It's funny how cravings can hit you so long after quitting smoking. Last night I was overindulging at a wine-and-cheese party with my female co-workers, only one of whom is a regular smoker. One of my other co-workers who quit smoking two years ago, but still smokes on occasion, was smoking, too. I was momentarily tempted to light up, even now, almost 2 1/2 years into my quit.

All of my past quits failed when I thought I could get away with smoking on occasion, so I know that it's out of the question for me, regardless of what other people do.

When those brief moments of temptation strike, here's what I think about:

1. I know I would go back to smoking all the time if I smoked even one.

2. I would hate to have to either hide it, or explain to people in my life that I was smoking again. This goes for my family members, especially my brothers who have also been quit over a year.

3. Cigarettes were damn expensive when I quit - I don't even want to know how expensive the habit is now, even if I could afford it.

There are many other valid reasons to abstain from smoking, but those are the most salient for me, for whatever reason.

A close 4th would be that I know I would have to quit again when I get pregnant, which I'm planning to do in another year or two. I would hate to find myself unexpectedly pregnant and smoking.

So onward I continue, happily smoke free...