Every time I tried to quit something, vaping, drinking, or even sugar, I thought I was doing it wrong. The advice everywhere was the same: get a habit tracker, download an app, log your progress, and tick off checklists.
But for me, those things didn’t help. They became another wall. Another layer of stress on top of what was already hard.
I’d spend more time worrying about filling in boxes than actually focusing on the bigger picture: changing my life. And when I didn’t keep up with the tracking, I’d feel like I’d failed. Not just at quitting, but at the system that was supposed to help me.
I know I’m not the only one.
Why Habit Trackers Don’t Work for Everyone
At first, I thought there was something wrong with me. Why could other people stick to trackers and tick off their daily goals, while they just made things harder for me?
Then I realised there are others like me. We’re the minority. We can’t cut down gradually, we can’t stick to the “systems”, and we can’t always measure progress in neat little graphs.
We just have to quit. Full stop.
And when we do, the work is less about writing things down and more about reshaping how we think.
Quitting Vaping, Drinking and Sugar Without Trackers
The single most powerful change for me wasn’t a tracker, an app, or a log. It was this:
Instead of saying “I can’t have this,” I started saying “I don’t want this.”
“I can’t” sounds like punishment. Like something’s being taken away from you. It puts you in the role of someone missing out.
“I don’t want” puts the power back in your hands. It’s your choice. You’re not deprived, you’re deciding.
That tiny shift in language completely flipped how I saw quitting. It no longer felt like restriction. It felt like freedom.
December 2023: My Turning Point
In December 2023, I quit three things that had been weighing me down for years: vaping, processed sugar, and alcohol.
Not because I suddenly found the “perfect method”, but because I finally stopped forcing myself to use tools that didn’t fit me. I leaned into the way I’m wired.
For me, it wasn’t about logging. It was about mindset. It was about stripping things back until quitting felt simple, not suffocating.
Who I Am and Why I’m Sharing This
My name’s Ashleigh, and I’m not a life coach. I’m a 35-year-old parent of two teenage daughters. I juggle three jobs because I hate monotony but also need routine, plus a partner, a dog, and a very full life.
I don’t come from a perfect, disciplined background. I’m still on my own journey of progress and growth. But I’ve found ways to quit things that were holding me back, and I want to share what worked for me in case it helps someone wired the same way.
A Different Approach to Quitting
If you’re the kind of person who thrives on trackers, lists, and ticking boxes, amazing. Use those tools. They’re built for you.
But if you’ve ever felt like you’re failing because those methods don’t stick, then maybe you’re like me. Maybe you don’t need another log. Maybe what you need is a shift in perspective.
From “I can’t have” to “I don’t want.”
It’s a small change, but sometimes the smallest changes unlock the biggest wins.
This blog is my first step in sharing what’s worked for me. I’ll be posting more about quitting habits, building a life that feels lighter, and figuring things out without all the noise of “conventional self-help”. If that feels like something you need, stick around. Share your own struggles, and if I can help, I will.