Show Notes
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 the right opportunity, she quit in a deeply meaningful way that ultimately expanded her joy, connection, and presence in life.
About Jeannie: Jeannie McIntire is the host of Growing Up Late, a podcast about reinvention, resilience, identity, and becoming who you were always meant to be, even when that becoming happens later than expected. After smoking for decades, Jeannie quit on February 2, 2012, a decision that became part of a much larger transformation in how she saw herself and what was possible for her life. Today, she brings honesty, humor, and hard-earned wisdom to conversations about personal growth, identity shifts, and creating a life you genuinely love.
✨Find Jeannie at: https://linktr.ee/jeanniemcintire
💜Ready for Your Own Breakthrough? My personal coaching uses a heart-led framework designed to help you navigate these shifts and find lasting freedom from smoking.
I currently have some open spots for one-on-one coaching.
Apply Now: https://www.honoryourheart.net/application -Jessi Hartnett
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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.
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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 baggage and shame of being a closet smoker.
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 reclaim her power and step fully into her choice to remain smoke-free. Today, she shares her emotional healing abilities with others, supporting them on their own journeys to quit smoking for good.
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.