Quit Smoking-2( making plans)

Make your plans

Successful people in all walks of life become successful through
planning. The same is true for smokers who successfully quit
smoking. You must create a plan that you will follow daily, so
that you quit smoking purposefully, not haphazardly.

Put your plan on paper. Write each of these steps in your plan:

1. Write down how you will mentally prepare yourself to quit
smoking. Don't try to quit until you feel you are ready.

2. Decide on a specific date that you will quit. Write down your
"quit date." Make sure your quit date comes after you have
completed step 1 above. Also, choose a quit date that occurs
during a relatively low stress time. Don't try to quit during a
stressful time at work or during the break-up of a relationship,
for example.

Quitting on a specific date is preferable to slowly reducing the
number of cigarettes that you smoke. By going "cold turkey" you
won't have to keep track of how many cigarettes you smoked
yesterday and how many you will smoke today. You will also
remove the temptation to cheat and smoke too many. By using
these emails to prepare yourself for your quit date you will be
ready to quit, and going cold turkey won't be so difficult.

3. Write down all the things you will enjoy doing after you quit
smoking (long walks, eating out without being restricted to the
smoking section, taking a vacation with the money you will save,
etc.). This step is very important, so spend extra time dreaming
up your "smoke-free future."

4. Write down the times and occasions when you are most likely
to smoke. Write down what "triggers" your desire to smoke (more
on this in a future email). You may be surprised to find that
you have organized your day around smoking.

5. Write down five to ten things you will do instead of smoking,
whenever you feel a cigarette craving coming on. For example,
you might drink a glass of water, go for a short walk, type a
letter, do some filing, call a friend, read a book, or mow the
grass. Plan how you will distract yourself. Try to distract
yourself with something healthy and/or beneficial. Match the
distractions you've created in this step with the times and
occasions your wrote down in step 4 above.

6. Write down the names of three people whom you trust to
support your efforts to quit smoking. Contact them and ask for
their support. Make sure you tell them that you want only
positive support. Ask them to call you each day and give you
positive encouragement. Also, ask them if you can call them if
you need help.

7. Write down a list of all the items that you use when smoking:
cigarettes, lighters, matches, ashtrays, etc. Make notes about
where every single item is. Then on your "quit date" track down
each item and throw them away. Don't forget to clean out your
car and your office at work.

8. Write down a list of rewards that you will give yourself. Be
sure to reward yourself as you go longer and longer without
smoking. For example: End of Day One -- long, hot bubble bath.
End of Week One -- see a Movie. End of Week Three -- dinner at
an exclusive restaurant. End of Month Two -- take a day off from
work. End of Six Months -- take a weekend getaway. End of Year
One -- take a 7-day vacation. Whenever possible, write down the
specific date that you will reward yourself. By the way, these
rewards won't cost you much, if anything, because you'll be
saving hundreds of dollars by not smoking!

9. Make an appointment to see your doctor (We'll explain why in
a couple of days).

** Article Copyright Fred Kelley of QuitSmoking.com. Visit the web site at http://www.quitsmoking.com for great information and products designed to help you quit smoking.