I used to smoke. In 2017 I decided to quit. I also started journaling in 2017. These lessons were extracted from notes in my journal.
The Benefits
Within a few months my resting heart rate dropped from +- 68, to less than 60. Within a year I felt fitter then I did while smoking.
Get clear on motivations
Listing all the reasons for doing something is important. For me it was obviously health, and being a good role model for my children.
Reframing it as a choice
Instead of framing it as "quitting" choose another frame like "I am choosing to live a healthier life by not smoking"
Set a stop date
Set a quit date. You could most likely miss this date, which is totally ok. Just keep at it.
Make sense of your underlying reasons & thoughts
Effectively you have to make sense and figure out your unique triggers and needs are. For me these were:
Associations & habit (Coffee, Food)
Needing time to think / stressed
Social Interaction
You have to figure out what your internal thought patterns are. What do you tell yourself when you decide to smoke?
Have a plan
I came up with a plan and strategies to deal with cravings. This plan evolved over time. For example:
Associations / Cravings. Drinking water, eating a sweet as a last resort nicotine gum
Walking when I needed time to think
Going to someones desk to have a conversation
Reward Yourself
Come up with a set of rewards for day 1, day 2, day 3, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months & 1 year
Understand the consequences
Keep the negative consquences top of mind. My grandfather passed on due to throat cancer so this was an important motivator for me.
Try this out and let me know if it works.