I had a 40-a-day smoking habit for a decade, but finally managed to quit earlier this year. Since then, I've encountered many wonderful benefits which have come as a direct result of smoking cessation.

Don't you find it tiresome always hearing about the negative effects of smoking? Or even the negative effects of quitting smoking? I think it's about time you heard what kicking the habit can actually do for you in real, pragmatic termsand I'm going to use my own experiences as examples. So here are five excellent benefits I've gained since packing cigarettes in.

1. My weight has gone right down. In fact, I'm in the best physical shape of my life. It amazes me how people scaremonger about putting on the fat after stopping smoking; you hear all sorts of arguments ranging from decreased metabolism to increased appetite.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, leaving smoking behind actually restored all the energy I had lost. Previously I felt like I was living in a permanent state of my head being covered by a plastic bag. With the recovery of energy, I've been able to reinvest that back into exercising and, consequently, I am weighing in at a lean 165 lbs - a total loss of 60 lbs.

2. My prospects in dating have improved. There are two main reasons for this. The first is the knock-on effect of the weight loss - not only has that increased my confidence and brought out the "real me", but it has also made me dramatically more physically attractive to the opposite sex.

Secondly, whether we like it or not, smoking is now an anti-social habit. If we light up anywhere these days, we're going to get a raised eyebrow. By packing in the habit, I've shown prospective dates that I am not owned by the habit, and that I have the mental strength to conquer such addictions. You too can quit the habit, get yourself a wonderful partner, and attribute the turnaround to packing in cigarettes.

3. I am much more productive than I used to be. Again, this is directly linked to the restoration of energy I have experienced. When I smoked, I used to be constantly lethargic, never managing to wholly focus on a task, and dragging my feet wherever possible.

Nowadays, I take on tasks with gusto. With all the energy I now have and the improved self-esteem and courage, I am a bubbling individual who is desperate to get stuff done. I used to attribute my fatigue and lack of proactivity to depression, but now I believe it was completely down to the idleness that smoking brings about.

4. I am in the best financial health of my life. I have saved over $2000 since I stopped smoking, and that has gone straight into my savings account. That is a $4000 swing on my financial destiny, and really goes to show how smoking can cripple your cash flow situation.

A remarkable occurrence you will notice after packing in smoking is how your wallet or purse suddenly finds itself stuffed with cash. When we smoke, we routinely hand over cash notes every day of the week; after quitting, you'll notice they start piling up. You'll never be short!

5. I am the happiest I have ever been. All of the factors I outlined above contribute to my overall state of happiness, and the bar has never been higher. Do not underestimate the significance of this, for surely there is nothing more important in life than being happy.

Think about it. Since quitting smoking I have become lean and physically fit, seen a dramatic boost in my confidence, self-esteem and ego, find myself on a sound financial footing for the first time in years, am actively involved in sports clubs and consequently find myself in new social groups, can complete just about any goal I set myself, and am enjoying the heck out of the dating scene.

All of this has been achieved in a growing snowball manner from the moment I extinguished my final cigarette. If you wish to emulate some of my results, then you too will need to take that decision. I quit smoking using a very easy way that only took 4 hours to learn from home, but you may choose to do it a more difficult way. Either way, it makes little difference - you will always need to look to the long-term. It is what you do today that defines who you are tomorrow.