How To Quit Smoking

Do you know someone who talks a lot of talk, and starts new endeavors only to falter halfway through and give up? You don’t want to be that person. Quitting is not attractive. On the other hand, having the self-discipline to follow through with your goals makes us feel good about ourselves, and it amplifies our drive and determination to achieve even bigger things. However, sometimes it’s ok to be a quitter.

In this case, I’m talking about quitting smoking. Or, in fact, kicking any other unresourceful habit like having too much sugar, junk food, alcohol etc. And trust me, I’m no saint – I’ve done it all in large amounts back in my irresponsible days. Actually, I used to smoke for 7 years! Oops, I hope my mom is not reading this… But the point I’m trying to make is – you can change the way you think. You can program that inner voice to be your personal coach that relentlessly drives you towards success. You can increase self-awareness and make better decisions. Quitting can be great. As long as you don’t quit the process of quitting and go back to your old ways ;)

Primary And Secondary Gains

A good place to start is exploring the reasons behind your smoking. Sometimes it’s not about what it’s about. You may just see it as a habit, or feel like it helps you relax, or perhaps blame it on your social life. However, there may be secondary gains outside of your conscious awareness – additional benefits of smoking that drive your behavior without you realizing it. Maybe you work in a corporate environment, and most of the influential people that can affect your career regularly go out for a smoking break. Hence, you probably want to network with them, and access information that wouldn’t otherwise be available to you. There could be a multitude of secondary reasons, this is just something to consider.

So how did I stop smoking? My story is simple – I came to the UK with £150 in my pocket and a roll of cigarettes in my luggage. Besides, back then cigarettes cost about 6 times less in my native country. Once I finished my last one it was an easy choice – quit smoking or starve and die. Hence, I forced myself to adopt a smoke free lifestyle.

Exercise Will Help

The right kind of exercise makes everything better. As long as you ease yourself into it gradually, and make sure you work on the enjoyment factor. Once you realise how good you can feel physically and increase your happiness levels, it will transform your self-image and you will become fully congruent with the goals you have set for yourself.

You may have heard about Stoptober – NHS incentive to stop smoking this month. I think it’s a great idea, and they offer lots of free advice and support to ensure your success. I am also running a promotion to help smokers give up the habit by adopting a healthy lifestyle, starting a body transformation programme, and providing in-depth coaching to change the way they think. If you are interested, or if you have friends that may benefit from this, please click here to request more info.