Quit and Stay Quit Monday

Monday is the day of the week that just about all of us associate with new beginnings. We start work on improving our lives on Mondays and get back on track if we've strayed off plan on Mondays, too.

Whether we're trying to lose weight, get more exercise or quit smoking, Monday is the day that we usually choose to set those plans in motion.

Part of the Healthy Monday Campaign, Quit and Stay Quit Monday℠ puts focus on using Monday to check in on our progress with cessation, or recommit to quitting tobacco if we've relapsed.

Along with the American Cancer Society and numerous other organizations, Verywell.com Smoking Cessation supports the Quit and Stay Quit Monday program with information and support to help you put smoking in the past, permanently.

Nicotine addiction lets go of us gradually. Taking stock of how far you've come with smoking cessation every Monday will reinforce your determination to stay the course and stick with it until smoking loses its appeal and becomes something you used to do.

Resources to Reinforce Smoking Cessation:

• Smoking Cessation Support Forum
  • Connect with others who are working through the ups and downs of recovery from nicotine addiction too.

• Create a Quit Smoking Journal
  • A great way to see your progress is by jotting notes in your journal at the end of each smoke-free day. It's also a useful tool for the bad days that are bound to happen every now and then. A bit of time reading how you felt three weeks or three months ago allows you to see how far you've come.
• Quit Smoking 101 - Lessons to Help You Stop Smoking
  • The 10 pages included in this online set of lessons will walk you through preparing for your quit day and how to manage after you stub out that last cigarette.  Plenty of ex-smoker success stories are included, as well.

Relapse Resources:

• The Psychology of a Smoking Relapse
  • Recognizing the warning signs and risky behaviors that usually precedes a smoking relapse will help you nip problems in the bud before any harm is done.
• How Do I Recover from a Smoking Relapse?
  • A reader asks: "I quit smoking 4 months ago and have done very well. Lately, though, I've been missing smoking a little. All of a sudden and without warning, I found myself unable to control the urge to smoke. The next thing I knew, I found a cigarette and lit it. How do I get back on track?"

• Smoking Relapse - This is How it Happens
  • Unhealthy thoughts of smoking that are left unchecked can lead to a smoking relapse quickly, as this reader shares in her personal account.

• No Such Thing as Just One Cigarette
  • Thoughts of smoking just one cigarette have been the ruin of many good quitting efforts. It's important for you to realize ahead of time that these mental contortions are a normal part of the recovery process. A little preparation will keep you in the driver's seat when your mind starts to wander and smoking seems like a good option.

Remember that smoking cessation is a process of gradual release from nicotine addiction over time. We all heal at different rates, so don't rush yourself and don't compare your progress with anyone else. It takes as long as it takes for you.

• Patience with the Process
• There is No Substitute for Time

Do use Monday as the day you check in with yourself and do use Monday as a day to reinforce your commitment to smoking cessation. If you've relapsed, use Monday as a day to begin anew.

We all have what it takes to quit smoking successfully. Believe that, believe in yourself and be willing to make it happen....one Monday at a time.