Raymond Landers, currently 39 years of age, and my tribe is Dieri from Innamincka in South Australia. I started smoking when I was a teenager. Probably smoked half my life. Probably 20 years. Given up smoking now. It’s been over a year. I changed everything I do in my life. I set challenges and goals, and I fulfil them. That was a challenge for myself, and I said I can do this, and I’ve set myself a goal, and I did it.
Since I’ve quit, I’ve saved a lot of money. I was smoking at least $100 to $150 a week in smokes. I’ve actually got another scapegoat now. I’ve got Foxtel, so I can watch as much sport as I want.
I used to get a smoker’s cough every now and then and start coughing. I’m able to breathe now a lot easier, and I don’t even cough or anything anymore. So, I’m really healthy in my life.
The trouble side of it as well is getting humbugged, as we call it. If you’re known as a smoker, you’ll get humbugged all the time for a cigarette because your family will want a cigarette off you. If you’re not smoking, you’re setting a goal for them and saying I don’t smoke anymore, you can do the same thing, and I haven’t got a smoke for you. So, you’re not going to actually encourage them to still smoke.
By giving up smoking it makes you stronger as a person and it makes you more determined and you can have some more directions in your life. Why don’t you try the chewies or go on a patch? There’s Quitline numbers. There’s people out there that actually can help you.
Make healthy choices in life, and give up smoking, and don’t make that your story.