Setting The Date
At first I was planning to publish this website after I have stopped smoking. However, I soon realized that the thoughts a person has before stopping smoking are equally important. I believe that the real nature of nicotine addiction can be revealed by using this approach. The first thing I have to do, is to set a date. My date is 31st of July, 2010. That is the day when I stop smoking.
It is not a coincidence that I chosen Saturday to be the date, when I stop smoking. Since I have tried to stop smoking before, I know that the first two days are really hard. That is why it is wise to select a date, which minimizes the other stress factors. Holiday is without a doubt the best possible opportunity for quitting smoking. Because my holiday will end after this week, I decided to select the next best option. Quitting smoking during a weekend makes it easier to survive the first hard days without smoking.
After selecting the date, you must commit to your decision. I know it will be hard, but you must do it anyway. I am literally counting, how many hours I can still smoke. I am feeling that my life will be missing something important, if I cannot smoke anymore. I have had these feelings before, and I have always found a way to manage them. Give yourself a chance and you will find out that you are much more stronger than you assume.
My previous attempts to quit smoking have taught me an useful way to deal with these thoughts. First, you should try to enjoy your last days as a smoker and avoid thinking the date, which you selected. Thinking about the date does not help you at all. Actually, it is more likely that it will make you to feel anxious. Second, because you cannot avoid thinking the date, try to eliminate these thoughts as soon as possible. The easiest way to do so, is getting something else to think. If you don’t allow these thoughts to control you, they will disappear sooner than you expected. Third, remember that your life will not end just because you decided to stop smoking. Trust me when I say that the effects are a lot less dramatic. I know. I have been trying to quit smoking more than once.
