Quit Smoking Aids

These will be your allies against nicotine. All of these things will benefit you a great deal if you use them wisely.

The more things you have in your arsenal to help you out, the better chance you’ll have at succeeding. You can’t do it alone.

You can quit successfully, but you’ll need help.

You can’t expect to quit and have everything run smoothly. It’s simply not going to happen that easily.

If that’s the case, do you want to be alone, or do you want to be surrounded by as many positive helpers as possible?

In my own personal experience, I couldn’t have done it without them. Not only do they change your mindset, but they also make you a better person, I think. See for yourself!

MUSIC – This aid is IMPERATIVE to your quitting experience. It simply must have some sort of presence in your life.

It’s a great ally, and a reliable friend, at times.

I’m a huge fan of music. I carry music with me wherever I go. A lot of people do.

Are you one of them? If not, I strongly recommend buying some headphones.

Whenever I take a walk, I’m listening to music. If I’m on the bus, I’m listening to music. Even when I’m sitting in front of my computer at home, I’m listening to music.

Make a playlist.

If you do have some sort of MP3 player, create a playlist that is inspirational to you, or one that has emotional attachment to you.

It can be dance music, ballads, or anything. The sky’s the limit!

You know in your own life what music you prefer, and what moves you the most. I can’t decide that for you.

Make it fun!

There will be countless triggers along the way, and if you have music by your side, you will be better equipped to face them.

You might be at a vulnerable moment, but music will remind you to stay strong, instead of being weak.

There will be times, especially at the beginning, when you might feel depressed. Nicotine will try to make you feel sad for quitting.

Don’t let it!

Let music turn that depression around into something positive and forward-thinking. It can totally be done!

Even if you’re going through physical pain, the right music will help you not care about it, because you’ll be looking towards the future with great hope.

So, as soon as you put that last cigarette out for good, reward yourself by buying an MP3 player. If you already have one, then great!

Make a playlist.

Choose only your favorite songs. Listen to it all the time. If you’re feeling vulnerable or at a weak moment, listen to your music and feel the positive energy it brings to you.

Music is a great quit smoking aid. I don’t know if I could’ve done it without having it by my side. It’s with me wherever I go, so naturally it plays a big role in my life.

I strongly encourage you to do the same. You’ll be ahead of the game if you do. It’s just one more ally by your side when you need it most, and that’s a great thing to have!

EXERCISE – This is HUGE! Exercise plays a big role and is a very important thing to do.

It can totally change your life! You may wind up a completely different person by the end of it.

Are you overweight? Do you wish you were more in shape? Could you stand to lose a few extra pounds?

I’m sure most people would say YES to at least one of those. Losing weight should not be the prime focus and reason to quit, though. It’s merely a benefit.

Exercise does, however, play an important role in your attempt at quitting smoking.

When you quit, you’re going to need to stay busy to keep your mind off cigarettes. Your energy is also going to go through the roof!

You’ll want to do more things, and be more productive.

Exercising is great because it’s so good for your body. Even a simple walk around the block once a day will do wonders for you.

Not only is it good for the body, it’s also good for the brain.

The more oxygen to your brain, the better it will function. And the more it will function, the better your life will be because of it.

It’s a win-win situation!

Start out lightly. Don’t go at it FULL FORCE or anything, or you might injure yourself and highly regret it.

Take baby steps.

A simple walk around the block will do just fine for starters.

Perhaps after a while, you could double it. Then maybe go hiking somewhere.

If it’s summer, go swimming or canoeing. If it’s winter, go skiing or snowboarding.

Even shoveling snow in your driveway is good. There are tons of things you can do.

Are you a runner? Would you like to be a runner someday but need the extra push?

Jogging is a great activity.

It works almost every muscle group at the same time.

It’s great if you need to lose a few pounds. You don’t have to sprint down the road or anything. A light jog at a mere 1 mile per hour is just fine.

Remember, take baby steps.

After you quit smoking, all the stuff that’s been in your lungs for years will begin to come out.

You’ll probably cough more at the beginning, but it will fade over time. Running just speeds up the process.

The bigger the workout to your heart and lungs, the faster they will repair themselves.

Soon, you’ll be able to run longer and you’ll get winded less often. Plus you’ll be breathing deeper than before.

Your sleeping patterns will see an improvement.

If you have breathing problems because of smoking, then I strongly suggest doing some sort of exercise routine after you quit.

It doesn’t have to be grand in scale, just do something. Your heart and lungs will thank you for it.

Besides, who WOULDN’T want to breathe better? I know I would.

Communication will be better, singing will be better, EVERYTHING will be better once you throw those nasty cigarettes away for good.

I strongly recommend joining a gym, getting a membership, and getting a workout routine going. It will keep you busy, and you’ll be a healthier person because of it.

You’ll feel great everyday!

REMINDERS – These help a lot, and they can be anything.

A note on a wall you frequently look at, a rubber band around your wrist, a stamp on your hand, a sign on your door, a certain song, ANYTHING!

They are probably the most useful, too. They are there to remind you to not have a cigarette, and that you are a non-smoker.

I had notes posted everywhere when I quit. I even had a note in my phone, so I could read it when I was away from home.

LETTING PEOPLE KNOW YOU QUIT – Some people try to hide the fact that they quit, so if they relapse, no one will know about it.

That’s not a good thing, because that’s an excuse to smoke.

That’s an endless cycle that needs to be stopped.

If you aren’t willing to let everyone know you quit, you probably don’t really want to quit in the first place.

People who truly want to stop, deep down, will do ANYTHING it takes, and that includes telling every single person in their life.

That way, if they do relapse, everyone will know and they will have to explain themselves and be held accountable for their actions.

RENT A TV SERIES – It may sound like a cheesy thing to do, but it helped me tremendously that first week.

I rented a TV series I was interested in, and started at the beginning, and watched the entire run. It gave me something to do.

It took time. Time is of the essence when you first quit.

Granted, this was at a time when you actually had to go somewhere to rent a movie, like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video. Those days are long gone.

Now just find your favorite TV series on Netflix or Hulu.

Don’t have those things? You could still buy a series at the store if you want. They are cheap.

Each day I couldn’t wait to get home to keep watching. It definitely kept me out of trouble, and that can be a life-saver.

I knew that once I was home, I was safe from smoking for the duration of the night.

Watching my TV series kept me motivated to get home as quickly as I could, because I was excited about it.

READ A BOOK – Reading books occupy your time, and if it’s a fascinating book, you won’t be able to put it down.

When you’re reading, you aren’t smoking, so that’s a good thing.

Pick up a book from your favorite author, or dive into a category or genre that interests you. There are endless possibilities with this one.

Even tabloid magazines count. That’s my favorite kind. I could read those all day.

Buy a stack and take them home to read. Order a subscription if you feel like it.

You’ll enjoy yourself and keep your mind off doing bad things at the same time.

TAKE A BIKE RIDE – If it’s nice out, go out for a bike ride. Go for as long as you want!

Find a different route than you are used to taking. Go explore the city, the countryside, or wherever you may be.

It’s good exercise, you can enjoy your surroundings, and you won’t be smoking.

Does it get better than that?

SLEEP – I love sleeping! I don’t get enough of it with my busy schedule. I try to get enough each night, because I enjoy relaxing in bed, even if I’m not actually sleeping.

Taking naps are also important.

Plus sleeping re-energizes your body, and refreshes you, so that’s always welcome. You’ll wake up feeling better than before.

What’s good for the mind is good for the soul.

Sleep as much as possible those first few weeks.

The more time that passes, the faster you’ll get over the physical withdrawal.

If you feel a heavy craving coming on, and you’re at home doing nothing, take a nap. You’ll rid yourself of the cravings, and wake up feeling much better.

COFFEE – It’s a life-saver if you ask me. When you quit, your body is going to need a fix.

When you smoke cigarettes, you are essentially getting high every time you inhale. So when you take that away completely by going cold turkey, what’s going to happen?

Your body is going to scream at you, begging you to smoke.

So you need to fill that void with something.

Coffee, or any form of caffeine, can somewhat fill that void. Maybe not completely, but it sure does help.