Everyone who wants to quit smoking has their own motivations. It often differ from one smoker to another. There are different degrees of motivation and sometimes it’s like a roller coaster ride – there are lots of twists and turns. Nonetheless, motivation is essential, but it’s not everything when trying to quit smoking.
If you want to get the best out of your motivation you’ll need to deal with some other aspects of quitting smoking, like coping with stress, overcoming fear and false beliefs.
Stress is among the major causes why a person falls into a relapse after quitting smoking. Learn a healthier and positive way to confront stressful situations. You encounter stress on the road, at work, at home, and the life after you quit smoking. Learning how to effectively manage stress will help you be more successful in your quit and live a happier and longer life. Common stress busters include deep breathing, exercising, meditating, and keeping an open communication line with your friends and family.
Fear often prevents you from doing things, but on the positive side, it also keeps you away from trouble. The fear of dying from cancer can motivate a smoker to quit smoking. However, your fear of giving up the pleasure of smoking may betray your efforts. Your fear creates a cocktail of emotions which can affect your overall success. This fear can often lead you into a relapse.
Your beliefs define who you are and it takes time to form them. The years you spent with cigarettes cause you to believe many things about smoking. The association and the relationship you have built with smoking are often powerful and very difficult to undo and change. Practice will help you quit smoking more successfully. For instance, most smokers believe that smoking helps them relieve stress. But on the contrary, smoking stresses them further. It increases the heart beat and blood pressure. By realizing that smoking essentially harms your health, regardless, makes it easier for you to change and undo the habit of smoking. Learning a new and healthier coping mechanism, such as learning a new sports and doing yoga, will make things easier for you and cope with stress without having to light a cigarette.
By reminding yourself of the reasons why you want to quit smoking, you’ll be able to keep yourself motivated throughout your quit program. You may want to think of the money that you can save from not smoking, or the contribution you’re making in the society by not smoking in the public, or the favor you’re giving yourself by living a healthier life. Hold on to the things that keeps you motivated such as your spouse, children, grandchildren, etc.
Each day you spend without cigarettes brings you closer to your goal. Keep yourself motivated and think of the many benefits of quitting. Take little steps at a time. Don’t rush and don’t let fear stop you from living a healthier and happier life. Stay nicotine-free!
