John R. Polito

Want to stop smoking but haven't yet been able to pull it off? Consider a bit different approach. What's needed is what researchers call self-efficacy: belief that you can.

Try this. Instead of thinking in terms of strength or willpower, invite dreams and desires to become the wind beneath your wings. Consider borrowing from the following wish list in creating your own. Use this Word formatted copy to make additions or deletions in personalizing and printing your list.

Be sure to carry your dreams with you at all times and to reach for them if feeling challenged.

1. Substantially improved breathing
2. Much deeper sleep
3. Greater calm during crisis (smoking is not a stress-buster)
4. No more being nagged about quitting
5. Being generally happier and less depressed
6. Able to engage in brisk physical activity without becoming winded
7. Better rational control over impulsivity
8. Greater honesty with others
9. Less risk of hearing loss
10. Cleaner skin and hair
11. Enhanced pride, confidence and self-esteem
12. Up to 1,200 percent lower odds of developing COPD
13. More coins in my pocket each and every day
14. A hugely whiter smile that's not afraid to be seen
15. Vastly diminished odds of mouth or throat cancer
16. Clean, fresh breath that no longer needs to hide
17. An end to inhaling up to 69 cancer-causing chemicals
18. Less chance of developing leukemia: blood cancer
19. A temporary journey to crave-less days, weeks, months and hopefully years
20. Additional job opportunities
21. Diminished anxiety and greater patience
22. Slowly diminishing odds of coronary heart disease (up to 200%)
23. Substantially cheaper life insurance
24. My 37 trillion cells receiving more oxygen and fewer toxins
25. No risk of making children sick by breathing my secondhand smoke
26. Substantially less facial wrinkling
27. An end to inhaling up to 250 tissue-destroying toxins
28. Reduced odds of prostrate or cervical cancer
29. Relaxed, wider, less clogged and generally healthier blood vessels
30. Lower odds of developing squamous cell skin cancer
31. More room in my pockets or purse
32. Healed tastebuds with foods tasting more accurate: some better, some worse
33. Less chance of an abdominal aortic aneurysm
34. Keeping more hair longer
35. Less heartburn
36. No more inventing excuses for standing out in the heat, cold or rain
37. Cleaner clothes
38. Return of my natural sensitivities
39. Increased fertility
40. Lower odds of my cat or dog getting cancer
41. Diminishing odds of a stroke (up to 200%)
42. No more yellow fingers
43. Healthier gums with fewer root canals
44. Prolonged periods of deep relaxation
45. Diminishing risk of stomach cancer
46. Natural adrenaline levels
47. No more setting a horrible example for kids
48. A vacation for my heart (up to 17.5 fewer heartbeats per minute)
49. No more ash, butts, ashtrays or lighters
50. A cleaner-smelling house and car
51. The possibility of never again experiencing bronchitis
52. No more burn holes in clothes, carpets or upholstery
53. An opportunity to again meet the real and forgotten me
54. No longer feeling like a social outcast
55. Diminishing odds of bladder cancer
56. A vastly enhanced sense of smell
57. Stronger bones, reduced osteoporosis and fewer back problems
58. No longer creating 1 genetic cell mutation for every 3 cigs smoked
59. Less chance of going blind
60. No more late-night trips to the store
61. Each puff no longer permanently destroying additional lung air sacs (alveoli)
62. Diminishing likelihood of pancreatic cancer
63. The ability to fall to sleep faster
64. Re-grown cilia with fewer colds and flu
65. Self-honesty about why I smoked: a real drug addict / mentally ill
66. Greater opportunity to make non-smoking friends
67. No longer needing to tank up every waking hour of every day
68. Less absenteeism from work and greater productivity while there
69. The ability to stay seated for an entire movie or drive for hours
70. No longer exposing others to my smoke
71. More teeth at old age (an average of 5.8)
72. Less likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (44%)
73. Never having to think about quitting again
74. No more social pressure to quit
75. Diminishing odds of rheumatoid arthritis
76. Fewer doctor visits and medical bills
77. Smoking no longer gradually diminishing my IQ
78. Fewer headaches
79. The prospect of looking years younger
80. Declining odds of macular degeneration (200%)
81. An end to my wheeze or chronic cough
82. Gradually diminishing odds of lung cancer (up to 2,500%)
83. Lower blood pressure inviting serenity
84. A bigger bounce in each step
85. An end to inhaling smoke's 7,000+ chemicals
86. Less chance of experiencing middle-aged memory loss
87. Quicker wound and fracture healing
88. Improved odds of not becoming a smoking statistic
89. Hopefully, many extra years of life (at least 10 - the average lost)
90. No loved one left pondering why I committed slow suicide
91. No longer waiting for a house to fall on me before awakening
92. Living long enough to enjoy and draw retirement or social security
93. Living far healthier, happier and calmer once there
94. A permanent end to my neuro-chemical slavery
95. No longer daily handing the neo-nicotine industry my money
96. The promise of becoming nicotine-clean within 72 hours
97. The promise of moving beyond peak withdrawal within 72 hours
98. At last, realizing that recovery is good and wonderful not bad
99. Within 2 weeks, watching fear and dread melt into like or even love
100. The confidence that flows from mastering successful quitting's only rule (the Law of Addiction): that one equals all, that lapse equals relapse, that one puff would be too many, while thousands wouldn't be enough, that failure is impossible so long as I keep all nicotine on the outside.

A former 30-year 3-pack-a-day smoker, I took my last puff of nicotine on May 15, 1999 and have loved every minute since. Okay, so maybe the first few days, not so much. My health then in rapid decline, frankly, if I had not quit I'm absolutely certain that you wouldn't be reading these words. Online group support saved my life. If this quitting reason's list helps you, please share it. Together, we can make a difference.

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Turkey's Triumps

Stop smoking recovery timetable

3 Years vs. 3 Days by OBob (Gold)

Homecoming by John (Gold)

"I feel 100% better since I quit smoking" by Joel Spitzer

Tell a newbie how many seconds a day you still want a cigarette

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