I was a dedicated smoker from the age of about 14. In my adult life, I smoked a pipe as well as cigarettes. I tried several times to quit but my willpower was just not up to it. My longest non-smoking period was a year and still I fell back into the smoking trap.

When I eventually learned how to quit, it was the easiest thing in the world. Once I had stopped I never, for a moment, had an urge to light up again.

First some fundamental principles –

• Never try to cut down. You are wasting your time.
• Never try to quit. You will fail.
• It is all about mental preparation and recognising that magic moment.
• Your subconscious only understands images and emotions, so you are going to use them to communicate with it.
• Once you have sold the idea of being a non-smoker to your subconscious, it will do the job for you.

So, here’s how:

Learn a method of relaxing totally. I cannot share mine with you because it belongs to Sedley Burger, but there are numerous techniques which you will find on the Internet. You just have to find one that suits you.

I can give you one common approach, which works for most people:

Find a quiet room.

Draw the blinds to dim the lighting.

Sit comfotably without slouching.

Tense hard, then relax, each of your sets of muscles from toes to face. This is to help you to relax physically. You won’t have to do this every time once you get the hang of relaxing.

Then, relaxed, listen to your breathing. Concentrate on it.

If any random thoughts creep into your head, don’t fight them, just let them go.

Focus your awareness inwards. Continue to listen to your breathing.

You will gradually feel more and more relaxed and inwardly focussed.

Once you are there, picture yourself as you are, a smelly, coughing, digusting, adicted smoker, lungs clogged up with brown dripping nicotine –

Be disgusted with yourself, really disgusted.

Then. kick that person out of your life. Send him/her stumbling away, coughing and spluttering into the distance.

When he/she is gone, picture yourself as you now are without him/her

Or if that’s a bit young for you try picturing your beautiful clean, fresh lungs. Feel that lovely fresh air you are breathing into your clean, clean lungs.

Either way, get excited about it. Really excited. Enjoy the new you to the full.

Once you have throughly enjoyed the new you, go back to listening to your breath. Add a little smile to your lips. Gradually return to the day. Open your eyes slowly. Have a good stretch.

That’s it!

Do that a few times, then recognise the moment when your subconscious tells you (don’t force it) that you are ready to quit. Then quit, finally and forever.