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My dad used to quip that quitting smoking is easy. After all, he had done it
hundreds of times in his lifetime!
Let's face it - it isn't easy to quit smoking, especially if you have been doing
it for several years. But it can be done! It just takes a well-planned action
plan and the will to do it.
Here are a few tips for helping you quit smoking once and for all:
First of all, you must really want to quit. I know this one might seem a
bit silly on the surface, but many smokers actually enjoy the act of
smoking and they aren't really all that interested in giving it up. If this
applies to you i suggest that you read Why you should quit smoking.
After have decided that you really do want to quit smoking you need to develop a
simple, yet clear action plan for doing it. A clear plan will help you deal with
the inevitable cravings and desires to backslide.
Right now, right this minute, gather up all of your unused cigarettes. The
half-finished pack you have in your pocket, that unopened pack that you just
picked up at the store an hour ago, and every carton in your house. Place them
on the floor and stomp them to bits. Next, clean up the mess and throw the
remnants in the garbage can.
I know what you're thinking: that's a lot of money to just throw away. Yes, it
is. But you'll save infinitely more money in the long run in several different
ways by quitting smoking.
Now that you have removed any opportunity to grab a cigarette without thinking,
it's time to drill this into your head: Do not buy any more cigarettes! Not
today, not tomorrow, not during your next trip to the market, never! You can't
light up if you don't have anything to light.
Now think of the most disgusting thing you know of. Maybe it's a rotten egg or
soured milk. Maybe it's something else. It doesn't matter what it is really. If
it makes you gag and feel sick to your stomach just to think about it, it'll do.
What you want to do is condition yourself to think of that disgusting thing
EVERY time you feel yourself craving a cigarette. When you see someone else
smoking you need to think your disgusting thought. After a short while just the
thought or sight of a cigarette will make you feel sick. This is a GOOD thing!
Next, you need to change your habits. Don't hang around with people that smoke.
And stay away from places where smoking is all around you (bars, etc.). Start
chewing gum to keep your mouth "busy".
How not to try to quit smoking:
- Don't say "I'll quit when I run out of cigarettes." You need to quit
NOW. There is no tomorrow if you really want to quit smoking. You need to
just do it, cold turkey.
- Don't give in to temptation. When you see someone else smoking, just imagine
that person lying in bed with cancer, unable to breathe properly and generally
being miserable. Think about your most disgusting thing. DO NOT ask for a
cigarette or accept one of it's offered to you. Just say "No thanks. I've
made the decision to live as long as possible."
Finally, don't get discouraged if you do happen to backslide and smoke another
cigarette. Just re-read part 1 of this series and start all over again. The only
time it's too late to quit smoking is when you're gone from this earth.
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