Whether you’re losing weight, studying to advance your career, or kicking the cigarette habit, positive self-talk will serve as a stepping stone for the positive action needed to achieve any goal. Negative self-talk promotes limitation; after all, if you tell yourself, “I’ll never be able to do this” then chances are you won’t be able to. When you’re a victim of negative self-talk, you stop looking for solutions and set yourself up for failure.

When quitting smoking, it’s imperative that you put the kibosh on negative self-talk. Restructure your thoughts into positive terms that will help you achieve your smoke-free goal. Let’s take a positive spin on a few of the negative scenarios you may encounter:

•“It’s not fair; all of my friends still get to smoke, why can’t I?”

Counteract feelings of self-pity, and remind yourself that your friends don’t “get” to smoke – they have to because they’re addicted to nicotine. Smoking is not a treat. Replace these negative thoughts with:

“I remember the vicious cycle of wanting to quit smoking every time I lit up; now, I’m free of those feelings of desparation. My friends wish they could quit smoking like I have.”

•“Life without cigarettes is empty and boring.”

Look forward to filling your “empty” life with a new hobby or spending quality time with friends and family. At 10 minutes smoking time per cigarette, a pack-a-day smoker wastes 3 ½ hours every day on smoking – it’s no wonder you feel like there’s a void in your life! Nip these negative thoughts with:

“At a pack a day, I used to smoke away nearly 4 hours every day. It will be great to spend time with the kids and actually get something accomplished during the day.”

• “I know that I’ll be miserable at the party because I can’t smoke.”

Counteract the message of self-depravation and shift your language to:

“Being smoke-free tonight will be a challenge, but I’ll get the practice I need to learn how to live my life without having cigarettes woven into every activity. I know that any discomfort I may encounter is just a temporary stage in the healing process. I’m growing stronger with every smoke-free day.”

Replacing negative thoughts with a positive internal dialogue is empowering. Change the way you think and feel about smoking, and let your positive thoughts guide you to a new set of beliefs – and a smoke-free life.

So, how are you talking it up?

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