While we may all see plenty of benefits to quitting smoking, and even while we truly want to stop, the very thought of quitting smoking may stop us in our tracks. Plenty of folks have told us how hard it is and we may have some previous unsuccessful attempts of our own that remind us that quitting smoking might be the hardest thing we’ll ever do. Let’s take a deep breath and try to break it down into S.M.A.R.T. goals.

S.M.A.R.T. goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. While your personal quit plan needs to be tailored specifically for you, the guidelines below can really help you on the journey to being free from tobacco’s death-grip.

Specific: It will help to first recognize that there are different sorts of smoking; habit or routine smoking, buddy or social smoking, craving smoking -when your body starts to freak out a little due to a lack of nicotine, and mood smoking – when we’re angry, anxious, bored, or discouraged. Try to develop a fine-tuned goal for each type of smoking. Be as specific as you can. Here are some good goals, made more Specific:

I’ll exercise more and smoke less.

    At break time I'll ask my buddy to come for a brisk walk rather than go to the smoking area. 

I’ll learn some new coping skills.


    When I feel tense I'll try deep breathing for 2 minutes.

I’ll change my habits.


   After I start the car I'll put a piece of cinnamon gum in my mouth.

Measurable: How will we know if we’re hitting our target if we don’t measure, right? So “smoking less” may be a worthwhile goal, but we’re more likely to achieve it if we make it more measurable. Let’s start by being honest with ourselves about how many we smoke each day. Do a baseline count. Then set a target number per day. Reducing a pack per day habit by two cigarettes is a 10% reduction in the soot in your lungs and the nicotine in your brain! And what if you aim to reduce by 2 per day and only reduce one? Well, a 5% improvement is a big deal. Keep it Measurable. Keep moving. You’ll get there.

Achievable: Is life without tobacco achievable? Of course it is! And it’s even better than you think it will be! But let’s keep our eyes on the small steps along the way, so we don’t become overwhelmed by the ultimate goal. On any given day, quitting may seem unachievable, but focusing on a single small step in the right direction can keep us in the game. Getting some support makes a big difference too. Enlist the support of a Quit Buddy or Coach and you’ll see the goals as more Achievable.

Realistic: Switch from 40 cigarettes per day to a 21mg nicotine patch overnight? While it may be possible, most experts agree that reducing your number of cigarettes per day to 20-25 increases the likelihood that the patch will help control your withdrawal symptoms. Having realistic expectations about what your quit medication can do (and what it can’t do) will prevent avoidable struggles along your way. Those struggles could trip you up and convince you that quitting is too hard! Getting information and support from qualified professionals can only improve our chances by keeping our expectations Realistic.

Timely: Putting some reasonable time limits on quitting goals keeps us from putting it off too long. Even if we’re not ready to quit today, we could aim to have a quit day ‘inked in’ before the end of the month. Interestingly, writing our quit date seems to help some folks perceive it as more possible. And while we have the pen and calendar out, let’s set an appointment with our doctor – they’ll be glad to help. Calendars and appointments keep us moving toward the goal. Clocks and watches can too. Let’s try flexing our quit muscles by just delaying our next smoke by 15 minutes, or even an hour. It’s time to get started, don’t you think?

You deserve to be free and S.M.A.R.T. goals can help get you there. Take a deep breath and let’s go!

Thinking about quitting smoking? Not quite sure where to begin? This idea always helps, whether you’re a heavy smoker, light smoker, or social smoker. Four quick questions and a pencil will not only bring you some important information to help you quit, but the act of collecting the data will actually move you closer to your freedom. So what are we waiting for? Here’s all you need:   

·         a couple index cards, preferably lined

·         a pencil (preferably a golf pencil – short enough to fit into your pack)

·         a rubber band (optional)

Fold or cut the index card so that it can slip inside the plastic wrap on the front of your pack of smokes. If you want more room for writing, you can wrap the card around your pack rather than cutting it and attach it to the pack with a rubber band.

Make four columns on the card and label the columns T, A, M, and I. And if you’re wondering how this could help you quit smoking, don’t worry. It really will, no matter how unlikely it may seem right now.

Here’s how it works:

One simple rule – Before I light up, I have to write up every cigarette. (Repeat that a few times.)

That’s it. Pretty simple, but don’t be misled. This simple tool really will give you helpful insight into why you smoke and that information can help you be a smarter quitter!

Four simple questions – Just answer the four questions in the four columns before you light up.

Time – What time is it? Jot it down and indicate am or pm.

Activity – What are you doing as while you want this cigarette? Coffee? Driving? Telephone? Whatever it is, write it up, and yes – you’ll need to write small or abbreviate.

Mood – Now some moods are easier to identify than others. Anger and anxious are usually pretty easy, but if you can’t figure out your mood, it’s probably boredom.

Intensity – On a scale of 1-5, how badly do you want this particular cigarette? An example of a 1 would be the cigarette we would smoke automatically – perhaps whenever we get in the car. A 5 would be a cigarette when we’re extremely agitated and we think smoking will calm us down.

Please collect this data for 3 days and try to include both weekdays and weekend days, since our schedules and routines can vary. If you miss a few cigarettes, try to fill in the information as best you can. And having the pencil right inside the pack makes remembering pretty easy.

Here’s what happens when we use TAMI cards:

·         When we use TAMI cards we’ll see a drop in our number of cigarettes per day because thinking about each one helps us see that we don’t need some of them. Smoking fewer cigarettes per day moves us closer to our goal. These quickly identified low-intensity cigarettes are easy to skip.

·         When we use TAMI cards we’ll gain insight to the habits and feelings that are associated with smoking. This will be extremely helpful as we try to develop a quit plan.

·         And we’ll probably sputter and complain at least a little when we grab our pack and see the card which reminds us that we need to write up before we light up. TAMI cards are effective because they disrupt our routines. So go ahead and grumble, but smile because you’re on your way to a life without tobacco!

     Download this for a friend right HERE.

Balance is vital. Balance is an essential aspect of the universe. In fact, the entirety of the universe attests to balance. The interrelatedness of the universe necessitates the balance and its unceasing motion seeks balance.

Our relationships require balance as well, if they are to be healthy. Two characteristics of healthy relationships which must be kept in balance are illustrated below. 

Both of the words happen to begin with ACC, which will hopefully help us to remember both characteristics. Either characteristic can be overdone and throw a relationship out of balance and into dysfunction. First, we need to accept one another, or offer ACCeptance to all members of the community. We ought to acknowledge that we are all flawed or uniquely dented by our genes and our experiences. We appreciate diverse beliefs and less than “perfect” conduct while striving to be always respectful of each soul. We accept each other when we have fallen short, slipped, fallen off the wagon, or jumped. But while we allow each other to be ‘imperfect,’ we care enough about one another to offer some means of ACCountability.

Too much acceptance, without any accountability can quickly make it too easy to not try too hard to grow or change. Addictions will fool us into thinking we’re doing OK when we’re not really making progress. Too much acceptance makes it easy for us to not change. Unless there is someone there to ask us to give an account of our efforts, urge us to try harder next time, offer us some suggestions, we may settle for less than we ought to have.

Too much accountability is every bit as dangerous as not enough. Accountability which seems harsh, demanding, or judgmental will drive people out of the fellowship or relationship, leaving them isolated and perhaps disenfranchised.

The key is the balance.

As we continue to commune here, let’s try to be daily mindful of these two essential values and how balancing them allows us to ACComplish amazing things together.

SHAME - Doesn't help, and I believe it actually harms, since it causes smokers to question their self-worth and self-efficacy. Think about it. If we make smokers feel foolish or weak for smoking, have we made it easier for them to be successful at quitting?
 
BLAME - There's enough to go around. Here are the "responsible parties" as I see it...
1.) Our government taxes addicted people and cuts funding to quit programs. In Massachusetts it was a 95% budget cut to what may have been the most successful tobacco prevention program in the country. And on THE VERY SAME DAY the Governor signed a bill to DOUBLE the tax on each pack of cigarettes sold. That would seem to suggest that the government has become addicted to tobacco tax revenue and has stopped serving as an agent of public health.  
2.) Media companies who make $ix and $even figure agreements to secure tobacco products preferential placement in TV and movies are increasing smoking rates, especially among teens. They know it. The tobacco industry knows it (or they wouldn't be willing to pay for the "product placement.")
3.) The tobacco industry who has never told the truth about the health consequences of smoking, and has been trying to hide the truth about their product for decades. They increase nicotine levels in their product and add more and more chemicals each year in order to "enhance customer satisfaction." They also employ what is arguably the most effective group of political lobbyists on the planet, hence to spectacular LACK of regulation on an industry that kills 1200 Americans daily.
4.) And of course, there's the smoker who knows that tobacco is killing them but continues smoking. BUT... Once again, I question the value of blaming the smoker - Isn't it rather like shooting the hostage? Regardless of how they became "trapped," the only beneficial goal is to help them become free! I'm NOT saying that the smoker isn't responsible. I'm saying that shaming and blaming them will NOT bring a positive outcome. An overwhelming majority of smokers I know are already beating themselves up about smoking. Your eye rolling, judgmental, scolding comments could in fact be what
convinces them that they're hopeless. And you know what? When a person believes that they're hopeless, they are. If you can't say anything encouraging, please shut up. 

So let's stop the SHAME and the BLAME, and focus on the object of the GAME- Getting help for smokers who are ready to try to quit.

As your state and federal legislators are contemplating higher taxes on tobacco products be sure to call them and demand that more of the tobacco taxes go toward tobacco prevention and cessation services. Don't let them snow you with "offsetting tobacco related health costs." That isn't helping reduce the number of smokers. That's just paying for the health care costs that will continue to rise UNTIL WE REDUCE THE SMOKING RATE by providing high quality programs to help smokers who are ready to quit.