Somehow the image of smoking as cool has not yet left our modern culture or changed the social perception of what is otherwise widely accepted as a deadly habit. This in spite of the many mishaps we have all encountered or witnessed at one time or another. Lighters that will not work, or will not stop working when we think they are off, a wayward butt that almost causes a disaster, the dependency issues and behaviors, and the absurd extremes we sometimes go to in order to enjoy that cigarette.

Taking a closer look might help us overcome some of the remaining mystique of the cigarette. Increasingly stringent anti smoking laws have made it more difficult to have a smoke in comfort at your leisure, which may or may not affect your willingness to engage. Huddled under shelter or alone in your car if the weather is bad, dashing outside in between meetings or during social events, it all starts to sound a bit exhausting when you think about it. Hurry up and relax starts to take on new meaning.

Is it really worth the effort to learn how to inhale properly, acquire a taste for the stuff, work on proper technique for holding and blowing? Try proving to yourself once or twice a year that you can quit if you want to? How did you react when your young niece hid your pack after learning about cigarettes in health class? Or remember the look on your last date face when you leaned in for a goodnight kiss?

Our perception of cool may be growing outdated. Sure, they still smoke in the movies, but are you really going to let that influence important decisions about your life and health? Those are just movies. How many other life truths do you see getting promoted there? Is this really a realistic way to impress people with your style and sophistication anymore?

Sure, we still judge people on appearances, and we all like to have a sense of personal style, an image. However, at some point you are going to realize you are too young to be so out of breath climbing that staircase, and the wrinkles you see in the mirror are not going to be kind either. Youthfulness is another cultural ideal why not try some natural methods of pursuing that one instead?

There are lots of tools, tips and tricks for getting you off the cigarettes, and thousands of people quit successfully every day. Try joining that popular crowd, and take some steps towards achieving a greater cool free from addiction and all that it entails. Start making healthier choices today for a much better looking future and feel good about taking care of yourself and setting an example. Your efforts will not go unnoticed, and the attention is destined to be flattering.