It's a new year - resolve to quit smoking

It's a new year. And if you're contemplating quitting smoking, it just might mean a new you and a new lease on life. But you know quitting is not as easy as it sounds. Maybe you've tried to quit before, but a week later, you're back up to a pack a day. Once nicotine gets its hold on you, quitting smoking can seem really overwhelming. Is quitting really worth it? Absolutely.

We all know that smoking is bad for us — can even kill us. We know that it accelerates aging, makes our teeth and skin yellow, makes us smell like an ashtray, and costs a lot of money. But more than 44 million Americans light up every day anyway.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 70 percent of smokers want to quit, or have tried to quit sometime in their lives but have relapsed. The reason being that nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine. No wonder quitting is difficult. But it's not impossible. There are strategies that have worked for millions of ex-smokers — hopefully they'll work for you.

The first step is to make up your mind to quit. Maybe you want to quit for health reasons. Maybe you want to protect your loved ones from the second-hand smoke. Maybe you really need the extra money that the tobacco companies steal from you each month. Whatever your reason, stick to it. Like in any battle, you need to be mentally prepared to fight in order to prevail.

Think about your past attempts to quit. What worked and what didn't? Most likely, external factors were involved that led you to pick up a cigarette again, such as stress at home or work, an emotional event, a party where everyone was lighting up. Realize that a similar situation may happen this time, too. You'll need to be able to work through it in order to stay firm to your decision to quit.

Set a quit date for yourself. Chose something tangible like the first of the month, or an upcoming birthday. Give yourself a little time to gear up for the challenge you'll be facing. Sometimes impulsive decisions to quit can work, but research shows that those who take some time to really think about it have a better chance of kicking the habit for good.

The big day has arrived. You have been preparing for this for a couple of weeks now, you know what you have to do. First off, get rid of all the cigarettes and ashtrays at home, in your car, at work, wherever. Stay away from other smokers. If you see the tell-tale plume of smoke drifting from someone's nose, go in the opposite direction. This is all part of avoiding temptation.

In order to quit, you'll need the emotional support of those around you. Tell your family, friends and co-workers that you're trying to quit. If there's more than one smoker in your household, you'll have a better chance at success if you try to quit together. It might be difficult at first, but you'll have someone close to you who will know exactly what you're going through.

You should also tell your doctor. He or she may recommend counseling or medications that might help you quit. There are many options out there including nicotine patches, gum, or maybe just talking to a group of people who are going through the same thing. Getting help with quitting smoking does not mean that you are a failure — it means that you're smart and determined enough to know you can use all the help you can get.

Try to distract yourself from smoking. Maybe now is a great time to learn a new hobby — perhaps something that you can do with your hands. Woodworking, needlecraft, painting, anything that can keep your hands busy and your mind off cigarettes. Think of it as a reward to yourself for all the hard work you're doing.

Lastly, and most importantly, do not pick up a cigarette ever again. Not even one puff. Even years after you've quit, a relapse can be just one puff away. If you've tried to quit before only to start up again after what you thought of as "just one smoke," you know how true this is.

However, if you have tried to quit smoking many times and have gone back time and time again, that's OK. It doesn't mean that you are a failure, or that you're just a lost cause. It means that you are that much closer to sticking with it. "It takes smokers an average of eight tries before kicking the habit for good", said Cheryl McDonald, the tobacco control coordinator for the American Lung Association of Washington. Maybe now you're just one more try away from being smoke-free for the rest of your life.