Believe in yourself that you can quit smoking.

Studies of smokers who successfully quit smoking show that one of the most important traits of a successful quitter is their belief that they have the ability to quit smoking.

Do you believe that you can quit? If you don't, you will have a much harder time trying to quit. The best action you can take right now to start the quitting process is to fix in your mind the belief that you have the ability to quit smoking. You might say that you can't change your belief, but you can.

Believing you can quit is so important because your belief will guide everything you do in your attempt to quit. The way you think, the research you do, the steps you take, the people you talk to, the help you seek--all these will be influenced by the belief you have in your ability to give up cigarettes.

If you don't truly believe you can quit, you'll probably find yourself saying, "What's one little cigarette? I've got a headache. I just can't quit like other people." If you believe you can quit, instead you'll be saying "My head is hurting from withdrawal, but I can make it through this. I know the headache and other withdrawal symptoms will go away in a few days. My life is more important than a stupid cigarette."

Believing shapes everything you do. So does not believing. If you believe something strongly enough your mind will give you the correct thoughts to help your body take you in the direction of your belief.

Can you imagine what life would be like if Thomas Edison hadn't believed that he could invent the incandescent light bulb? If Edison had begun his search for the solution without really believing he could create a light bulb that worked, he would have quit long before finding the answer. Edison tested more than 10,000 combinations of materials before finding the right one to create a light bulb! You must believe that you can quit smoking, even if it takes 10,000 attempts.

Fixing in your mind a belief that you can quit smoking may sound impossible if you now believe that you don't have the ability. Here are some tips to help you change your beliefs:

	Realize that your old belief was founded on old ideas and circumstances and that your new belief is based on new information and your newfound desire to quit smoking now.

	On 3X5 cards, write out several positive statements about your ability to quit. Read your cards three times a day: morning, noon and bedtime. Some statements to use: "I believe that I have the ability to quit smoking," "I am a non-smoker," "I no longer need cigarettes in my life," "I happily quit smoking," "It's easy to quit smoking," "I am a powerful, self-directed person," "I control my own life." Make up some of your own statements. Make them positive, as if you have already completed the task.

	Post a sign on your bathroom mirror with one of the above statements on it.

	Repeat the above statements to yourself, whenever you have a free moment.

	Use visualization techniques to visualize yourself mastering your smoking habit and winning the fight.

	Ask your family and friends to encourage you with positive statements about your ability to quit smoking.