We all have some bad habits. Some we picked up as children and some we just used as coping mechanisms for too long, but we all have them and that’s a part of being human. However, some habits cause more harm than others, and on top of that, they might be physically addictive to us. This is a case with cigarettes. They don’t do a single thing that is good or healthy for your body, and they are so addictive that millions of people around the world just can’t stop smoking them.

However, with so many success stories, there must be a way to quit, so here are some tips.

Find a Cause

You might not think that smoking is all that bad for you. You don’t feel the effects and you see people well into their silver years still smoking a pack a day, living good lives. You might also not be affected by the cost, because you’re just used to putting away the money for this habit. However, if you have children, this could quickly change, as you can see how this can affect both their health and their social interactions – cigarette smoke gets into clothes and hair and kids can get shunned by their peers if they smell of smoke all the time. So if not for yourself, think of the damage you might be doing to them and make that your motivation.

Get Some Help

Remove Temptation

It’s always hardest in the beginning, and it gets even harder if you are constantly surrounded by temptation. If you have other smokers in the home and packs are just laying around on the table, you’re more likely to reach for one, and if your daily routine has little pockets of smoke breaks with colleagues, you will probably still want to do that even if you’re not smoking. But those situations are what leads you to taking another smoke and getting back into the cycle. It might not be a bad idea to inform your friends and family to not smoke in your presence, at least in the beginning, and avoid going into areas heavily populated with smokers. Of course, you can’t expect people to change their lives for you, but it never hurts to ask.

Find Support

Besides not being pressured back into smoking, you might also need some support to stay clean. Some motivation from people who are on the same journey as you are or that have quit smoking years ago can be a true inspiration and motivation when things just seem too hard and endless.

Replace Habits

Rather than just dropping a habit, you might want to replace them with something else. Your smoke breaks don’t need to disappear – they can become walking breaks where you put on some music and just take a stroll around the block. Maintaining your routine will help you stick with it, because it will feel like less of a change. And if you use smoking as a coping mechanism – remember that smoking is literally just taking deep breaths. That is what calms you down, not the nicotine, so perhaps find a quiet corner and just practice some breathing exercises.

Don’t Give Up

Just because you lapsed and had a cigarette when you went out with friends one night, doesn’t mean that everything is ruined and you should throw it all down the drain. The “streak” isn’t at all important – it’s the individual decisions you make every day when you choose not to take a cigarette. One mistake doesn’t erase that and doesn’t put you off track, just one step back – and you’ve taken so many steps forward that this literally doesn’t mean anything. So just stick with it and remind yourself why you are doing this. The vape community has exploded and for good reason. Vaping is a healthier alternative to smoking cigarettes, and it’s becoming more popular by the day. The problem with this though is that vaping can get expensive quickly as you try out different flavors. Luckily, there are many ways to find ejuice steals online so that you’ll never have to break your bank account again!

If you are reading this, you are probably a smoker trying to quit, and you’ll be happy to know that there are so many ex-smokers around the world whose lives have changed for the better when they quit for good, so no matter where you are on the journey, you are taking steps towards a better, healthier and happier life, so don’t give up!