Tip 1: Cravings are mental
Think of cigarettes as crutches for a broken leg. You always feel you have to rely on those crutches but soon you won’t be able to walk without them. The important thing to learn is that as soon as you step on your feet again, they quickly regain strength. This may be a little-known fact, but about half of what smokers inhale from their cigarette is just fresh air. Next time you feel a craving, take a deep breath and relax. You’ll soon be able to rise above the urge, feel refresh, and move on.
Tip 2: All the reasons to give up
Why do you want to stop? Do you have kids? Do you want to live long enough to see your grandchildren? Are you sick of the smell? Whatever your reasons are, write them down. Keep a daily diary of how you feel and jot down the reasons you have for quitting smoking. List things like health reasons, costs, inconvenience, bad breath, or the risks of continued smoking. Make the list as long as possible. Also, be sure to include how you could feel when you kick the habit.
Tip 3: The good, the bad, and the bad
After listing the reasons why you want to quit and how you will feel after you quit, list the consequences for not quitting. Do other smokers in your family have lung cancer? Have anyone died from it? Do they have to speak through a hole in their neck? Do you want to cause cancer for others through 2nd hand smoke? Whatever your consequences, be sure to list them all. As above, be sure to list the consequences (good consequences, of course) of quitting smoking. Keep them looking ahead.
Tip 4: Substitute!
Most smokers agree: a cigarette is just a feel-good break. It’s not the only way to get a feel good break however. Go for a walk, eat some fruit or drink some juice. Not only are these substitutes healthy, they can make recovery faster by expelling all accumulated toxins in your body.
