We are fast approaching that time when we make our resolutions for the coming year, and we find ourselves at midnight on December 31st full of good intentions, and ready to face whatever life will thrown at us in the coming year. But so often by the 2nd or 3rd of January the resolutions have been broken and the good intentions seem to melt into that distant haze, there to remain for another year. It is for that reason, if you are going to make a serious change in your life get the festivities out of the way first, and then make that serious commitment to yourself. One of the most popular resolutions these days has to be “I am going to give up smoking” and when you look at the picture supporting this post it really is a no brainer.

I am no doctor or healthcare worker, but I have been a very heavy smoker at various times in my life, and I know exactly how addictive nicotine can be. I have given up smoking twice, the first time I stopped for just over six years, and the second time, well I haven’t smoked since. The first time I stopped was because I wanted too, basically I just got fed up with smoking, the coughing in the morning, and constantly smelling like an ashtray, so it was relatively easy. The last time I was told by my doctor to stop, this she assured me would be easy as I was going to be prescribed Nicotine Patches, and what a disaster they turned out to be. If you are using the Nicotine Patches and you have a cigarette you get this supercharged nicotine rush, and that’s the last thing you need if you want to quit. The problem with all these aids is that you still associate  them with smoking, and the non smoking industry know that, and that’s why they can afford to spend millions on advertising this time of year, because they know they are going to make a fortune, selling their various pills, patches and potions.

There is another way, which costs nothing to use and is extremely effective, it worked with me the first time I used it, and the same with several of my friends and colleagues. This is a system that actually programs your brain and body too not smoke, and there is nothing to be associated with smoking when you stop. You need at least ten days but fourteen is better for the system to be most effective. The first step is to set the date you are going to stop smoking, this wants to be at least ten days, but it could be twenty one days if you wanted, the longer it is the more you are conditioned to stop. Step two, is to take a sheet of paper and write ” I (your name e.g. John Smith) am going to stop smoking on (date you set e.g. January 9th 2014) and I will not smoke again.” Step three, every day up to the day you have set to stop smoking you copy what you have written, directly under the previous line, this then starts to work as an affirmation instructing the brain that you wish to stop smoking on the set date. On the day before you stop, make sure you finish all you cigarettes, put away ashtrays, lighters and any other smoking paraphernalia. When the big day comes you just don’t smoke, you are bound to get a few moments when you fancy a smoke, but you just resist and it soon passes, because you are now a non-smoker. A close friend of mine had tried patches, different types of gum, and even one of the electronic cigarettes, all without much success, she then tried this method and hasn’t smoked since, that now is about twenty months ago.

Sometimes the worst thing is the actual fear of stopping, I know that I was very concerned about how I would cope without smoking, but it doesn’t take very long before you feel so much better, food tastes better, and you start to feel cleaner inside. Anybody trying this method who needs some extra support can email: theweightlosspath@gmail.com and we will make every effort to support and help.