You will probably go back to smoking if you tell yourself too often that you’re deprived. So talk to yourself. Talk about the benefits of not smoking. Remind yourself that you are healthier now that you are a nonsmoker. Remember, this has been a great accomplishment. You will begin to like yourself as a nonsmoker. It’s in your power to let either deprivation or determination take over. The best thing to tell yourself is: “I can do it! I can keep myself from smoking!”

When you’re in a difficult situation and feel like smoking, tell yourself, “The urge will pass whether I smoke or not.”

If you’re at a social gathering and someone tempts you by offering you a cigarette, think to yourself, “I can say, No! I feel good when I stand up for what I believe in.”

Here are some things to say to yourself when you want to smoke:

·        “The urge will pass whether I smoke or not.”

·        “I’m not going through the pain of quitting again!”

·        “I like my body when I’m not smoking.”

·        “I’ll distract myself until the urge passes.”

·        “I deserve credit for quitting smoking.”

If you’ve ever participated in sports, you will understand the value of this mental preparation. Just as athletes get mentally ready for a big event, you will have to “psych yourself up” for the smoking challenges you’ll face each day.

Visualization is another tool that athletes use. They “see” themselves scoring the winning run or clearing the high hurdle. In the same way, you can visualize yourself as having achieved the goal you have in mind – becoming a nonsmoker. Then act as if it were true. Here’s how you can do it:

·        Choose a positive phrase you are willing to repeat to yourself each day.

·        Visualize yourself in a new situation and continue to repeat that phrase until you begin to believe it.

Here are a few examples of phrases that you can use:

·        “I feel better since I’ve stopped smoking.”

·        I feel a lot more in control of myself.”

·        I am so glad that my world no longer revolves around cigarettes.”

·        There’s nothing that could ever get me to go back to smoking.”

·        I’m doing this because I finally decided I want to.”

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