1. Get support.
Quitting is really hard. You can't do it alone. You need support from people who have been in your shoes and experts who can motivate you to keep with your plan to quit. QUITPLAN Services now offers free services include free access to text messages, email support, a downloadable quit guide and free "starter kits," which provide a two-week supply of nicotine patches, gum or lozenges to help tobacco users quit. In addition, tobacco users can now speak to a quit coach over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week for support and help quitting.
2. Make a list of triggers.
Sometimes a trigger will sneak up on you giving you the urge to light up, "just this one time." Instead, change it up; put a wrench in the routine that tried to suck you into smoking – whether it's going somewhere different, doing something different, or just taking a few moments to collect yourself. Here are some great ways to keep a trigger from getting to you: Go somewhere you can't smoke - like the mall or a movie theater. Play a game to keep your hands busy. Phone a friend. Take a walk.Exercise - it can help relieve stress. Take a catnap. Check some errands off of your to-do list. Do a little therapeutic home cleaning. Remember your "why" – the reason you decided to quit smoking. Take a relaxing shower or soothing bath. Picture the future, smoke-free you and bask in how much better you'll feel once you achieve your goal.
3. Look in your wallet.
You'd be amazed how much money you will save when you aren't buying cigarettes every week, especially since 2013 saw a dramatic increase in the state's cigarette tax. In fact, a smoker who smokes a pack a day would save more than $2,000 in one year if he/she quit smoking! Deliberately putting this money aside can be a great motivator to continue the quit journey. It also frees up some cash to reward yourself once you hit certain quitting milestones.
4. Remember to breathe.
It may sound simple, but deep breathing exercises are one of the best ways to reduce stress. It helps to put both hands on your stomach and feel yourself breathe in and breathe out. Once you are starting to feel relaxed, inhale and exhale longer, taking in deeper and deeper breaths. Think about your lungs filling up with wonderful smoke-free oxygen while you expand the muscles under your lungs.
5. Remember why.
Quitting could literally add years to your life because smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, causing many diseases and reducing health in general. If that's not enough, consider your vanity. Smoking yellows your teeth, causes premature wrinkles, bath breath and dull hair. Whatever your reason to stop smoking, think about that reason and keep reminding yourself that you can do this because you have your eye on the prize that is your "why."
