The first step when you're not ready to quit

Quitting is a process and not a one time event but often smokers think that they should just wake up one day and quit. Instead, take it one step at a time. Don't know where to start?

Before you can make any changes, know where you are by keeping a diary of when you smoke--what time, what you are doing, how you are feeling. You will start to see patterns which will tell you what aspects you need to deal with.

Monitoring your smoking, will show you your habit cigarettes--after a meal, talking on the phone, many of these you know but a smoking dairy will tell you also about the times that you aren't aware of--when that cigarette seems important. This method will also make you more conscious about your smoking. So often smokers don't even realize they are smoking-it becomes a totally unconscious habit, just like driving becomes after years of practice. Keeping a diary will make each cigarette a conscious choice.

After keeping a smoking diary for a while, you will know when you are ready to take the next step towards becoming a former smoker by looking at your patterns and deciding which one to tackle first or what skills you need to learn to overcome the different ways you are connected to your cigarettes.

Believe in progress, not perfection.