided your old stubborn habits. Treat yourself to something nice and remind yourself that you are awesome and you can keep at it, no matter how hard it is.

6. Make A List Of All The Cons... Repeatedly

When in doubt, this will be your best reminder of why you started this. Write down everything you hated about both vices.

Even if they are ridiculous and may not make sense to every other human, write them down, read it over and remember this is why you started. Also, it may help to post this up somewhere in your room and in plain sight.

7. Pick A New Vice

It can be extremely hard to quit anything cold turkey. We are all human and we all need our vices. But there is a way to find more productive and beneficial habits.

You should take some time to figure out why you’re doing what you're doing and what you really want. You may want a companion but are just too lazy to go out and find a new one.

You might just smoke because you’re bored and want to distract yourself. Take this time to figure out exactly you’re filling your time with such destructive habits.

Then pick something new and exciting to fill this time -- maybe a new friend, a new hobby or even a new companion. There is an entire world of options out there. You don’t have to be stuck with what you’ve got; you just have to have the courage to look for something new.

Photo via We Heart It