Many Paths to Freedom
Thousands of brave folks trying to quit tobacco have certainly convinced me that there are many ways to succeed at quitting. What works for one person doesn’t always work for the next person.
That said, I would like to keep folks from facing avoidable frustrations. There are some basic truths which I think apply to every quitter’s journey, even while we are in some ways different. Over time, brave folks have cleared a few trails up the “mountain” we call quitting. Some of those paths are well-worn, tried, and true. So why not learn from the experience of those who have gone before us?
I value your autonomy and there’s research to show that people value their progress when they feel like they had some control of their destiny. If we were climbing a mountain for the sheer fun and sport of it, why not try to blaze a new trail? But since the “mountain” we’re climbing kills 1200 Americans every day, maybe we should focus on the safest possible paths.
Here are a few solid starting strategies for quitting tobacco (and with a few adjustments they’ll work for other journeys, too.)
1.) Get an honest assessment of “where you are” before you start. Your GPS needs to know your location before it can give directions. Having an honest handle on how much you use and why you use will give you a solid base from which to embark. We have some great tools for helping with this.
2.) Try out your tools BEFORE Quit Day! You don’t want to find out that your life-vest doesn’t fit after you’re already in the water. So for quitting tobacco (and again, adjust for your specific journey if it’s not tobacco) you ought to spend a period of time (at least 4-6 hours) wearing a patch or using nicotine patches, lozenges, or inhaler a week before Quit Day. Figuring out what to expect from them will give you more confidence when it counts.
3.) Engage the help of a trusted guide. You don’t have to do this alone. Let us know how we can help!
Good luck, see you at the top! http://ow.ly/i/wAau7
