How to Stop Smoking for Good – 11 Principles to Stay Smoke-free for Life

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If you have ever tried to quit smoking but relapsed shortly, you need to know how to stop smoking for good. This is because smoking cessation is more than making an attempt, you must be able to sustain the attempt and avoid the temptation to go back to smoking.

Thomas Edison, the famous inventor, realized the importance of sticking to his goals even in the face of impossibilities. At the end, his persistence was rewarded as he entered public consciousness as “the inventor” of the light bulb, and was credited with several inventions including the phonograph as well as the motion picture camera.

Once quoted to have said, “I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward,” Edison is worthy of being emulated if you have just quit and want to stay permanently smoke-free.

Aside emulating Edison, please know that transforming yourself into a non-smoker for life involves living, breathing and thinking like one, even under the most trying circumstances. This way, you can actualize your resolve to stay quit.

Your job when you initially quit was to wean yourself from cigarette addiction and successfully go through the initial days, weeks, and months as a quitter. After you conquer those challenges, your job becomes to stay quit for life. Cultivating such a lifestyle is not mince meat and may force you to make tough decisions, and say “no” to people, situations and objects that tempt you to smoke. Suffice to say, quit smoking can sometimes be a lonely path to tread but keep at it and delight yourself in the fact that it’s one of the greatest things you have ever done.

11 Tips for Staying Smoke-free for Life

To permanently stay quit, engage the tips below for effective results.

* Quit smoking is a difficult challenge, never forget that

You definitely don’t want to experience the nasty nicotine cravings you experienced when you first quit. You and I know it’s a difficult challenge, so, why put yourself through that the second time by relapsing? Remembering the difficulties you faced when you first quit will help you stay on track; knowing that you can’t afford to face the same challenges again – sleepless nights, headaches, irritability, nausea, anxiety, and battling the constant urge to smoke. Remember this all the time and try to relieve the experience on an intuitive level. I’m sure you will not want to experience such again.

* After quitting, smoking just one cigarette can be harmful

After smoking cessation, reject any voice that tells you to smoke just one cigarette as it cannot harm you. I can tell you it is harmful as one cigarette will lead to two; two will lead to four and eventually, will cause a relapse.

* But when you slip and smoke, don’t be too hard on yourself

The quit smoking process is not devoid of slip ups, rather, it’s about falling and getting up again and again. It’s about sticking your neck out and resolving to stay quit, no matter the circumstances. Also, smoking cessation is not a one time event, it’s a culmination of events; it’s a process. It’s a journey so don’t be disappointed when you slip; it’s all a part of the stop smoking process. Stay true to your resolve; you’ll surely achieve your goal if you persist long enough.

Studies reveal that it takes the average smoker 5 to 7 times before they quit smoking for good. So, each time you slip, forgive yourself for your smoking indiscretions – no matter how many times they occur – and get right back into your cessation program. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wisely wrote, “our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”

* Reach out to your support network

When you decide to quit smoking, try as much as possible to establish a support network of friends, family, and smoking-cessation experts that you may call upon to help you deal with setbacks. Anytime, you’re tempted to some, all you need do is to call them for help. Don’t underestimate the impact your support network can have on your quitting effort. Engage your support network today!

* Never give up

Just by making the decision to cease smoking, realize you have become capable of realizing your goal. It may not happen in an instant, and you may stop and start smoking several times throughout your life, but the moment you made the decision to quit, you put yourself on the right path. Relish in that moment; remember it often, and tell others about it. And, when faced with challenges that cause you to doubt your decision, remember you’re already on the right track; all you need is to keep on walking. No matter the number of quit attempts you have to make or how many relapses you must overcome, refuse to give up. Every day you conquer nicotine cravings and refuse to smoke brings you closer to your goal of permanently becoming smoke-free.

* Never forget your reasons for quitting

Why did you quit smoking? Is it because of your health, kids or to save money? Never forget this reason, keep it close to your heart and mind as you move through life as a non-smoker. If you quit because you had a lung cancer scare, never let the fear you felt become dull. If you quit because of your kids, never let the memory of facing your kids to tell them you’ve started smoking again leave you. If you quit cigarettes to save money, never forget that reason for one minute. Always keep your reason in mind as it will keep you permanently smoke-free.

10 Reasons to Quit Smoking

* Volunteer to help someone else quit smoking

Volunteering to help someone quit smoking with the knowledge and experience you’ve gained during your smoking cessation journey will not only help you stay quit; it also reminds you how difficult quitting actually is in a compelling way. It would help you stay on course because you cannot help someone when you’ve relapsed.

Remember the universal principle of getting more by giving more? This would surely help you stay permanently quit.

* Celebrate milestones and anniversaries

After everything you have gone through to quit smoking, you deserve to celebrate! In fact, rewarding milestones and celebrating anniversaries is an integral part of staying smoke-free for life. When you commemorate important dates, you acknowledge your hard work and track the increasing distance between you and smoking. You can reward yourself in different ways but always tell the whole world you’re celebrating a week, month, year or more of not smoking; as this helps reinforce your decision to stay quit. You definitely cannot face the same people you’ve told you’re celebrating your non-smoking status that you’ve started smoking again. It’s shameful, so, let the whole world know you’re celebrating and reward yourself with a massage from your favourite masseur, a night out at the movies, exotic cuisine from your favourite restaurant, a vacation to a country you’ve always wanted to travel to, etc. There are many ways to reward yourself with the money you’ve saved from not smoking, so, go out there and celebrate.

* Get deep into exercises

Exercise and smoking are said to be incompatible habits, so, if you get deep into exercises and workouts, you’re going to hate smoking and that will help you permanently stay quit. It’s vital to get involved in physically challenging exercises like long distance running, jogging, swimming, etc. These exercises give you the same high that nicotine gives you and when you engage in them, you lose interest in smoking.

* Be lively; instead of feeling depressed

Staying permanently quit requires you to avoid feeling irritated, tempted, angry, or depressed and in dire need of a cigarette. Be lively, never envy smokers. You’re not disadvantaged in any way because you decided to stop smoking. Rather, you’re gaining a lot; your health, finances, relationships, society, are benefiting in one way or the other.

The health benefits of smoking cessation

General quit smoking benefits

* Recognize your weak point, and steer clear

We’re human and all have our weak points. As a quitter, you definitely have some weaknesses as regards your smoking habit. If you want to stay smoke-free, you have to recognize this weakness and steer clear of it. For instance, if you discover you’ll be tempted to smoke after a cup of coffee, steer clear of it. If you discover you’ll be tempted to smoke during a night out with friends, avoid such occasions.

Now that you know these 11 tips, it’s time to make your next quit attempt a permanent and successful one. So, all I’ll say is, stop smoking today! Stop smoking now! The dangers of smoking to the human body, family or society cannot be quantified.

References:

Quitting Smoking Made Easy, Alex A. Lluch, WS Publishing Group, 2011,San Diego,California,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

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