Make Yourself a Priority

You eat well. You exercise. You care about your health — so why are you still smoking? Maybe you are working on a plan to    quit now, or maybe you haven’t even thought about quitting. Ditching your smoking habit involves going through a  progression of steps of mental readiness called the five stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation,  action and maintenance. They key is to be honest with yourself and accept where you are right now. No matter where you    fall on the continuum, taking the time to make yourself a priority is a great way to find motivation. After all, you deserve it!  Here is a fun exercise that can help:

Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the center. On the left-hand side write down all the good things you want in  your life. This could include quality time with family and friends, the time and space to exercise or to get a better night’s    sleep. On the right-hand side record the things in your life that you just don’t need anymore. This list could include things  like spending too much time in front of the television or the clutter on the kitchen table…or even spending too much money  on cigarettes each week. Now take action to eliminate everything on the right side of the paper. You will have more room for  all the good things. Making yourself a priority will help you stay strong throughout your day and improve your ability to  handle stress. Enjoy!