“My husband and myself decided to support each other and quit at the same time. As we’re getting older, we’ve got grandchildren coming and we want to see our grandkids… Our youngest child is 10 and we want to see him grow as well.

… I link coffee with cigarettes as well, so I don’t have coffee in the morning - I broke that habit - I’ll have a milo. I always related a cigarette with timeout, and I’ve got to work on that now with myself to replace that because I don’t have that now.”

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I first started smoking when I was eighteen. My father was quite strict so I knew no alcohol, no smoking. So my friends, I used to see them smoke around 14, but I always stayed away from it. But I was attracted to it when I turned 18 and I thought I was allowed to do it because I was 18.

My husband and myself decided to support each other and quit at the same time. As we’re getting older, we’ve got grandchildren coming and we want to see our grandkids, even though our youngest child is 10 and we want to see him grow as well.

Now that I’ve made that decision to quit this year I’ve limited my association with my own family, because I’m not strong enough to sit with them, have a cup of tea or have a coffee, because I know what’ll happen. We’ll sit there and start smoking. I haven’t seen my sister for quite a few months, both of them. But I know as we talk we always sit out the front and we’ll have a cup of tea or a coffee and start smoking.

I link coffee with cigarettes as well, so I don’t have coffee in the morning, I broke that habit, I’ll have a milo. I always related a cigarette with timeout, and I’ve got to work on that now with myself to replace that because I don’t have that now. I can’t walk outside, out the back with the dog, because that’s what I used to do. I’d have a coffee and go out the back with the dog.

Take one day at a time, that’s how I focus. One day, if I get through the day, I’m happy. I don’t think 6 months down the track because it’s too much for me to take on. I feel proud of myself for that and my children feel proud of me.