How to Win at Quitting (a smoker's guide)

How to quit smoking, no matter why you started...

I don't do New Year's resolutions. I don't heed advice about what's good and bad for me. I might do exactly what I'm told not to, if only for the experience of doing it myself. Despite what I was told, I started smoking cigarettes. I've been smoking for almost three years now, and fast approaching is the point of no return. Or at least the point where quitting's level of difficulty multiplies by a thousand fold each year.
In the last three years, I've ceased all exercise, but have maintained, even improved on, decent eating habits. Being a statistic is my last choice. I don't want to get cancer. I don't want to gain two hundred pounds and become diabetic or have hypertension or anything else. And I don't want to be featured in a diet plan when I lose that two hundred pounds, turning a new leaf, and adopting a health-conscious lifestyle. I want to beat the odds and live forever, most importantly, in a healthy body.

HPV, Cancer, and Me

Most personal to me, I don't want to develop cancer. I was diagnosed with HPV in 2010, and my doctor told me the only thing that I could do to not aggravate it was to stop smoking. I've recently met a woman diagnosed with cervical cancer, from having HPV, who still smokes. Meeting a statistic gave me quite a reality check. If I do develop cervical cancer, I don't want it to be because of my idiocy. I want to do what I can to prevent it, and if not smoking is the only thing I can do, there's no reason not to.

Failure is not an option

I don't have a solid plan of attack, but I know how to make goals and make shit happen. I'm a former US Marine, I'm a gogo dancer, a full-time student and a Burner. I've conquered things other people couldn't dream of battling. I know I can win this. I'm just not sure what the best strategy is...

This is the documentation of my first real effort to quit smoking. I'll do research, try alternatives, and I hope to replace smoking with the good stuff I used to do and the better stuff I find in the next four weeks.

Today is Day One, and I've smoked four cigarettes. I usually smoke five to eight a day. My first goal is to smoke only three a day for the first week. I'll make a new goal every day. My midterm goal is to not smoke any cigarettes the entirety of week four. Ready? Go.

Some great inspiration to start with