Sharleen Brown says now she's given up smoking she's not huffing and puffing so much.
Sharleen Brown says now she's given up smoking she's not huffing and puffing so much.
Sharleen Brown's 18th birthday was significant for all the usual reasons, but also because she made a snap decision that would haunt her for decades.
The Palmerston North photographer remembers the night clearly. She was having a bonfire and drinks with friends when one passed her a cigarette.
Despite have told herself she would never smoke, she accepted the ciggy. The next day she had the urge for another so bought a pack and became a regular smoker.
On May 26 last year, while living in Auckland, she decided to quit. To celebrate one year smokefree, about 4pm on Wednesday, May 26, Brown will do a freestyle dance at The Plaza. She did a dance wearing her rainbow costume at an Auckland mall on her six-month smokefree anniversary.
The 39-year-old uses a quit smoking app, which shows at 354 days she has saved $9721.25 and not smoked 8837 cigarettes.
Last May, she felt stuck in her life and wanted to do something about it so decided today was the day. Her goal was to give up completely before she turned 40 this July but she did it more than a year early.
Brown used nicotine patches and gum but gave them up after day four. She credits a strong mindset, determination to do it for her health and for her children, and not wanting to let down her TikTok followers for staying the distance.
After dropping her children off at school that May morning, Brown decided to announce it on TikTok.
On day three she woke up and had 10,000 followers. "It went really fast, I was so shocked."
Sharleen Brown says now she's given up smoking she's not huffing and puffing so much.
Brown uses the hashtag #smokefreecrew and has now got 15,600 followers.
She moved to Tiakitahuna, near Longburn, in January and has noticed she's got more Palmy followers than Aucklander fans.
Brown has noticed her skin, hair and circulation have improved, and so can now feel the ends of her fingers.
She didn't notice the smell when she was smoking, but now says it is disgusting. "It smells gross, I can smell it from miles away."
Her daughters, aged 16 and 7, and her 11-year-old son are proud of her.
"It's good to give my kids hugs now knowing that I don't smell yuck to them anymore."
Brown had tried giving up the fags before and the longest she went without was three weeks.
Her sense of smell and taste have improved, her teeth are not so stained and she breathes easier, especially when exercising. "I'm not huffing and puffing so much."
She enjoys family outings more now as she's not thinking about when she's going to have her next fix.
