Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash
Many people consider and set resolutions at the turn of the New Year. Eating better, being more physically active, setting financial and professional goals, and of course, quitting tobacco. For those of us who find motivation, and take-action as the calendar turns, that is great! However, many of us don’t quit our tobacco use on this one day of the year, and that is okay too.
There are many reasons that January 1 may not be the “right” day to quit.
- Feeling busy and distracted by other events, gatherings, and duties
- Interruption of normal routines that support making changes
- Overindulgence of food that leaves us feeling sluggish and unmotivated
- The pressure of feeling like we “should” set quitting as a New Year’s resolution
- Not wanting others undue attention as we make a quit attempt
- Wanting to set other goals for January 1
- Any other reason that fits for you
Instead of getting locked into the mindset that January 1 is a “make or break” day, step back and consider what fits the best for you. Maybe it’s January 2, after the holidays have passed. It could be January 8, one week into the new year. You may be the type of person that finds benefit from having a quit date farther out – such as March 21, the first day of Spring. Or March 1, the meteorological first day of Spring. Any day, that seems good to you, is a good day.
For some people the idea of setting a “quit date” can cause a lot of anxiety. One way to manage this is to move toward quitting by starting to use tobacco cessation medication and other behavioral approaches, with the goal to reduce tobacco use over time without focusing on a specific quit date. As you feel yourself becoming more confident, quit tobacco when it feels like the right time.
The “right” time to quit is the “right” time to quit. Whatever day that may be for you.
Tim Milbrandt, MS, LMFT
Addictions Coordinator /CTTS
