Are you planning on stopping smoking?
Many smokers decide to stop smoking, but have no real plan as to how to go about it, how to make it easiest, and most importantly they make no real plans on how to ensure that they stop and stay stopped!
So what goes through your head when you decide to quit?
Do you think about how you are going to have to put up with withdrawal symptoms, weight gain and how you are going to be miserable for a few weeks?
Or
Do you think about how to prevent withdrawal symptoms, weight gain and the other side effects and symptoms of stopping smoking? And do you plan on how to ensure that you enjoy stopping smoking?
If you're like most smokers, the answer is no! And this is a big mistake!
If you're made no real plans then, to use an old and clichéd expression - you're failing to plan and therefore planning to fail!
You need to do everything in your power to ensure that when you stop smoking, it's for good - with no relapse, ever!
The best way to ensure this is to plan ahead and take steps to actually prevent the problems that most smokers think are innevitable, like withdrawal symptoms, cravings, weigh gain, relapse and anxiety and that panicky feeling - you need to stop these before they cause a large problem!.
Here are my ten steps I advise you take into account and put into practice to ensure you stop, and stay stopped:
1. Honestly want to quit - being under pressure from family / doctor / friends will only make it harder for you
2. Stop thinking that you are 'Quitting' or 'Giving Up' smoking. This attitude will only make you concentrate on the things you are going to lose or 'give up'. And you will feel as if you are depriving yourself of pleasure / relaxation etc.
Instead stop smoking and look forward to the things you are going to gain.
3. Set a date and look forward to a new lifestyle after that. And smoke without guilt right up until that date.
4. Find the things that make you smoke - your Smoking Links - you smoke when you wake, on your way to work, after sex, when you pick up the phone etc.
5. Accept that there will be problems so plan on how you are going to deal with stress and your smoking links.
6. Find a new hobby / source of pleasure to take your mind off smoking
7. Prepare and plan on how to PREVENT withdrawal symptoms and weight gain.
8. When your Stop Smoking Date arrives, take it one hour at a time and focus on the things you are going to get from quitting smoking.
If you think 'I haven't had a cig since ....' or 'I can't belive I can never had a cig again' you are only punishing yourself. Accept that this is a positive step and change your focus away from cigarettes.
9. Establish new routines - what are you going to do instead of smoking during the 20 or times a day when you normally have a cigarette? e.g. after coffe, in the pub / bar, when waiting for a friend, when nervous or lacking confidence, when bored, as soon as you wake up etc.
10. PREVENT relapse - No. 1 in this step is to STOP THINKING ABOUT CIGARETTES. Don't put your headaches, stress, sore arm or stress down to
lack of cigarettes.
And don't lust after cigarettes by thinking things like - 'Ohhh that cigarette looks sooo good, she looks like she's really enjoying that, I wish I could have one' or 'What am I going to do if my car get broken into or, I split up with my partner etc.'
The best thing you can do when you decide to stop smoking is - think about and plan defore, on how to practically guarantee that you will stop and never relapse.
There is no point in doing it half heartedly! iF you fail, you will be subconsciously telling yourself that you can't do it! And this is foten worse than not trying at all!
So what goes through your head when you decide to quit?
Do you think about how you are going to have to put up with withdrawal symptoms, weight gain and how you are going to be miserable for a few weeks?
Or
Do you think about how to prevent withdrawal symptoms, weight gain and the other side effects and symptoms of stopping smoking? And do you plan on how to ensure that you enjoy stopping smoking?
If you're like most smokers, the answer is no! And this is a big mistake!
If you're made no real plans then, to use an old and clichéd expression - you're failing to plan and therefore planning to fail!
You need to do everything in your power to ensure that when you stop smoking, it's for good - with no relapse, ever!
The best way to ensure this is to plan ahead and take steps to actually prevent the problems that most smokers think are innevitable, like withdrawal symptoms, cravings, weigh gain, relapse and anxiety and that panicky feeling - you need to stop these before they cause a large problem!.
Here are my ten steps I advise you take into account and put into practice to ensure you stop, and stay stopped:
1. Honestly want to quit - being under pressure from family / doctor / friends will only make it harder for you
2. Stop thinking that you are 'Quitting' or 'Giving Up' smoking. This attitude will only make you concentrate on the things you are going to lose or 'give up'. And you will feel as if you are depriving yourself of pleasure / relaxation etc.
Instead stop smoking and look forward to the things you are going to gain.
3. Set a date and look forward to a new lifestyle after that. And smoke without guilt right up until that date.
4. Find the things that make you smoke - your Smoking Links - you smoke when you wake, on your way to work, after sex, when you pick up the phone etc.
5. Accept that there will be problems so plan on how you are going to deal with stress and your smoking links.
6. Find a new hobby / source of pleasure to take your mind off smoking
7. Prepare and plan on how to PREVENT withdrawal symptoms and weight gain.
8. When your Stop Smoking Date arrives, take it one hour at a time and focus on the things you are going to get from quitting smoking.
If you think 'I haven't had a cig since ....' or 'I can't belive I can never had a cig again' you are only punishing yourself. Accept that this is a positive step and change your focus away from cigarettes.
9. Establish new routines - what are you going to do instead of smoking during the 20 or times a day when you normally have a cigarette? e.g. after coffe, in the pub / bar, when waiting for a friend, when nervous or lacking confidence, when bored, as soon as you wake up etc.
10. PREVENT relapse - No. 1 in this step is to STOP THINKING ABOUT CIGARETTES. Don't put your headaches, stress, sore arm or stress down to
lack of cigarettes.
And don't lust after cigarettes by thinking things like - 'Ohhh that cigarette looks sooo good, she looks like she's really enjoying that, I wish I could have one' or 'What am I going to do if my car get broken into or, I split up with my partner etc.'
The best thing you can do when you decide to stop smoking is - think about and plan defore, on how to practically guarantee that you will stop and never relapse.
There is no point in doing it half heartedly! iF you fail, you will be subconsciously telling yourself that you can't do it! And this is foten worse than not trying at all!
posted by Daniel Fargher at
8:42 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home