How I did it: Have you  heard of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)? It's a psychological technique that deals with how our brains process word-thoughts. I used NLP, without realizing it, to stop smoking.

One cannot envision quitting an action without first visualizing performing the action. This is what trips up the brain. To see yourself stubbing out a cigarette (quitting), you must first see the cigarette being tapped out of the pack, brought to the lips, lit, drawn upon, THEN stubbed out. This is the ACT of smoking.

If you think, "I'm trying to quit smoking", you're still focusing on the act of smoking, and still focusing on seeing the behaviors of a person who smokes.

The brain is compelled to cause you to act according to the image it holds within--so if it thinks "I am a smoker (but trying to quit)", it sees the behaviors of a smoker and tries to process the "not doingness" of quitting.

Lessons & tips: What I did was change the message I told myself about smoking. I simply decided that from this moment forward, I am a non-smoker. Amazingly, my behavior changed immediately. I just kept repeating to myself and all who asked that I'm a non-smoker, yes, I'd like the non-smoking section, thank you, no I don't have a lighter, I'm a non-smoker... and I haven't smoked since October 30, 1999 nor have I had any significant cravings or mood issues.

Initially I had to unlearn the habits that went with smoking. There were some automatic motions I'd developed, such as reaching for a smoke while driving. I'd catch myself in the act, reaffirm calmly, "Oh, that's right, I'm a non-smoker now" and change my actions. It didn't take long to retrain myself to behave like a non-smoker.

I have faith in the power of the mind: change your thoughts, change your life.

If you believe you are addicted, then you will be. If you begin reaffirming constantly that you are free from addictions, you will be. And yes, IT IS THAT SIMPLE. Don't try to make it harder than this.

That's the sad thing: huge life changes such as addictions really do boil down to the simple act of changing the thought that provokes the addictive behavior. People spend millions of dollars and hours in therapy trying to fix themselves. I'm not saying therapy isn't worthwhile; it can help you unearth the core issues and limiting beliefs creating the problems. But I'm living proof that this can be done without drugs, without therapy, without expense, and immediately. And it works. It sticks, too. Once you've changed your mind, it'll stay changed until YOU DECIDE to change it back.

Resources: Any books/CDs/programs on NLP, the Law of Attraction, or self-development by authors such as Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins, Joe Vitale, Deepak Chopra, and so on. It's not about the smoking, it's about the THOUGHTS.

Good luck! You CAN do this!

Jan 01, 2009, 03:00PM PST | 0 comments | 1 cheer