This guest blog is courtesy of Quora contributor Vineet Kumar, profanely sane, with his answer to the question:
How do I quit smoking?
Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it a thousand times ~ Mark Twain
We all know authors of his stature are sarcastic.
Anyways, back to the question. Smoking can affect you in ways you can’t imagine. From lungs to your sperm count, you name it.
And mind it when I say that quitting smoking is not difficult. All it takes a little will power to survive initial phase of your cigarette free days and then it’s a smooth ride thereafter.
Some things that helped me quit:
1. When you smoke, you make friends, social friends, smoker friends. And till the time you are hanging around with them, it will be difficult for you quit.
Distance yourself from them. Don’t stop hanging out with them but when it comes to kick some cigarette butt, take a step back. Surround yourself with non smokers.
2. Be lazy. This helped me. I made sure that I never keep any cigarette in my home incase I have the sudden urge to smoke. Since I became lazy in this context, I didn’t feel like going out travelling to a mart to buy some. Worked wonders for me.
3. Eat chocolates. Studies show that Dark chocolate has same effect on your brain as smoking. And chocolates are good for sex too. Double win.
4. Each day, one day. This is important. Now, I am not asking you to suddenly wake up one day and decide ‘ Damn, I am gonna quit this smoking, and damn, I am gonna be healthy, damn‘. Nopes, this will never work. Instead of deciding for eternity, tell yourself each day ‘No matter what happens, I am not going to smoke today’.
5. Strengthen your will power. The urge to smoke can be triggered by anything. Seeing anyone smoke, seeing anyone light a matchstick. In times like these, resist yourself, and try to fight the smoker inside you. Also, those who smoke have less stamina in every sense. Now, who wants to come before his wife does?
Giving up smoking isn’t difficult. All it takes is a little will power, little determination, healthy habits and thinking of all those people who care about you.
Cheers.
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The original post, posted on September 4, 2013, can be found on Quora as Vineet Kumar’s answer to “How do I quit smoking?“