Quitting smoking is difficult. You may need to quit smoking a dozen times before you actually succeed in kicking the habit but, if you follow these quit smoking tips you just might find that they will eventually lead to your being successful in kicking the habit.
- Find One Good Reason To Quit. Anyone can come up with dozens of reasons why they should quit smoking but, these reasons are meaningless unless they mean something to you. Find that one good reason, no matter what it is to quit smoking and then repeat that reason over and over to yourself in the days, weeks, and months to come.
- Make A Quit Smoking Plan.Before you actually take that last puff take the time to make a quit smoking plan. Plan out not only what you are going to do in place of that first cigarette in the morning, but, what you are going to do if you feel the urge to pick up a cigarette. By planning out exactly how you are going to fight the physical and mental urges for that cigarette in advance you have a much better chance of defeating those urges one at at time.
- Commit Yourself Publicly. No one likes to go back on their word or look like a fool, so by making a public commitment and telling everyone you know that you are going to quit smoking you will try harder to accomplish your goal if only to save face. While public commitment alone won’t make you quit when combined with a few other strategies it will help to strengthen your resolve and help see you over the rough spots.
- Set Small Goals. There is an old saying that if you want to eat a whole bear you do it one bite at a time. The same is true of quitting smoking. When you think of quitting forever it seems impossible but, if you set your sights on not smoking for an hour, then two, then five, then a day the task seems more doable and the sense of accomplishment you feel as you reach each and every goal may well help to build your confidence to the point of success.
- Reward Yourself For Reaching Each Goal. Make a list of rewards that will be truly meaningful to you. Start with a small reward and have them increase in size with each goal you reach. Those rewards can be anything from getting a CD or DVD that you have been wanting, to taking that vacation of a lifetime.
- Visualize A Benefit Of Quitting Smoking. One great way of visualizing the benefits of quitting smoking is to put the amount of money you would have spent each day in a large jar and watch that money grow. Many people find that actually seeing those dollars turn into $100 and then $1000 is a powerful help in kicking the habit.
- Find Some Support. Because quitting smoking is so difficult oftentimes people feel all alone when fighting those urges. So getting some support from someone who has been there or is going through the same thing you are going through can be a big help. Just having someone to call and talk you through those urges can make a big difference when things are tough. There are also quit smoking forums made of people just like you that you can join. These forums are fun and they often provide you with a feeling of solidarity. This solidarity firms up your own commitment because you don’t want to let those people who have been rooting for you down.
- Trade Urges For Actions. Those urges are powerful and hard to resist. Don’t just sit there hoping they will pass trade those urges for actions. Having something to do will divert your thoughts and help get you past that urge. Take a bubble bath, go for a walk, call a friend, drink a glass of water or chew on a carrot. Do anything that will get your thoughts off that urge and onto something much more healthy.
While no one can guarantee that you will quit smoking by following these tips, they will prove to be helpful in beating the habit if you are truly committed to stop smoking. Make no mistake that when you quit smoking you are fighting a war with your addictions and the more weapons you have in your arsenal the better chance you will have of defeating the enemy.
