How I quit smoking cigarettes for good!

The first time I quit smoking was over 20 years ago. I had just purchased a carton of cigarettes not long before and I gave all my friends a pack and told them I was quitting. Of course it wasn't long before I was bumming those some cigarettes off my friends!

September 23, 2009, marks one month since I quit smoking cigarettes for the last time. In honor of the day I would like to share some of what I've learned about quitting over the years. So here are a few key strategies to help YOU quit:

1. Keep track! Count how many cigarettes you smoke each day. Just knowing how much you smoke will encourage you to cut back, which is an important step towards quitting. One way to do this is on a scrap of people you keep in your cigarette pack. Just make a mark every time you light up. Even easier is to start with a known number and count the remaining cigarettes at the end of the day.
   
   
2. Set a goal! Now that you know how many cigarettes you smoke each day, start by reducing the number of cigarettes. If you smoke 20 cigarettes a day, try cutting back to 16. If you smoke 10, try 8 or even 6. If you smoke less than 5, just give it up! I don't suggest that you go cold turkey if you smoke a pack-a-day or more. Sooner or later, you will, but going cold turkey from smoking 2 packs a day is a lot tougher than going cold turkey from a half pack, or less. Believe me, I know this. Smoke a few cigarettes less each week until you get it down to a half-pack or less. In the meantime, you exercising self-discipline, and building on your success. Build on your successes and flush your "failures"!
   
   
3. Change brands OFTEN! Smoking is a deeply embedded habit. The smell of an unlit cigarette, the feel of your favorite lighter, the taste of the smoke when you first light it up, even the color of the package is all internally associated with our enjoyment of smoking. You can begin to undo these associates - without subjecting yourself to nicotine withdrawals - by simply changing up the habit. If you smoke menthols, smoke regulars instead. If you smoke one brand, try another. If you smoke lights, try "full flavor" cigarettes (seriously). Try a different brand every day. You can also use nicotine gum - even if you don't quit smoking - as a way to break up your smoking routine and lessen the grip of the habit. There's nothing quite like hot coffee and a fresh piece of Nicorette! Save a few cigarettes for after meals (and sex, of course).
   
   
4. Make a PUBLIC declaration! Tell everyone you know that you are going to quit! Once you've cut back to 4-8 cigarettes a day and you're ready to really give it up, TELL EVERYONE! If you can't do this, you know in your heart that you're not serious about quitting. Put yourself on the hook! Tell your family, friends, coworkers, even your spouse! You'll be amazed by how much support you receive and when it's not going well, those little words of encouragement make a HUGE difference! Sometimes all it takes is a little lift to keep you on track. Get all the support you can to get yourself past those rough spots. As an added benefit, you might even inspire someone you know to quit too! The life you save may not be just your own!
   
   
5. NEVER give up! There is no such thing as failure when you are trying to quit smoking! Everyday without cigarettes is a success. Everyday you smoke less than you did before is a success. Everyday you are even AWARE you are smoking too much is a success because it brings you closer to making a decision to quit. If you quit and started smoking again, then quit again! If you can start smoking after quitting, then you can quit smoking after starting. If you can't bring yourself to quit for good, quit for a month, or a week, or a day. Quit smoking before noon. Quit smoking after dinner. Every little step strengthens your "quitting muscle" and makes it easier the next time. Keep quitting and quitting and quitting until you finally quit for good!

Above all, never give up! I've quit hundreds of times. If nothing else, each time my body got a break from the nicotine and toxins that come with smoking. Better yet, I may have smoked my last cigarette. When will you smoke yours?