I've been a smoker for the larger part of 19 years.

And for the past 15, I've wanted to quit. I have quit a few times, actually. When I was pregnant, I went the whole 9 months without smoking. But then I started back up soon after my daughter was born. Other times, I've kicked the habit but fallen back into it a week or two later. I just can't seem to find the right motivation.

I know that smoking is horrible for my health. I know it's a huge waste of money. I know it negatively affects how other people view me. I know it's bad for the environment. And, like I said, I want to quit smoking. And yet, none of those reasons for quitting are strong enough to compete with the cravings, or the amplified stress and emotion of the first few weeks of quitting.

But I think I've found a reason that might serve as a more powerful motivator, and it has to do with Bitcoin.

For the past couple of years, I've tried to do a monthly cryptocurrencies buy. My buys are pretty small, though, because I'm not exactly loaded with money. But even with relatively tiny investments and speculations in the crypto markets, I've seen a substantial return on my expenditures. And there are few things more thrilling to me than seeing my money increase in value while it's just "sitting there" in my wallet.

Like many people, as I've been watching the recent rallies in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Steem, and other coins, I've kicked myself more than a few times. Why didn't I buy more???

I'll tell you why. Because my excess money was tied up in something that's slowly killing me. That's why. What the actual fuck have you been thinking, Starr? Cigarettes are shortening my lifespan AND costing me too much money AND preventing me from building wealth.

So I am about to remedy that problem right now.

Here's my plan:

I put $200 USD in this jar. $200 is about the amount it costs me to smoke at my current rate of one pack a day, for one month.

From this day until June 25th, if I want to buy a pack of cigarettes, I will have to pull the money from this jar. Whatever is left at the end of the thirty day period will be added to my monthly crypto funds for June, more than doubling my normal monthly spend.

As you can see, I've written myself a message on a piece of paper and stuck it to the jar. It says:

"Would you rather SMOKE, or be a Bitcoin Millionaire?"

Um, seems like a pretty easy choice, right?

I'm also trying to persuade my husband to join me in this challenge. He smokes about the same amount as I do, a pack a day, or about $200 worth each month. And he's been talking a lot about quitting lately. So I'm fairly confident he'll join in.

I'd also like to invite anyone else here on Steemit to accept this challenge, as well! Whether you are a smoker, or have some other expensive habit that you'd like to quit, make yourself a jar and let's divert those funds from waste to wealth together!

I'll be posting updates under the hashtag #quitsmokingchallenge , and you are welcome to post your own updates under that tag as well! You can show us a picture of your jar, talk about your daily successes and failures, vent your frustration at overcoming cravings, and dream about what you're going to do with all your crypto riches. With multiple people taking part in the challenge, we'll have the added benefit of being able to encourage one another and hold each other accountable to our goals. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of people kick their unhealthy habits while making a healthy investment in their future, AND in the future of money.

Let's do it, Steemians!

---

Thank you for reading! Please RESTEEM if you think other Steemians would like to participate in this challenge!

Please follow me @lesliestarrohara