This exercise to help you quit smoking is one that I have used with success. It is an adaptation of a general method for breaking bad habits or addictions. Unlike many other stop smoking help methods, this is meant to be used over a period of days, weeks or however much time it takes for you to stop smoking. In the beginning you should use it while you are smoking, but mainly when you are about to light a cigarette.

The exercise is very simple, but you have to do it consistently. It can be done wherever you are and in all kinds of situations when you smoke.

You light up a cigarette and start smoking. After a while you suddenly crush the cigarette against the ashtray and stop. Just stop and continue with the other activities you were doing.

You will probably light up a new cigarette after a while, and you should do the same as you did before; stop smoking and throw your nasty cigarette away and never look at it again.

Every time you light up a cigarette and start smoking repeat this act. Each time you light a cigarette, shorten the time it takes to put it out. After a while you should notice that while lighting the cigarette you will put it out without smoking it at all. Continue this exercise as long as you find necessary, which means until you have stopped smoking.

Give this stop smoking exercise a chance; at least try it for a week, it can't damage you. It will only be an expensive habit that you are about to break. It is important to associate as many positive things as possible to being a non-smoker. Before you start this exercise think about it and write down all the good things you associate with not smoking. Also try to find out what you can do to substitute the short term gratification of smoking and replace it with an activity of even greater and long term gratification as non smokers have found to do. As a non-smoker you will find that life can be a more healthier and wonderful gift.

About the Author: Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and Sociologist who runs http://www.1st-self-improvement.net/. He writes about self improvement issues like Increasing self esteem, see http://www.1st-self-improvement.net/self_esteem_improvement.htm and stop smoking help, see http://www.1st-self-improvement.net/stop_smoking.htm

Source: www.isnare.com