Inspiration to stop smoking comes from many different sources – from declining health, embarrassment and shame, the desire to spend more time with your children and grandchildren to pig-headed determination.

Maybe you’ve decided to stop smoking for the first time or maybe you’ve tried multiple times before and have decided to give it another shot. Wherever you are at in your quitting smoking journey it is always good to have a bit of inspiration. Below we share some tips and quotes we’ve stumbled upon in hopes of inspiring you to quit smoking for good!

The awareness that health is dependent upon habits that we control makes us the first generation in history that to a large extent determines its own destiny.
Jimmy Carter
What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that’s another matter.
Peter F. Drucker
You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face…You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt
I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.
Aristotle
Through perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.
Benjamin Disraeli
Your life is governed by your habits. Your habits are governed by you.
Walter M. Germain

Some tips to follow when you decide to quit smoking:

David “the quitter” Ross

Quit smoking one hour at a time..
 
Sometimes, even thinking about going a whole day without a cigarette seems impossible, so it’s ok to break that time-frame down even further. Do not concern yourself with next year, next month, next week or even tomorrow OR even two hours from now. Concentrate on not smoking right now.
 
As your day progresses, allow the time duration without smoking to increase without “weirding yourself out”. Here’s how you can incorporate this into your day, as you get started with quitting …
 
When you wake up, focus on making it through getting ready and your morning routine without smoking before you get in the car. Once in the car, whether you are driving to work, running errands or taking the kids to school, convince yourself you will not smoke while in the car. Cravings and urges may come, but stay strong and stick to not allowing a cigarette while driving.
 
Once the trip to work, errands, or taking the kids to school is complete, set a goal of not smoking for the next few hours. The next hurdle will probably be lunch. Convince yourself you can eat this meal without a cigarette before or after.
 
Now recognize you are halfway through your day and you’ve not smoked. Take a moment to congratulate yourself and SMILE. This will feel good!
 
Now, it’s time to set a new goal of just another hour or two or dinnertime. Again, take comfort in the fact you are “doing it” and you are successfully leaving cigarettes in your past (you’ve gone hours!).
 
Just like at lunch, accept the fact that smoking before or after dinner is not acceptable today.
 
Lastly, as your day unwinds and the time you go to bed approaches, hang on to the determination you’ve shown all day. Get some well-deserved sleep; arising the next day with either your first (or another) 24 hours smoke-free behind you.
 
Pretty soon, you’ll be able to say #ifinallyquit.

WhyQuit.com

Make a list of all the reasons you want to quit smoking.  Keep this list with you, preferably where you used to carry your cigarettes.  When you find yourself reaching for a cigarette, take out your list and read it.

Remember that there are only two good reasons to take a puff once you quit.  You decide you want to go back to your old level of consumption until smoking cripples and then kills you, or, you decide you really enjoy withdrawal and you want to make it last forever.  As long as neither of these options appeal to you – NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PUFF!

HelpGuide.org

A craving journal can help you zero in on your patterns and triggers. For a week or so leading up to your quit date, keep a log of your smoking. Note the moments in each day when you crave a cigarette:

  • What time was it?
  • How intense was the craving (on a scale of 1-10)?
  • What were you doing?
  • Who were you with?
  • How were you feeling?
  • How did you feel after smoking?

8 Step Action Plan to Quit Smoking …

.. even if you’ve tried everything and failed miserably in the past!

Access the Plan

SmokeFree.gov

Quitting smoking happens one minute, one hour, one day at a time. Reward yourself throughout your quit. Celebrate individual milestones, including being 24 hours smokefree, one week smokefree, and one month smokefree. Quitting smoking is hard, be proud of your accomplishments.

For more help, buy “I Finally Quit …And So Can You: How to Gain Everything by Quitting” There’s no better day than today to say, “I Finally Quit.”