Tip 1: Rise above the cravings
Imagine the cigarettes as crutches. You've always had these
crutches to lean on and soon, it becomes impossible to walk
without them. The important thing to learn is that as soon as
you walk on your feet again, they'll quickly regain strength. It
may be a little known fact, but about half of what a smoker
inhales from his cigarette is pure air. The next time you're hit
with a craving, take some deep breaths and relax. You will soon
be able to rise above the craving, feel refreshed, and move on.
Tip 2: All the reasons to quit
Why do you want to quit? Do you have children? Do you want to
live to see your grandchildren? Are you sick of the smell?
Whatever your reasons are, write them down. Keep a daily journal
of how you feel and in the very first entry list in bold letters
every reason you have for quitting. List things like health
reasons, expense, inconvenience, bad breath, or other reasons
and make the list as long as possible. Also be sure to list how
you WILL feel when you've kicked the habit.
Tip 3: The good, the bad and the ugly
After you complete your lists of reasons you want to quit and
how you'll feel after you've quit, make a list of the
consequences of not quitting. Have other smokers in your family
gotten cancer? Have they died? Do they have to speak through a
hole in their neck? Will you be unable to pay off debt because
you're always buying cigarettes? Whatever you consequences, be
sure to list all of them. As above, be sure to list the
consequences (good consequences, of course) of quitting. Keep
them to look forward to.
Tip 4: Break time!
Most smokers agree: a cigarette is a break. When quitting, give
yourself breaks, but do something. Go for walk, eat a piece of
fruit or drink some juice. This is critical because the body
will be going through changes expelling all the accumulated
poisons. The fruit will aid this process in many ways.
Good luck!
About the author:
Dana Goldberg is the owner of
Stop The Bad Habit. On
her website you will find helpful facts and tips on how and why
to quit smoking.