Quit smoking motivation can be difficult to drum up.

Fighting off the urge to smoke is tough, especially in the moments when you’re triggered and experiencing cravings. It’s completely normal for motivation levels to fluctuate or wane over time.

“A habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time.” American writer Mark Twain is known for his open struggles with smoking. And like many ex-smokers, he clearly realized that at times he lacked the motivation to quit.

When you need quit smoking motivation, here are some tips.

If you’ve been looking for some quit smoking motivation, we’ve made a list of the five best tips and reasons to help you break your unhealthy nicotine addiction and give up the cigarette habit once and for all. The road to being smoke-free isn’t always easy, but it is definitely worth it.

1. Quit Smoking Motivation: Find a reason to quit!

Although this might sound obvious, you need a real, powerful, personal reason to quit. Perhaps it’s for the sake of your health- to lower your risk of developing cancers or heart conditions related to smoking. Or perhaps you want to protect your family from the effects of secondhand smoke. Or maybe you just want to look and feel younger…or to save money… Whatever the reason is, it has to be your reason.

(We often get asked about our stop smoking hypnotherapy sessions, and the above is true for quit smoking hypnosis as well; you need to want to quit, for yourself, not because someone else has told you that you should.)

2. Quit Smoking Motivation: Prepare yourself.

Just as Mark Twain said, kicking the habit involves a series of steps. Stay motivated and be ready to tackle the hurdles one at a time, by being prepared. Pick a date. Organise yourself in the leadup to that date, by speaking to your health professionals about what methods and support services might be beneficial to you (such as hypnosis, recommended classes and apps, or nicotine replacement therapies). Tell your close friends and family what you’re setting out to do; they can help with encouragement and quit smoking motivation, especially at the times when you feel tempted to light up again. Clean your house and rid your environment of ash trays, lighters, and other things that may tempt you to start up again. Grab some healthy snacks and a water bottle to keep on hand to help with hunger pangs and cravings.

3. Quit Smoking Motivation: Distract yourself with healthy habits.

Once you give up cigarettes, you’ll need to fill in the time that you would have previously spent smoking with other activities. There’s a bit of motivation to quit smoking in itself! Think of all those countless times that you had to step out of a restaurant, leave your desk at work, step outside when you had people over…all because you needed that cigarette. You will not only be healthier for quitting, you will be more productive, more present, and you will have more free time.

Taking up a new hobby is a great way to keep yourself distracted from smoking, and many people choose exercise as their hobby. Something as simple as going for a walk or jog can help to clear your mind and distract you from cigarette cravings. And what’s more, you’ll be working on your health and fitness too!

4. Quit Smoking Motivation: Address any mental roadblocks.

When you’re trying to quit smoking motivation may not come easily if you’re constantly stuck in your old ways of thinking. Quitting smoking is largely a mental game, with nicotine addiction being deeply rooted in the subconscious mind. Everyday activities and stressors can trigger cravings for cigarettes, which can lead to discouraging thoughts creeping in.

Hypnosis is a great tool for getting around this problem. With your permission, a professional hypnotherapist can guide you into a state of deep relaxation, where you can open your mind and address your subconscious thoughts. Many people say that they wish they had tried hypnotherapy to quit smoking sooner, as it made all the difference to their ability to say ‘no’ to cigarettes.

5. Quit Smoking Motivation: Remind yourself how much better off you’ll be without the smokes!

At the end of the day, the bottom line is that smoking is bad for you (and chances are you already know this). It’s damaging. For your health, for your finances, for your relationships, for the environment, and so much more.

When you’re searching within yourself for that quit smoking motivation that you need, remind yourself how much better off you’ll be once you kick the habit. Remind yourself that your lung and heart health will improve in the short and long term; that you will lower your risk of developing cancer; that your skin and dental health will improve. Remind yourself of how much money you’ll save, and what you can do with all the extra cash (a holiday? Or a new car, perhaps?). Remind yourself that you’ll people will no longer turn awkwardly at the smell of cigarette smoke on you as you enter a room, and that you won’t need to excuse yourself from dinner to go outside for a puff. There is so much to look forward to!

Chances are, if you’re ready to quit smoking motivation is already there- within you! You just need to take the first step and remember the above points if you stumble. Reach out to health professionals, friends and family for support, and contact us to see how we can help you on your journey to a healthier, smoke-free future.