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Cigarettes are a hard thing to give up. Many of us want to do it alone - but it's not as easy as putting the pack down. Here are some tips that will make quitting a little easier.
1) Never carry matches or a lighter with you. Always having to bum a light will make it harder for you to give in to the urge without thinking about it first.
2)Wrap each cigarette with a post-it note. When you unwrap it write on the post-it note why you had to have that cigarette. Put you notes up on your mirror or fridge so you will see them accumulate as you smoke.
3)Chew gum when you have a craving for a smoke.
4)Do not give into a cigarette craving for three minutes. This will give you time to decide if you have to have it and keep it from being a reflex.
5)Set a goal of something you want (a CD, a night away, concert tickets) and calculate how many packs of cigarettes equals the cost. When you pass up that many packs reward yourself.
6)Don't store up cigarettes. Force yourself to go out for the next pack after you finish the first.
7) Do not carry cigarettes on your person. Put them in a hard to reach spot (in a box somewhere).
8) Set aside one boring place you allow yourself to smoke. Make it as undesirable as possible so that smoking is not associated to pleasure.
9) Put all the ashtrays away so that they are not a reminder to smoke.
10)Each day add five minutes to the time you light the first cigarette.
11) Ration out a number of cigarettes for each day. Do not allow yourself more. Decrease each week by one cigarette per day.
12) Smoke three quarter of each cigarette the first week, half of the cigarette the second week, one quarter of it the thirds and so on until you don't need to light one.
13) Brush your teeth often to get the taste out of your mouth so you don't crave it.
14) Begin exercising half an hour each day.
15) Take a lot of showers - you can't smoke in the shower.
No matter how you do it - it is important to quit. I hope you find some of these tips helpful. Best of luck!
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