March 6, 2007

Stick Your New Year’s Resolution to Quit Smoking!

Tip! ‘It is not how many years we live, but what we do with them.’ ~ Evangeline Booth If some die-hard smoker scoffs at you, ‘you’ve got to die of something,’ remember you don’t need sad fatalists to help quit smoking, you want to enjoy your life free of guilt and worry.

Yes, there are two ways to take that sentence. Take whatever meaning is most relevant to you!

If you really want to quit smoking this year, the key to making the change stick is being ready to quit. Make a conscious decision. Take into account your thinking and your true desires. Prepare and then take action.

If you simply said you’d quit at midnight on Dec. 31, without any planning or preparation - Stick that resolution in the garbage!

First off, quitting at midnight is a bad idea. My husband and I decided to quit on New Year’s Eve. It was a disaster! We didn’t plan or prepare at all. He started quitting at 10:00pm and began to hassle me about quitting shortly after butting out what was his last cigarette. I on the other hand was getting in as many smokes as I could before the dreaded stroke of midnight.

Tip! If you don’t want a cigarette: help quit smoking is what you need. Many people are tired of smoking and do not want to continue it.

Needless to say, it’s a miracle our relationship survived that evening! My quitting didn’t stick either. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t prepared. I thought I just had to decide, to pick a date. Actually, I really didn’t think much about it at all. Then, being at a dance, my attention was not on the critical task. My resolve was weakened, almost gauranteeing failure.

Quitting is a big deal. Smoking is a regular part of your life. Stopping takes some motivation and planning. Acknowledge the role cigarettes play in your life. Consider the time and attention you spend planning smoke breaks, then taking them. You need at least as much focus and clarity around a plan to quit.

Ask yourself:

Why do I smoke?
How else can I get that need met?
What do I want my life to look like?
What will it be like to be a non-smoker?

Answer these questions and you’ll have the framework for your strategic plan to quit.

Then get tactical:

When will I quit?
Who can I get to support me, to call when temptation strikes?
What will I do when I get a craving?
How will I acknowledge my accomplishments?

Tip! ‘It’s never too late - in fiction or in life - to revise.’ ~ Nancy Thayer To help quit smoking, what about turning your thinking around and looking at all the amazing gains of being smoke-free rather than what you fear you are losing when you quit.

Now act on this plan. Make your resolution to quit, stick. I want you to keep your promise to yourself.

Ann-Marie is a knowledgeable HabitShift Coach and an impassioned speaker. As a creature of habit herself, she brings unique, grounded insight to her books and programs. Test if you’re ready to quit smoking for free at http://www.LoveYourSmoker.com

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