As the days get longer and the temperatures are trending up here in the Northern Hemisphere, there are noticeable changes in the world:
- Winter parkas are being replaced with spring jackets
- Trees are budding
- Flowers are blooming
- Birds are more active
- People are outdoors more - washing windows, walking, and planning for spring and summer
One of the things that a burgeoning spring brings is the desire to make plans! Plans to travel, spend time with family and friends, remodel, move, run a 5k or marathon, plant a garden. Amongst all the other plans you may be making, this is a good time to plan to quit, or how you can remain quit from smoking, vaping, or chewing tobacco.
There is power in getting things out of our heads and writing them down – whether by typing notes on your phone, in a document on your computer or simply scribbling them on a piece of paper. It is easy to make a rough outline of this as we roll it around in our minds. However, writing things down tends to make them feel more real and consequential, and in some ways more achievable. This can apply to planning for quitting as well.
Here are some steps to consider:
- Consider what the best month/week/day is for you to quit. Are you an “I want to quit soon so I can enjoy the full summer vape-free” type of person, or more the “I’m going to choose a special date in the summer so I will always remember the day I quit” kind of person? Some people tie quitting to a personal goal. Maybe you want to quit in time to smell the spring flowers. Or, perhaps you plan to join a bike trek or running race and want to be quit before the event happens.
- Enlist the assistance of professional support. Meet with your medical provider or a tobacco treatment specialist about making a quit plan.
- Talk with family or friends about how they can best support you. And, don’t forget about utilizing online support as well like the EX Community!
- Try behavioral replacements such as sucking on a straw, and change up your routine by finding a new “non-smoking” route for your summer walks.
At the end of the day, it is important to make this change in a way that you feel will work for you. You know yourself better than anyone else does! And, writing out your plan can be a powerful first step in the direction of quitting.
What would you want to include in your written quit plan?
