I don't know if this will help you but let me share my experience. My first day being smoke-free started on Feb 1/96 (so I'm approaching my 6th anniversary). It was my New Year's resolution that year but realistically who can quit on Jan 1? You've already had 5 cigarettes by 1am while you're partying on New Year's Eve. So I gave myself the month of January to psych myself out. I also read the book, "The Runaway Jury" by John Grisham during that time which is about suing the tobacco industry. That book helped me to understand a few things, you should visit your library and see if you can get a copy - it might help you too.

When I began my smoke-free life I would challenge myself at each craving and say, "Who's going to win Sylvie, you or the cigarette? Who's stronger Sylvie, you or the cigarette?" Some challenges were more nerve-wrecking than others but I took it one craving at a time. Before I knew it days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. At that point when I had a sporadic craving I would say, "Are you going to blow x-number of months on a stupid cigarette?" Then months turned into years. I've never looked back.

What else can I say, this has worked for me.

Sylvie P