THE time has come for you to “be courageous and act.” (1 Chronicles 28:10) What final steps can you take to increase your chances of success?
Set a date. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that once you have decided to quit, the first day of your life free from cigarettes should be within two weeks. That way your motivation will stay high. Mark the day on your calendar, tell your friends, and stick to the date even if your circumstances change.
Make a “quit card.” It might contain the following information, plus anything else that may strengthen your motivation:
● Your reasons for quitting
● Phone numbers of people to call when you feel you may cave in
● Thoughts—perhaps including Bible texts such as Galatians 5:22, 23—that will help you toward your goal
Take your quit card with you at all times, and read it several times a day. Even after you quit, continue to review the card whenever you feel an urge to smoke.
Weaken the links proactively. Prior to your quit date, begin disrupting any habits linked to your smoking. For example, if you smoke as soon as you get up each morning, put off smoking for an hour or so. If you smoke during a meal or immediately afterward, break that routine. Avoid places where others smoke. And privately practice saying aloud: “No thanks. I’ve quit smoking.” Such steps will do more than prepare you for the day you quit. They will also remind you that soon you will be an ex-smoker.
Get set. As your quit date nears, stock up on oral substitutes: carrot sticks, gum, nuts, and so on. Remind your friends and family of your quit date and how they can support you. Just before that day, dispose of ashtrays, lighters, and any booby traps—such as cigarettes lying around your home, in your car or pockets, or at your place of work. To be sure, it is harder to ask a friend for a cigarette or to buy a pack than to reach into a drawer for one! Also, keep praying for God’s support, doing so all the more earnestly after your final smoke.—Luke 11:13.
A countless number of people have “broken up” with their onetime false, vicious friend, the cigarette. You can do it too. Better health and a great feeling of freedom await you.
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Take your quit card with you at all times, and read it frequently during the day
