I don't have the willpower to quit smoking forever.
That's okay. Fortunately you only have to have the willpower to quit today. Often times, when we think that we are setting goals, we are instead creating obstacles. Never imagine yourself struggling with this smoking addiction ten years down the road. Each day starts fresh. At the times that you most want a cigarette, put it off. Not forever, not even for the day. Just tell yourself that you can wait 15 minutes.
Brush your teeth, pop a mint, or pick up a book. Anything to distract your hands and mind. If after 15 minutes, you still feel tempted, know that you are strong enough to delay yourself again. The important point is to never look at smoking cessation as an all or nothing proposition. You will have good days and bad days, but stick with it. With perseverance, you will find that the good days begin to out number the bad days.
I don't want to gain weight.
Not many of us want to gain weight, so this is an understandable fear. Over the years, the weight gain- stop smoking connection has been greatly exaggerated. Not everyone that quits smoking will gain weight, and even the people that do average a gain of only ten pounds. If even ten pounds is enough to make you hesitate, you should realize that stopping the cigarette habit does not mysteriously cause weight gain. People that gain weight when they quit smoking do so for two reasons. They eat more and they are less active.
Regardless of what type of smoking cessation program you use, mindless eating is likely to sneak up on you. This probably has less to do with chemical withdrawal than it does the need to keep your hands busy. As far as the lack of activity goes, without having to make those trips outside the office building to smoke, you are probably a much more productive employee, which is good, but you probably spend a lot more time in your chair. Take a few breaks during the day, even a few brisk trips up and down the hall will help, but consider heading outside once or twice a day as well. There is no reason smokers should have all the fun, right?
I'll try again Monday.
Sure you will, we all will. In the mean time, you will probably smoke more than normal over the weekend, as you prepare to quit. The trouble is, unless you change your behavior, you are no more likely to make it through Monday as you are today. To quit smoking, you cannot think in terms of success and failure. If you slip, no need to wait for another day, week, or month. So, you messed up, big deal, stub out the cig and go on with your life.
