How I Will Quit Smoking for the New Year

To quit smoking for New Year's Day is the mother of all resolutions for sure. This is the hardest one I know of, but once again I am going to make an effort to at least cut way down. This time I have broken down the steps that I will implement to tip the odds a little bit more in my favor. I have planned a methodical approach with several smaller adjustments in my lifestyle to aid the process. I have tried the patches, gums, lozenges and a bunch of other remedies that did not work. So now I have come up with my own regimen to try. Addiction to nicotine is a physiological matter, so it will take physical and mental preparation and work.

1) The first step will to be start preparing myself well ahead of the actual New Year's day. My thoughts here are to adjust my lifestyle starting now, along with avoiding some bad habits that increase my desire to smoke a cigarette. I think by getting a head start now, the actual shock to my system will be less, and easier to absorb. Nicotine is a seriously addictive drug, and even if I have just a little less in my system, the process should be easier. Rather than one big shock, I am going for a gradual lessening process.

2)The second step will be to list the ways that I will benefit from not smoking; physically, psychologically, and financially.

Stamina will improve.

General health will improve.

Overall cleanliness will improve

It will be easier on my wallet.

I will sleep better.

My circulation will improve.

Social interaction will become easier.

3) The third step will be to list the lifestyle changes that I will use to increase my chances of success.

Avoid stressful situations whenever possible.

Keep cigarettes out of easy reach.

Limit contact with other smokers.

Reduce caffeine consumption.

Reduce alcohol consumption.

Do more physical activities.

Stay busy with hobbies and projects.

4) The fourth step will be to start implementing all these steps two weeks prior to New Years day. The more I accomplish now , the less the actual shock will be when the time comes. Coffee is a serious stimulant, which makes people tend to smoke more. Alcohol does the same thing. So I will skip coffee and cigarettes with my neighbor. Also, I will skip beer and cigarettes with my buds. No more leaving an easy pack right next to the computer. No more lighting up when the phone rings. I will leave them outside, or in the car. No more smoking in the house, because I need to make smoking not so convenient.

I have already begun to take more short walks, to stall the urge. I also am drinking much more water, to help start flushing my system of the nicotine. Another thing I am doing is smoking only a third or a half of a cigarette at a time. I snip them with a pair of scissors, then finish the rest at a later time. This saves money, cuts down on the amount I smoke, and also removes most of the tars from the hot end. My consumption has already been cut by more than half in this way.

5) The fifth step will be to have all my new habits firmly in place for when that day arrives, and give all of them a decent chance to do the job. Even if I only succeed in lowering my consumption by half on a permanent basis, it will be a very good thing.

Best of luck to all that have similar resolutions.