By recording your commitment to quitting, you might give yourself that extra motivation to follow through with your promise to yourself.
We believe that one of the most important things you can do when you decide to quit, is record your promise to yourself. It could help you stand a better chance of sticking to your plan. Writing things down often makes them happen, because they stop being just an idea and become a reminder, a record and the physical representation of your decision to turn a desire into a reality. Even if you really believe you want to quit, that belief might not become a plan until you articulate it.
You’re also going to be recording yourself at your strongest, when your resolve is at its peak, you’ve had time to think about everything clearly and you’re most sure about your decision. If you ever feel the need to smoke, you’ll be able to consult your own message to yourself and remember how strong you can be, so your recorded promise could be one of the best tools for keeping you smoke-free.
If you’re not a letter writer...
The obvious way to document your message is to write it down on paper. It’s quick and easy to do, simple to read in future and is a solid document you can carry with you at all times. There are other ways to record your promise though, which could be just as inspiring for you.
Video it
A video can feel even more personal than a letter, and it will remind you of how you looked at your strongest point.
Record it
Recording an audio message can work too. If it helps, write down your message first then read it out loud and record it to play back later.
Once you’re happy with your recorded promise, it’s up to you how you use it. You could keep it private, refer back to it whenever you want and use it to keep you on track by reminding you what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Alternatively, for a little extra help, show your friends and even give them copies of your letter/video/recording. That way, if you’re struggling, they’ll help to remind you of your promise by stepping in and showing it to you when you need them to. If you’re comfortable doing it, make it public.
Blog it
It has helped lots of quitters to start their own blog to document their promise. This way, you can also stay up to date with other quitters as they post comments.
Post it
Simply post your promise on facebook or twitter. If it helps, start a new group to make more of your message. You might receive some unexpected support.
Upload it
If you’re happy for your promise to be public, post your video or audio recording on your facebook page or twitter account. If it’s public, it might be even harder to break.
When you’ve promised yourself that you’ll quit smoking, recording that promise could help you keep it.