You probably want to quit smoking but don’t know how. Allow me to inform you that the most effective way to quit smoking, in the long-term, is to change the way you think about yourself, your health and your life. If you want to live a smoke-free and healthy life you have to adopt the thoughts that flow with the idea of a smoke-free and healthy you.

The way you live is the way you think. Constantly think good health and joyous living. Keep your thoughts away from smoking as if cigarettes never existed. Change your line of thinking and you can live life the way you want; where you choose your destiny as a healthy person.

Here are a few ways you can start to change your thinking patterns and habits toward smoking:

1.There is a huge power in the question ‘why’; the reason ‘why’ you want to quit smoking. When you find the ultimate reason why you want to quit smoking and you feed those reasons regularly to your mind, you will be rid of that habit. So start off the habit of being smoke-free and healthy by writing as many reasons as you can as to why you want to give up smoking. Then choose the top three most powerful reasons and read them with feelings twice or more daily.

2.Your next step is to write down all the benefits that you will gain by quitting smoking. A few examples to get you thinking: I will live longer, I will feel healthier, I will sleep better, I will feel better, my hair and hands and clothes will smell better, I will save a lot of money that I could put to better use, and many more. Again, read the benefits of quitting smoking as many times as you can during the day.

3.It helps to plan a replacement for your smoking habit. One suggestion is to repeat healthy affirmations as often as possible. For example, with emotional intensity repeat the affirmations: ‘I let go of unhealthy thoughts and I feel great. I release the need for unhealthy habits in my life. I am healthy, full of energy and vitality. I sleep soundly all night.’ The idea here is to keep your thoughts and mind occupied with healthy living rather than about quitting smoking. If you keep thinking about quitting smoking, you will still think about smoking. Get smoking completely out of your mind and fill it with healthy thoughts.

4.Another suggestion is to replace smoking with healthy food or drink; for example, eat plenty of carrots, apples and tomatoes, and drink a lot of water.

5.With the summer fast approaching, you could begin an exercise programme. Exercise relieves stress, releases happy hormones and is great in helping your body recover from the damage caused from years of smoking. If it has been a while since you last exercised, start off slow and gradually build up on it. When I quit, I exercised on a rowing machine. I started off rowing three minutes three times a week, and then increased my time gradually one minute per week. Now I row for an hour (on a good day) every day. It is recommended to consult a physician or your doctor prior to starting any exercise programme.

For you to quit smoking, you will need to make that all-important decision that you want to and must quit smoking. By using the ‘why’ as your driving force, you go to work on your day-to-day thoughts.

By adopting healthy-living thoughts you will be rid of the pain of smoking; the coughing, the wheezing, the sleepless nights, being constantly out of breath, and more.

Change your inner, core thoughts and quit smoking and live a smoke-free and healthy life.

For more information on how to have a meaningful life and to expand your personal capacity for happiness and success, visit: http://www.insight4you.com

Hani Al-Qasem is a self-improvement expert. He co-authored the e-book “Self-Confidence Building in 7 Steps.” Go to the website above now and download your FREE copy of the e-book and start today to change your life for the better.