Nasia Davos

Imagine you’re at a bustling airport. Your flight is delayed, your phone battery is critically low, and the only available charging port is being monopolized by a man who seems to be conducting a movie marathon on his tablet, without headphones. The noise of the crowd and constant announcements combined with the frustration of your situation is causing a wave of stress to build inside you, and ALL you can think about is having a cigarette. What do you do?

Some of our biggest worries and most challenging moments in quitting smoking revolve around stress and anxiety. It feels like an uphill battle when you’re trying to shake off a craving while dealing with a whirlwind of emotions.

But what if I told you that there’s a simple strategy that can help you manage stress and anxiety effectively, and it’s so discreet you can do it anywhere, anytime? In this article, I will show you why it pays off to manage stress as a non-smoker, the biggest lie ever told about cigarettes as a stress aid, and how to relax in 3 minutes or less.

Why It’s Important to Relax Without Cigarettes

Imagine being able to navigate the stormiest days of your life, without ever having the need to reach for a cigarette. Picture the sense of control you’d feel, being able to manage your stress and anxiety naturally, on the spot, without the need to light up. This isn’t wishful thinking; it is the reality of many people (all non-smokers and many ex-smokers), and it can be your reality too. Being able to relax without cigarettes would not only help to improve your physical health but also your mental health – your sense of personal empowerment and emotional well-being.

Being able to manage stress without cigarettes means breaking free from the shackles of nicotine dependency. No more stepping outside for a smoke break in the middle of a family dinner, no more panicking when you’re out of cigarettes, and no more guilt or worry about the harm you might be causing to your health. Most importantly, you’d no longer be relying on an external substance to manage your internal state. Instead, you’d be self-sufficient, using the natural resources within you to feel calm and grounded.

In essence, learning to relax without smoking, vaping, or nicotine patches is about creating a healthier, happier lifestyle where you are in the driver’s seat, not nicotine.

Does Nicotine Help with Anxiety?

Often, we turn to smoking as a quick fix to manage stress or anxiety, but do cigarettes really help us relax, or do they increase our stress?

The biggest reason behind the relaxing effect you experience when smoking a cigarette has nothing to do the cigarette itself; it’s all about the change in your breathing pattern. Our breathing patterns are closely linked to our emotional states, research shows. When we’re stressed, we breathe faster and shallower. When we’re relaxed, our breathing becomes slow and deep. It’s a universal human response. Therefore, by consciously altering our breathing pattern, we can reduce physiological and psychological stress.

Why Smoking Seems to Relax You: The Truth Nobody’s Telling You

Imagine this:

You’ve had a tough day at work – a seemingly never-ending deluge of emails, meetings, and deadlines. You’ve just wrapped up a particularly grueling meeting, and your mind feels all over the place. To find some relief, you escape to the outdoor smoking area and reach for a cigarette in your pocket. As you put the cigarette between your lips and flick the lighter, you draw in a deep, slow breath, pulling the smoke into your lungs.

You hold it there for a moment, then exhale slowly, watching as the smoke disperses into the air. Almost instantly, a wave of calmness washes over you. The tension in your body eases, your racing thoughts slow down, and for a moment, you feel at peace.

Here’s the twist:

It wasn’t the cigarette that brought on this feeling of calm. It was the change in your breathing. By drawing in that deep breath to take a puff, and then slowly exhaling, you inadvertently shifted your breathing pattern from fast and shallow (signal of stress and anxiety) to slow and deep (signal to relax).

It’s a classic case of mistaken identity. The cigarette, being a visible prop in this calming routine, takes all the credit for the relaxation you feel. However, in reality, it’s the change in your breathing pattern that’s the true star of the show. The cigarette was merely a distraction. By breathing deeply and slowly, you naturally induced a state of calm within yourself, but the cigarette appeared to be the aid.

That’s why the first few puffs of a cigarette (or the first couple of hits from your vape) is what seems to relax you the most – your breathing pattern has just changed! That’s also why some people quit smoking and experience shortness of breath or anxiety. Some ex-smokers even claim they used to breathe better as smokers. It’s because, as smokers, we unknowingly rely on cigarettes to force us to breathe deeply (otherwise, the smoke doesn’t go down), so when we quit, we forget to breathe! That’s it. Thankfully, this problem has an easy fix once you’re aware of it. All you have to do is breathe deeply, on purpose, without cigarettes.

Yes, you can relax just as much – even more – without breathing in smoke, but by breathing in pure air!

Now enough with all the theory, let’s put this to the test! If you prefer to watch, I take you through the exercise, watch the video after minute 4.

Step by Step Deep Breathing Exercise

Below is one of my favorite deep-breathing exercises from The CBQ Program, known as “Breathe It Out” or “5-6-7”.

Step 1. Interlock Your Fingers: Start by interlocking your fingers and place your hands on your belly, just above your belly button.

Step 2. Inhale Deeply for 5 Seconds: Slowly breathe in for a count of five seconds. You should feel your belly pushing your hands outward.

Step 3. Hold Your Breath for 6 Seconds: After inhaling, hold your breath for six seconds.

Step 4. Exhale Slowly for 7 Seconds: Gradually exhale for seven seconds. You should feel your belly sinking back towards your spine.

Repeat. 5 – 6 – 7.

Repeat this process as many times as you need until you start to feel totally relaxed. It goes without saying that if you can’t hold your breath for 6 seconds or exhale for 7, you can modify the timings to suit you. Just make sure the out-breath is equal or longer than the in-breath.

The beauty of this exercise is its simplicity. You can practice it anywhere, anytime, without any specific tools or props. Over time, this exercise can serve as a healthier alternative to reaching for a cigarette when you’re feeling stressed or anxious.

Now, picture this alternative scenario:

It’s the end of a looong day, you’re at home, and you have a lot on your plate. As the stress and anxiety rise, you consciously tune into your breath. You realize it’s becoming a fast and shallow chesty breath. This is your cue. Instead of reaching for a cigarette, you decide to change your breathing pattern. You close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. 5-6-7, 5-6-7.

With each deep breath in, you imagine drawing in peace and calm. With each long exhale, you envision stress and tension leaving your body. This simple yet powerful act helps slow down your racing heart, quiet your busy mind, and ease your tense muscles. In just a few moments, you start to feel a sense of relaxation wash over you.

Suddenly, you realize that you’ve tapped into a natural calming mechanism within you, and that the ability to manage stress and relax was with you all along.

Conclusion

Deep breathing can be a game-changer in your journey to quit smoking. By mastering this simple exercise, you can manage your cravings and stress without relying on cigarettes. So the next time you feel a strong urge to smoke, take a moment to pause and breathe.

For more effective quit-smoking strategies and guidance on your quit-smoking journey, check out the Cognitive Behavioral Quitting (CBQ) Method and get started at startcbq.com. You, too, can harness the power of psychology to quit smoking naturally. All it takes is the first step.

*This content is the intellectual property of the CBQ Method™

Welcome to episode #22 of Ask an Ex.

In this episode, Meg Shamon, a truly inspiring person, shares her story of quitting smoking after 40 years with The Cognitive Behavioral Quitting (CBQ) Program over 3 years ago on the 10th of November 2019 – and after trying everything. Most importantly, Meg remained a happy non-smoker despite facing unimaginable difficulties, including being diagnosed with CIDP (Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy).

During our conversation, Meg mentioned a fantastic organization – GBS CIDP Foundation International – that made a huge difference in her life while battling CIPD. You can visit it here: https://www.gbs-cidp.org/

As a symbolic gesture, CBQ was honored to donate to GBS CIDP Foundation International the full amount that Meg paid for The CBQ Program over 3 years ago.

Tune in to watch:

• How to overcome cravings for cigarettes.
• Discover tips for easily adjusting to your morning routine after quitting smoking.
• Find out how to connect with your spouse who still smokes.
• Hear Meg’s story of staying smoke-free while navigating difficult situations.
• What Meg thinks would have happened if she hadn’t quit smoking.
• Meg’s advice on what to tell yourself if you’re struggling or feel unmotivated to quit smoking.
• And much more!!

Enjoy!

About Ask An Ex

ASK AN EX is an interview series featuring inspiring ex-smokers who succeeded with the CBQ Method™

And they tell you everything – how they did it, what helped them, what challenged them, their fears, motivations and aspirations.

Because the best person to ask about quitting smoking, is an Ex who’s been exactly where you are right now. Every EX shares their unique perspective and wisdom on quitting smoking (because everyone has a unique mix of background, mindset, and experiences). 

And they do it for 1 reason: to help YOU become an EX too. 

Get started with the CBQ Method (Free): 
http://bit.ly/startcbq

Join the CBQ Method Facebook Support Community:
http://bit.ly/cbqmethodcommunity

SUBSCRIBE to this channel to get more videos like this to help you quit smoking:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRPLgL5_AAHwtnP9Qwu8tsw?sub_confirmation=1

Quitting smoking easily may seem like an impossible feat, especially when you can’t stay motivated and committed to your goal. You may have quit in the past but found that your motivation waned over time. You’re not alone. Many of us tend to quit smoking in the heat of the moment when our motivation is high but then relapse a day or a week later when our cravings increase, and our motivation dips. As a result, we seek more motivation hoping it’s the key to quitting smoking successfully. We usually try to find this extra motivation boost on a special quit date, a finished pack, or even a health scare, but it rarely lasts.

In this article, you will learn how to stay motivated to quit smoking without guilting yourself into taking action. You will also discover why motivation is not enough to quit smoking easily and what you need instead.

How Motivation Works

First, it’s important to understand that motivation is not something that you either have or don’t have. Motivation is a fickle force that has ups and downs. Think of the motivation to quit smoking as a dynamic force that needs frequent boosts. Like a car, you don’t put fuel in once and expect it to run forever – you have to refill the tank. Similarly, you have to refuel your motivation when it dips.

Tapping into Your Motivation

So, how can you motivate yourself to quit smoking? The answer is in the first quit-smoking stage of the Cognitive Behavioral Quitting (CBQ) method. During the first stage, called “choose to quit,” you make a firm decision to live free from addiction. Part of this decision stage is discovering and reflecting not only on your logical reasons to stop smoking but also your emotional reasons. Simply put, your logical reasons are why you should or must quit, while your emotional reasons are why you want to be free. Both logical reasons, such as the negative impact of smoking on health, and emotional reasons, such as feeling better about oneself, are important in feeling motivated to quit smoking.

Refueling Your Motivation

Motivation is like a flame, it flickers and dims, but with the right tools, it can be reignited.

The solution to staying motivated to quit smoking is to know how to refuel your motivation. When your motivation dips, all you have to do is remind yourself of why you wanted to stop smoking in the first place by revisiting your logical and emotional reasons.

How to Find Your Emotional Reason to Stop Smoking

Step 1: Take 5 minutes alone in a quiet place and ask yourself: “Why do I want to be free from addiction?”, “How would my life change for the better if I didn’t have to smoke anymore?”

Step 2: Imagine how your life would change for the better if you were never to smoke another cigarette or vape. Consider how your health, mental health, inner peace, confidence, finances, and relationships would be impacted.

Step 3: Think about how not smoking would take you closer to your ideal image of yourself and your life.

Step 4: Look for one or for multiple emotional reasons for quitting smoking. Remember, there is no right or wrong answer.

Step 5: Write down your emotional reasons on flashcards and carry them with you.

Step 6: When you feel unmotivated, read through your flashcards and remind yourself of your emotional reasons for quitting smoking.

Step 7: Repeat this process until you find an emotional reason that truly moves you and gives you the motivation to quit smoking.

Beyond Motivation

Motivation may be essential to quitting smoking, but it is not enough to help you become a happy non-smoker. That’s where preparation comes to save the day. Preparation, the CBQ Method teaches, will take you further than motivation ever will.

Motivation and preparation are two different things that are both important in the process of quitting smoking. Motivation depends on our emotions. Even though it can be a powerful force in the beginning stages of quitting, it can be unpredictable and unreliable. Preparation, on the other hand, provides a solid foundation and the necessary tools and support to successfully quit smoking. By focusing on preparation, you can secure your success regardless of how much your motivation fluctuates.

While motivation is like a flame, preparation is like a seed; it may start small, but with proper care and attention, it can grow into a strong, resilient tree that can withstand any obstacle.

Conclusion

Staying motivated to quit smoking is possible! To tap into your motivation, discover your logical and emotional reasons for quitting smoking by following the first stage of the CBQ Method. When you feel unmotivated, remember it’s normal, and all you have to do is refuel your motivation.

*This content is the intellectual property of the CBQ Method.

Welcome to episode #21 of Ask an Ex.

In this interview, the incredible Jennifer Leonowens from Guatemala shares her story of how she quit smoking after 40+ years with The CBQ Program over two and a half years ago on the 6th of March 2020 after trying everything to no avail: one on one therapy, hypnosis, nicotine patches, vaping cold turkey, and many other approaches.

Tune in to watch:

• What Jenny liked the most about the CBQ Method.
• How to commit to the quit smoking process and when to restart the program.
• A simple but controversial way to overcome cigarette cravings.
• Why cold turkey doesn’t work.
• How to ensure your success when quitting smoking.
• How smoking affected Jenny’s relationships.
• The little-known emotional benefit of quitting smoking and how to manage emotions better as a non-smoker.
• A simple but controversial way to overcome cigarette cravings.
• What comes to Jenny’s mind when she sees someone light up.
• How Jenny uses the extra time she has since stopping smoking.
• What she replaced smoking with that helps her keep her hands busy.
• Why visualization works and her advice for those who find it difficult to visualize.
• The value of making a financial commitment to any new effort.
• A weird thing that happened in one of her quit attempts with hypnosis.
• Why Jenny felt like a brand new person after quitting smoking.
• The single most important benefit she experienced after breaking free from smoking.
• The intelligent way she approached her quit.
• And much more!!

Enjoy!

About Ask An Ex

ASK AN EX is an interview series featuring inspiring ex-smokers who succeeded with the CBQ Method ™ CBQ Method™

And they tell you everything – how they did it, what helped them, what challenged them, their fears, motivations and aspirations.

Because the best person to ask about quitting smoking, is an Ex who’s been exactly where you are right now. Every EX shares their unique perspective and wisdom on quitting smoking (because everyone has a unique mix of background, mindset, and experiences). 

And they do it for 1 reason: to help YOU become an EX too. 

Get started with the CBQ Method (Free): 
http://bit.ly/startcbq

Join the CBQ Method Facebook Support Community:
http://bit.ly/cbqmethodcommunity

SUBSCRIBE to this channel to get more videos like this to help you quit smoking:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRPLgL5_AAHwtnP9Qwu8tsw?sub_confirmation=1