You are not alone

We are soon going to ask you to make a solemn vow that no matter what happens in your life from now on, you are never going to smoke that first cigarette again.

Please never forget the following. 

Burn these facts into your mind. Reread this lesson again and again.

When you stop smoking, you are NOT making a sacrifice. The enjoyment does not come from the cigarette. 

It simply triggers it off. 

You will not face any great horror or pain when you stop.

Remember the law : What you resists persists. 

When you stop, do not worry or get uptight when you get these cravings to smoke.

Simply acknowledge and accept that you will get them.

They are a natural part of giving up.

In fact, the more times you have these cravings, the better.

It will give you more opportunities not to fear or fight them, but to simply stand back and watch them as if you were watching a beautiful landscape.

So when you get the feeling 'I would love to smoke - accept it as perfectly natural. The feeling isn't bad. What is important is how we deal with it.

Whenever you get the feeling, whether it is once or a hundred times a day - it doesn't matter. 

Simply allow and accept it.  Stay in the moment.

Remain a spectator. And if you can maintain this simple, neutral, non-judgmental awareness, like a scientist............ the energy of the feeling will change and the desire will simply dissolve of it's own accord.

Words cannot explain this extraordinary, simple but powerful process. It must be experienced.

So every time you simply allow - and do not get anxious or worried about them - what you are really doing, for the first time, is not giving them any more energy or life.......

And like everything in life, without energy and attention it will soon die out and be gone for ever.

So, in the next three weeks or so...... welcome this feeling ' I would really love a cigarette', whenever it comes!

DOUBT

However, there is one thing you must never never do:

Never question or doubt your decision never to smoke again once you have made it.

This deep feeling or desire for a cigarette is real and you must be very careful that you do not allow it to question or doubt your decision with thoughts such as......

'Maybe I'll have just one.' 

Or the most common and dangerous thought of all.....

'Maybe now is not the best time. No I'll have one cigarette now but I'll definitely start next week'.