I Prepared Myself to Quit Smoking

For 33 years I did not want to quit, but during the time I was going out with an non smoker and not smoking in front of him, little did I know I was preparing my body not to smoke.  The other thing that happened was my mind was noticing that I could go many hours without the need to smoke.  I started paying attention to how and what prompted me to smoke and when the urges were the strongest.  As I said in my past blogs,  you do have to first change your mind and your behavior will follow.  Here are some other things to consider when decidong to quit that may help you on your way to becomming a non-smoker for good  !

• Decide positively that you want to quit. Try to avoid negative thoughts about how difficult it might be.

• List all the reasons you want to quit. Keep the list where you can see it and look it over every day, repeting
   the reasons to yourself.

• Develop strong personal reasons in addition to your health and obligations to others. For example, think of 
   how smoking is interfering with your work schedule (having to take a break to have a cigarette), the smell
   on your clothes, wrinkles around your lips, etc.

• Begin to condition yourself physically: Start a modest exercise program; drink more fluids; get plenty of rest; and avoid fatigue.

• Set a target date for quitting - perhaps a special day such as your birthday, your anniversary, or the Great American Smokeout. If you smoke heavily at work, quit during your vacation so that you're already committed to quitting when you return. Make the date sacred, and don't let anything change it. This will make it easy for you to keep track of the day you became a nonsmoker and to celebrate that date every year.