Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking - Allen Carr [84]
I once stopped for three weeks using Willpower. I met an old school friend and ex-smoker. He said, ‘How are you getting on?’
I said, ‘I’ve survived three weeks.’
He said, ‘What do you mean, you’ve ‘survived’ three weeks?’
I said, ‘I’ve gone three weeks without a cigarette.’
He said, ‘What are you going to do? ‘Survive’ for the rest of your life? What are you waiting for? You’ve done it. You’re a non-smoker.’
I thought, ‘He’s absolutely right. What am I waiting for?’ Unfortunately, because I didn’t fully understand the nature of the trap at that time, I was soon back in it, but the point was noted. You become a non-smoker when you extinguish your last cigarette. The important thing is to be a happy non-smoker from the start.
d. ‘I am still craving cigarettes’. How can you claim, ‘I want to be a non-smoker,’ and then say, ‘I want a cigarette’? That’s a contradiction. If you say, ‘I want a cigarette,’ you are saying, ‘I want to be a smoker.’ Non-smokers don’t want to smoke cigarettes. These thoughts imply a continued desire to smoke. Re-read this book to identify the problem area or contact our US office on 1 866 666 4299.
e. I’ve opted out of life. Why? All you have done is stop choking yourself. You don’t have to stop living. You have just saved your life, not lost it! Over the next couple of days, you will be experiencing a very mild sensation. This sensation is so mild that most people aren’t even aware of it. When you were a smoker, you experienced this sensation—a slightly empty, insecure feeling—pretty much throughout your smoking life: when you slept, when you were working, when you went to the movies etc. It didn’t bother you when you were a smoker, so why let it bother you now? It didn’t stop you trying to lead a full life then, so why should it do so now? Life is for living, so go enjoy it. If there are smokers present, so what? Remember, you are not the one being deprived; they are. Smokers are deprived of their health, their money, their self-respect, their energy, their self-esteem and their freedom. And for what do they make these incredible sacrifices? So they can remove that little empty, insecure feeling and temporarily feel like a non-smoker! Does this sound like a good deal to you? The truth is that every single one of them will be envying you. Be proud of this wonderful achievement. Enjoy your time in the spotlight! When those smokers see you so happy they’ll think you’re Superman. And, in truth, you’ll feel a bit like him!
f. ‘I am miserable and irritable’. This is most likely because you haven’t fully understood or followed my instructions. Find out which one it is and address it by re-reading the relevant chapter(s) in this book. Some people understand and believe everything I say but still start off with a feeling of doom and gloom, as if something terrible were happening. Of course, the truth is that something wonderful has happened. The terrible thing was when you became a smoker, and the terror continued throughout all those years of slavery. If health, happiness and freedom aren’t enough for you, then you have bigger problems than smoking. Why be miserable and make it hard on yourself when the reality is that you have so much to celebrate?
The Checklist
If you follow these simple instructions, you cannot fail.
1. Make a solemn vow that you will never, ever, smoke, chew, suck or otherwise consume anything that contains nicotine, and stick to that vow.
2. Get this clear in your mind: there is absolutely nothing to give up. By that I don’t mean that you will be better off as a non-smoker (you’ve known that your entire smoking life); nor do I mean that the pleasure or benefit from smoking is not worth the expense and risk. What I mean is that there is absolutely no benefit to smoking whatsoever. It is like banging your head against a wall because it feels a bit better when you stop.
3. There is no such thing as a confirmed smoker. You are just one of the millions who fell for this