subject: Quit Smoking Now; Here's How! [print this page] "I love cigarettes"I love cigarettes. I can't quit. Light another"
This was the Mindset Mantra that kept me stuck with cigarette addiction.
But I did quit smoking! And here's how!
My love affair with cigarettes began at the age of 14. I thought it would be a great way to meet boys to say "hey, got a light". Well, I'm not so sure that method of introduction was successful, but I do know I quickly became a cigarette addict with no escape. This little stick of tobacco took control of my life.
For the next 17 years, I didn't do anything or go anywhere without my cigarettes. I felt the need to smoke before and after meals, when I woke up, while talking on the phone, while driving a car, actually, I needed my cigarette before and after everything. My habit increased to a 2 pack a day necessity.
I enjoyed my cigarettes immensely and I had no desire to quit. I became quite agitated when someone suggested I should quit for health reason. Also, I thought non-smokers rude if they mentioned I had an odor from smoking. I did not smell anything, they must be oversensitive. Logically my education, knowledge, and common sense told me this habit was a killer, but I didn't want to quit. These little sticks of tobacco had gradually convinced me that I enjoyed poison. I loved my cigarettes! And I felt fine!
After about 10 years of heavy smoking, I started to notice a rattle in my lungs. I had to clear my throat often and I had developed a cough. My lungs were struggling. I could not avoid the truth any longer. I had to admit the culprits of these physical ailments were my much loved sticks of tobacco. But I still didn't want to quit and I really felt I could not live without my cigarettes. What to do? Give up my breath, or give up my cigarettes? I seriously had to give this some thought. What did I love more?
Here was one side of my brain telling me Lynne, you can't live without your breath, cigarettes are dumping toxic chemicals into your lungs which travel through you body and wreak havoc on your health. Smoking is robbing you of good health, causing congestion in your lungs and taxing your heart to a point that it may not be able to keep up with for long. Now, all this made perfect sense to me and just when I thought "that's it I quit", the other side of my brain stepped in a said, "SHUT UP IT FEELS GOOD TO SMOKE"!
This battle in my brain was a daily struggle for the next 7 years. I was so tired of trying to quit smoking that I wanted to give up. I felt like I was a failure every time I tried to quit and could not.
Then one day I had an epiphany. If my "feel good" senses are ruling my actions and decisions, what if I could somehow get those emotions working for me to achieve what I want? After all they are my feelings aren't they? If I am so controlled by things that feel good, I will find a way to make being a non smoker feel good!
I wrote out all the wonderful things non smokers must think and feel good about. All the health benefits I would attain as a non smoker. I began to feel the joy and freedom of accomplishment even though it was still just in my imagination. The feel good mantra was already working. But how can I stay with this mindset when addiction calls to me?
I had to make this script my daily Mindset Mantra. I would trick the feel good side of my brain in to feeling good about the things I wanted to accomplish and about the ways I wanted to live.
I wrote and recorded a 7 minute Mindset Mantra to Quit Smoking and it worked! At first I listened to this audio several times a day to make certain this mantra became engrained in the mental space once allotted for the unwanted "time to smoke a cigarette" mantra.
Slowly but surely, one thought at a time, I found pleasure, comfort, and peace in being a nonsmoker. I chose my breath instead of poison. Addition died!
Looking back it's hard to believe I once thought choosing breath or cigarette smoke a tough choice, but that is how powerful this addiction can be. I have been a non smoker now for several years but still occasionally listen to this Mindset Mantra to validate my feel good state of being free of this poison.
If you have tried to quit, don't want to quit, or are considering quitting, the Mindset Mantra to Quit Smoking will provide the mental positioning for success. You can quit smoking now!
