Quitting smoking is the hardest commitment you will ever make in your entire life. I know this because I've quit a lot of bad habits, including addiction to alcohol, and quitting smoking was by far the most difficult.

Did I say commitment? You may be thinking, "Whoa now, quitting smoking sounds too hard if I have to make a commitment".

I quit smoking four times before I "really" quit smoking. This is what usually happens with smokers. They want to quit but they really don't want to quit. So when they quit they start smoking again. They never set it in their mind to "really" quit.

First Step - Decide on a time frame and how many cigarettes you will smoke in a day. You cannot just stop smoking in one day because you will eventually crave for it. For instance, if you are smoking 15-20 cigarettes a day, you need to decide on lessening the number of cigarettes you smoke. This will be good to counter your smoking addiction, because you have a very realistic approach. Let's say you decide to smoke just about 10 cigarettes a day for a week. At the end of the week, give yourself a reward for the job well done.

Second Step - Find a support group. If on the second or third week, you are finding it very difficult to smoke less, tell your family and friends about your plan. Be sure to tell them everything so that they can support you all the way. If you want, you can also choose to join a local group for people whose goal is to stop smoking. Together, you can motivate each other and exchange tips on how to stop smoking.

Third Step - Keep a journal of your progress. It is good to check how you are doing. If you are not doing OK on a certain day, it will be evident on your journal. You should also take notes on what triggers you to smoke more. This journal will be your guide on what are the reasons why you smoke, and when are the times when you want to smoke.

Last Step - Prepare yourself for withdrawal symptoms because your smoking addiction and all forms of addiction definitely has a few withdrawal symptoms. You need to be ready for this. This will last for a few weeks. All you will have to do is not to give in to your cravings.

The easy way to change your mind's belief about smoking is to replace them with the correct ones. You can do this by reading positive statements over and over again until it reaches the deepest part of your mind. Write down the benefits that you will derive once you quit. State out the reasons why you need to quit smoking. Read this affirmations daily until you develop self-confidence.

Once you have prepared yourself, choose a quit date then stop. If you fail, quit again and never quit quitting until you succeed. If you realize that you can't quit on your own, then it is time for you to use quit smoking aids like the gum and patches. Talk to your doctor about using this products and always remember that quitting is possible, don't lose vision of your goals and soon you will free yourself from this addiction.