“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” (Einstein)

Are you tired of the same old drag, the same old grind? Which is it—cigarettes, vaping, or chewing tobacco? Do you want to be free of the habit? May I be the first to congratulate you! You have either decided to stop smoking or are in the process of making that decision. Either way—you want to better your life and I salute and support you in that goal. A person who is not motivated to become a nonsmoker does not go looking for an audiobook and then purchase it. You are already motivated. You set an intention. You permitted yourself and gave allowance to take action. You said to yourself, “My thinking is not working here. Maybe I need to listen to some new thoughts? Maybe I need a coach to help me change my thinking?” I am your coach. I am that person.

I love hypnosis. Why? Because it enables you to connect with your heart and soul. You do this with your imagination open. In self-hypnosis, you go into the receptive state of trance and give yourself powerful suggestions. I have the best job in the world. I teach others to go into trance, increase their motivation, make changes in habits, let go of anxiety, depression, phobias, pain, set goals, and so much more.

You go into a trance throughout the day. At night, you hypnotize yourself and fall asleep. The pull of sleep is a wonderful feeling. Isn’t it? It feels so sweet and becomes so strong that you know you can’t resist it. After all, you set the intention to fall asleep.

OK—so a quick explanation here. The unconscious mind or subconscious mind is simply that which you are not aware of right now. You just took a breath or blinked your eyes. But until I brought that information to your conscious awareness—then you are not aware of it. What a relief. How could we consciously control our body functions—like our breathing, beating hearts, digestion, and a myriad of other processes?

Let me talk to your conscious mind first. There is something here that you need to know. It will help you realize why you may have failed in the past in your efforts to become a nonsmoker. All I ask for is an open mind, like a parachute. Let’s take the journey together and get properly prepared. It’s the key to success.

Over the last 15 years, I have hypnotized many people to stop smoking and become nonsmokers. My clients tell me that have tried everything—cold turkey, the patch, pills, even a rubber band contraption around the wrist. They feel that a hypnotist is just the “bottom of the barrel”. They are scared that I will have them “clucking like a chicken”. OK—let’s get this out of the way. That’s a myth. I cannot make you do anything that you do not want to do under hypnosis.

I cannot make you rob a bank! Now, if you decide to become a nonsmoker, then hypnosis is a fantastic tool. However, the magic wand is in your intention.

So maybe you are a person who is being pressured to stop smoking, vaping, or chewing. Are you a teen who has been vaping and your family wants you to stop? Are you pregnant and the doctor has advised you to stop smoking? Is your partner pregnant and afraid of secondhand smoke around your new baby? Is there a change in your health and the doctor has advised you to stop smoking? I do remember Ralph, who climbed the stairs up to my office with an oxygen tank on his back. I asked him why he wanted to be hypnotized. He told me that his family wanted him to stop smoking. When I asked him if he was ready to become a nonsmoker, he laughed. So I never hypnotized him on that occasion.

You can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink! Let’s continue in the next chapter, where I will discuss some major concerns that you may have about becoming a nonsmoker.

Restless hands will learn how to tap instead of smoke. Give yourself permission and allowance now, open up your mind, and let’s get started!