~ Educate yourself about your addiction - yes I said "your" addiction.
~ Accept that you're an addict and this means you always will be. – and again yes “you” are an “addict”
~ Understand the laws of addiction - (whyquit . com)
~ Understand what your body goes through in the withdrawal and healing periods – (whyquit . com)
~ Map out your quit plan
~ Perform the hardest act in the process - Pick your stop date. This truly is the hardest thing you will do, everything else is easy.
~ Applaud yourself! You have your plan, you've picked your date!
~ Educate your loved ones about what you will go through when withdrawing from the drug and how your body heals. – Educate them and you enhance your at home support team success!
~ Get your quit plan supplies – straws, toothpicks, life savors, fruit juice, journal etc, etc, etc
~ “Nay Sayers” would say ‘hold on” I prefer to say “EMBRACE” your new life as an Ex-smoker beginning on Yes today is day 1!
~ Choose to be happy and positive about this change in your life!
~ Don’t worry about tomorrow! Don’t focus on the past you can not change it. Don’t worry about tomorrow for it may never come. Only live in the present and in the present promise yourself “I will not smoke today”!
~ Honor HALT (especially early on) – Avoid being Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. These are your built in triggers…do what you must! Drink fluids, avoid conflict, contact friends/support, get rest
~ If cold turkey (I can only speak to this because this is what I did) – Work through your first 3 days. Do what you must do to not smoke! The drug will be gone soon! Use your quit plan, Journal, Reach out for support!
~ After 3 days recognize that you’re there man!!!! You’ve made it! For me, from this point forward…It is easier and easier each and every day! Congratulate yourself!
~ Reward yourself! Bask in your success!
~ Follow and Learn from the blogs! Learn from oldies, learn from newbies, support each other! Use your style, gravitate to your style! Follow the happy quitter ! Follow the funny quitter, Follow whatever quitter (s) appeal to you and your senses that leads you to success and then pass this on to others.
~ Care for your quit! Never Ever Forget what you went through to become an ex smoker!! Never Ever Forget that you’re an addict! And always remember NOPE!!
~ You will Amaze yourself!!! And once you’ve done that you will be truly amazed by other things in life! You have done it! Vicariously is not amazing ~ You have done one amazing thing, you have quit!!
J Wait until you see my list at 50 weeks!! LOL ….. keep strong folks….NOPE and NEF!!!
