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Week 4
You think that you're not completely confident that you will be successful at quitting smoking, and you're concerned that losing motivation will be a problem for you. Confidence and motivation are closely related. They can be helpful feelings to have. But you don't always have to be confident (or motivated) to stay smoke free.
Did you know that feelings often follow behavior? If you behave in ways that are consistent with how you want to feel, you can often "create" the feeling. For example:
Smile
If you felt your spirits rise a bit, it’s not your imagination. Research suggests that making a facial expression (such as a smile) can produce effects on the body that are similar to those that result from the actual emotion (such as happiness). This also applies to "mental behavior." Negative self-talk like "This is too hard;" or "Why shouldn’t I be able to smoke?" or "Maybe just one won’t hurt;" can decrease feelings of motivation and confidence. Tell yourself how well you are doing and affirm your ability to be smoke free each day, and you can create these feelings.
Creating Motivation & Confidence
Success produces confidence and reinforces motivation. So having specific plans to follow to handle high-risk situations for smoking is more important than how you might feel during the situation. Here are some other ideas:
Don't indulge in negative self-talk
Counter with positive statements. For example, turn "I could concentrate better if I had a cigarette," into "Cigarettes rob my brain of oxygen. I’m better off not smoking."
Review the cons of smoking
Take time to think about the negative aspects of smoking. These include its effects on your health, your appearance, and your finances.
Review benefits of being smoke free
This is the flip side of reviewing the cons. It can help you remember the rewards that you are already beginning to receive.
Personalize your reasons for quitting
Having better health is a good reason. But why do you want to be healthier? Be specific. Imagine yourself smoke free and enjoying those aspects of being healthier that are most important to you.
Enlist your social support network
Talk with friends or family that you’ve asked to support you. They can help by encouraging you to take the needed steps to stay smoke free, especially during less motivated times. Sometimes this is as simple as being there to listen. Or they may help by getting you away from a "risky" situation.