Show Notes
Smoking became Alex’s necessary crutch after she achieved sobriety from drugs and alcohol. Eventually, she transitioned to a heavy vaping habit that took over her life. She never went anywhere without her vape; it was a constant throughout her day. Though she was once vehemently against quitting, a turn of events gave her the push she needed. Alex shares how she overcame the habit to gain a level of confidence and freedom that was well worth the pain and struggle she endured in quitting.
About Alex: Alex McNamara is a carpenter, welder, and the creator of Built Pretty, a platform dedicated to teaching people the language of the trades. She holds a master’s degree from Yale and has spent her career building everything from theatrical sets to massive festival structures around the world. Today she joins us to talk about discipline, personal transformation, and why quitting smoking is a lot like learning any craft—you have to decide you’re done, and then build a new life around that decision.
✨Find Alex at: https://www.instagram.com/built.pretty/
💛 Ready to go deeper? My book, Honor Your Heart, shares the mindset shifts and inner work that helped me finally quit smoking for good. You’ll also find free tools and ways to connect with me right here: 👉 https://www.honoryourheart.net/link-in-bio-podcast *Use code PODCAST at checkout for 15% off.
More from You Can Quit Smoking
For Mo, smoking up to 60 cigarettes a day was never just a physical habit. It was how she navigated awkwardness and heavy emotions. Though emotional setbacks led to past relapses, a sudden turn of events gave Mo a fresh chance to stop. In this episode, Mo shares how facing her feelings head-on allowed her to finally break the cycle.
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.
Jani didn’t like being addicted to smoking, but found herself trapped in a cycle with it due to many contributing factors of her childhood, neurodivergence, and navigating adulthood in a new country. She struggled to quit, going as long as eight months at time before falling back into the habit from “just having a couple pulls.” Jani finally found her way out by following her heart’s wisdom and soothing her busy mind and hands with artistic expression.
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.
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.