Celebrating Life

Many smokers set a quit date to begin their lives as a non-smoker. It’s good for some to look back on the quit anniversary date and examine the changes that have happened during that time period. Each goal has its own health rewards, but give the moment meaning by doing something special. This will make reaching those goals much more fun. Let’s examine each milestone and look at a special way to celebrate life at each of those milestones as well.

• One Day Smoke Free – The carbon monoxide levels in your blood return to normal. Celebrate by taking a walk in your favorite park, or taking a drive with your favorite person.

• One Month Smoke Free – Your circulation and lung function are improving. Celebrate by ordering yourself a subscription to a great magazine.

• Six Months Smoke Free – You should be coughing less as the cilia in your lungs begin to function normally. Celebrate breathing easier by blowing up some balloons and having a party.

• One Year Smoke Free – Now your risk of heart disease is half what it used to be. Celebrate by buying yourself something red, like a bunch of red roses or a sports car. You’re probably saving almost enough money to afford the payments.

• Five Years Smoke Free – Your risk of stroke is now almost that of a non-smoker. Celebrate by going to the amusement park and riding a rollercoaster. Of course as your doctor first, and if he doesn’t give you clearance, you could always ride on the merry-go-round instead.

• Ten Years Smoke Free – Your lung cancer risk is half of what it used to be. All other types of cancer risk have decreased as well. Now is the time to take a once in a lifetime vacation with your family, friends or spouse. Make this a time to pass on your legacy.

Of course you can set up your own reward calendar. It is especially important to reward yourself early on as that is when you’ll need the most motivation. So what do you do if you quit quitting? Jump right back into your plan, forgive yourself and let it go. Positive reinforcement usually works much better than negative, and rewarding yourself by celebrating can make you a non-smoker for life.