Is Quitting Smoking Your New Year's Resolution? <br> Now Is the Time to Make Some Serious #SquadGoals

This coming New Year's Eve, millions of Americans will make a resolution to quit smoking with the goal of stubbing out their last cigarette on January 1st. Take advantage of having your loved ones around you during the holiday festivities to declare your resolution to quit smoking and build up your support team for quit smoking success. In a 2015 survey, 80 percent of smokers who are trying to quit smoking said that support from family, friends, significant others and even coworkers is very important to successfully quit smoking.

The American Lung Association has a quick tutorial on how to build your quit smoking squad!

1. Find the right time to share your quit smoking resolution. Whether it's a big splashy announcement or individual conversations with trusted family and friends, sharing your quit smoking intentions will help you hold yourself accountable for following through. Plus, telling family and friends will give you a base of supporters who are cheering you on every step of the way.
2. Ask for help and support. Have honest conversations with your supporters on their level of involvement in your quit smoking attempt. This may mean being available for a phone call when you are having a smoking urge or making alternative plans with you should you need to avoid certain smoking triggers.
3. Invite your doctor to be part of your support team. Trust us when we say, your doctor will be ecstatic to hear that you want to quit smoking! Plus, the advice and support of a healthcare provider, which includes counseling and medication, can double the odds of successfully quitting smoking. If you don't have a doctor that you regularly talk to, visit QuittersCircle.com, a quit smoking initiative from the American Lung Association and Pfizer, for information and resources on talking to a healthcare provider about quitting smoking in person or online.
4. Stay connected throughout your quit. Once you've found your supporters, make sure to keep them up-to-date on your quit. An easy way to keep in touch is through the free Quitter's Circle mobile app, which allows you and your supporters to track how many smokefree days have passed, how you're feeling on a day-to-day basis and how much money you've saved by quitting. Your supporters are available at the touch of a button and can share messages of "quitspiration" in an easy and accessible way.
5. Find others who have also made a quit smoking resolution. Whether in-person or online, find others that are also quitting smoking for their New Year's resolution. The first few days and weeks of a quit attempt can be the toughest, and learning tips and leaning on others during those early days can be beneficial. Over 155,000 members of the Quitter's Circle social community regularly cheer each other on during their quit, and Freedom From Smoking in-person groups have weekly check-ins to share concerns, advice and successes.