Successfully Stop Smoking

Hello and welcome to Successfully Stop Smoking, my personal website where you can find out all you need to know about my book - Successfully Stop.

First of all, let me introduce myself.

My name is Lesley Huntley. I am 34 years old. I smoked on and and off from 14, and full time from when I was 16 years old. I quit for good when I was 30.

I started quitting smoking when I was 18 years old. In my first attempt, I rolled up cigarette papers to fashion a fake cigarette. I lit the end and blew it out. Amidst the outright laughter of my friends, when I felt the urge to smoke, I puffed on my imaginary cigarette.

Amazingly, this technique worked, and I managed to quit that time for around 6 months. By that stage the nicotine addiction was well and truly gone. However, I now realise I have done nothing to deal with my psychological addiction, so when I started spending time with a new group of predominantly smoking friends, it didn’t take much for me to take up right where I left off.

Over the next 12 years I quit smoking at least 10 times, every single time going back in a weak moment, usually involving socialising and alcohol. I thought I was doomed to this crazy habit forever. It was such a huge part of my life and so ingrained into everything I did, I really believed that ‘once a smoker, always a smoker.’

Finally I’d had enough. I had to give this away. I’d hit thirty and I knew it simply couldn’t go on from here. I’d always though, “I’ll never smoke beyond thirty, look at those thirty year old smokers, ew their just so oooold, I’ll never still be smoking when I’m thirty.”

I’m a writer, I’ve always written. So I sat down at my computer and I began to write.

I began to document exactly how I was thinking. I kept writing, just as record of how I was feeling. I went to smoking forums and talked to people all over the world. I remembered ever smoking conversation I’d ever had. I chatted with people who had quit, desperately trying to find answers to how I could quit for good.

I knew it had to be almost purely psychological. I mean, I was quitting for months at a time, nicotine had long since cleared from my system. My physical cravings were pathetic, verging on non-existent.

Yet, I would still want to smoke a cigarette, months after. In every situation, resisting cigarettes was torture. Every time my friend would light up, I would feel insufferable regret that I’d quit, and I’d want to share the love. There was no physical addiction whatsoever, but I couldn’t stop thinking smoking was something enormously enjoyable, that I wasn’t able to partake in any more.

Then, one day, I finally saw it.

One day, it was like the windows flew open, and a fresh breeze blew though (pardon the pun).

One day, finally, I saw the answer.

We all know the reasons why should quit, we would have to be from Mars not to know this. Quitting smoking has to be about the reasons we continue to smoke, despite the risks, not about the reasons we should stop.

If it were about the reasons we should stop, then that would be enough. It’s not, obviously, because we’re all still dying in our thousands every day from this crazy habit.

Once I had worked out that all it takes is a redirect in the way you think about quitting smoking, from one of dread and fear, to one of gratitude and celebration, I was able to quit for good, and never look back. I took each and every reason why I continued to smoke, (I’ll never be able to cope at work) and switched it to a thought of gratitude (I’m so thankful I’m not forced outside in the cold with those people from work I don’t even like very much, just to get my nicotine fix), I happily, easily and quickly gave away cigarettes fo rgood, and was thrilled to bits about it.

And that’s the system I cover in detail in the Successfully Stop Smoking.

Whatever stage of your smoking career you are at, you need to quit. Now.

I truly believe everyone needs to quit this crazy habit, and there is no time like the present, it’s never too late, far better to do something now than leave it till tomorrow, ________________ insert annoying cliche here, but if you are still smoking after 30, you’re mad. If you are under 30 and smoking, you’re mad, but can be forgiven.

If you’re over 30, and still smoking, you’re skidding down the slippery slope to a horrible, painful, distressing smoking related illness.

You need to quit smoking, for the love of all that’s holy, and you have to do this now.

And I’m here to help you, every step of the way.