Don’t Quit Smoking

Unless you really want to quit.

I quit smoking on December 12th 2007. I have tried to quit smoking with some success multiple times in the past. I had been smoking for 12 years.

There were many reasons I thought were the cause of my failed attempts. I would be around people that smoked having a drink or being social. I would be faced with large amounts of stress. I would “trick” myself into smoking again by reconciling that I had successfully quit for “X” time and could obviously quit in the future.

Do any of the above sound familer? Maybe close to something you have experienced?

I should mention now that every attempt was without assistance other than myself. No meds, no people, nothing.

So what made this last try different?

I wanted to quit. I realized that regardless my excuse for turning back to smoking the real fundamental reason was that I somewhere inside didn’t want to quit. This is a key principle. I would say this is the secret to quitting if one existed. If you want to drink water you drink some water. If you want to read this article, you read this article. If you want to quit smoking, you quit smoking.

I am not stating that the chemical and social addiction is not real. I am stating that unless you really want to overcome the addictions you will. It is simple and if you don’t really want to quit smoking then you will not quit.

TIPS:

Don’t bother reading the health benefits, forget the money saving numbers. Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself out loud: Do I really want to quit smoking?

Your answer is your success.

If you have a cigarette try not to use the word need, try using want.

Pick a day to quit plan it out and make it far (a few weeks).

If you are not a smoker but trying to help someone, Be there for them and be supportive. Let them smoke but help them find out if they really want to quit or not. If they don’t want to quit let them know you will be there when they change there mind (use when and not if).