Quit Smokin, With Attitude

The smartest thing I have ever done was to quit smoking.One good mental trick to use when you finally bite the bullet and decide to quit smoking is to instantly think of yourself as a non-smoker. It may only be an hour or two, or yesterday, that you took the plunge and had your final cigarette, but think of yourself as a non-smoker anyway . Make believe that you never before have smoked a cigarette. Now, if you find yourself back sliding and looking for a cigarette, just say to yourself "I don't smoke. I stopped. I'm a non-smoker now. Why would I want a cigarette?" This will really help to reinforce your new status.

And remember, you are telling this to yourself. You only have an audience of one, so there is no need to feel any embarassment. You're just reinforcing your resolve to stop smoking and kick your nicotine habit. It is important that you think of yourself as a non smoker. You have to develop the mental attitude that you quit smoking and do not need a cigarette. You will have to keep reinforcing this attitude until it becomes second nature.

Physical elements of smoking

While the physical elements inherent in your cigarette addiction may be hard to come to grips with, certainly if you have been a long -time smoker, the physical segment of your addiction is surprisingly, the element most easily treated with dedication. On the other hand, the cognitive, emotional, and psychological components of your addictive habit will be the most ferocious battle you will face.

By immediately classifying yourself as a non-smoker, you are taking the first, and most important, first step to being nicotine-cigarette free. This must be a conscious, exertive effort on your part. While this may appear absurd to brand yourself as a non-smoker, even though it has only been an couple of hours or a few days, try it: if you can really convince yourself that you are a no-smoker, the thought of having a cigarette will really take a lot of negative energy on your part to convince you otherwise. It will really make you think twice about having a cigarette - after all: non-smokers don't smoke, do they?

If you don't develop this idea that you do not smoke, have quit smoking, and no longer crave a cigarette it will frankly begin a very slippery slope lapsing quickly back into an occasional cigarette. It is, of course, fairly common for a very recent ex-smoker to take a drag now and then, isn't it? If you don't think of yourself as an ex-smoker you'll allow yourself these indulgences - an occasional drag, or even a full cigarette now and then - that will almost certainly ensure that your attempt to quit smoking ends in failure.

Talking Points