Since I’m an ex-smoker and others have made the jump, forgive my cheerleading.

What worked for me was really breaking it down to a day by day and craving by craving issue. Many situations that I would be encountering where I would typically smoke and be most tempted I was not, probably because I prepared myself for it. It was weird, but I had less problems in those situations.

The worst cravings were when I wasn’t prepared for them, not thinking of them, then they came. But you only have to make it to the other side of that craving. Don’t worry about smoking, how long you’ve smoked, and think you’ll never quit, and most importantly… do not cheat. You cannot just smoke a little.

You have to tell yourself you do not smoke anymore. You’re a non smoker. Just for another few hours, just today. Then tomorrow, just don’t smoke tomorrow. Don’t think big, think small. Just make it through the day, through that party, through that craving. Then the next one.

It’s like a door you shut. Every little craving is another little brick you lay covering that door over. Believe in yourself, believe you can do it. Your body will try to convince you you can’t, it will induce fear in you, convince you to give it the nicotine it wants. Don’t let it win.

The cravings are like bad dreams, nightmares: when you’re in them they’re all consuming because you believe you’re actually in them. Once you realize you’re in the bad dream the power dramatically reduces: cravings are the same. Once you realize you’re in one and your subconscious is trying to convince your conscience to find a way to rationalize the smoking, you’ve made it over the top. Just hold on a little longer… it will pass.

Then go lay another brick.

Then come the smoking dreams where you are smoking, and feeling like crap that you started again, feeling down… then you wake up and realize you’re still good, you’re still a non smoker. Those are freaking killer.

If you make it a little while, but then cheat. It’s OK. You started. You stuck your toe in the water. Just realize when you quit, you have to do it fully. If you need pharma, do it. If you need to sleep with a watermelon, do it.

Just do it.