Not sure I really had any strategy or rational for quitting. Perhaps my rational was suddenly realizing that I was doing great damage to myself & had been for decades so it was now or never to make a change.
That realization happened one morning as I stood in a cold damp parking lot loading groceries into my car and reaching for a cig. Lighting up I coughed and coughed, as I had been doing all month due to having had yet another episode of bronchitis. I suppose it was an epiphany of sorts. I just suddenly knew I HAD to quit!
Had my last smoke next morning at 8:00 AM then went about distracting myself and keeping as busy as possible though that first day (a Sunday) Took the next two days off work and just sheltered in place like a hermit. Somehow made it through those days that seemed like one giant urge to smoke. Went to work in a haze of brain fog the next day and somehow made it through.
The experience had become so horrible and so overwhelming to me that it became a challenge. Who would win the war of wills? Me or my addiction to nicotine? The longer things went on the more determined I became to win this war no matter how long it took. Before I know it, although at the time it seemed like a very long time, I knew I had the upper hand and those urges became less frequent, less intense and less bothersome.
Now today, I rarely think of smoking and when I do, it's not fondly at all! I pity people I see still smoking or vaping and I regret not having made the decision to quit earlier in life. Nothing I can do to change that now but I'm absolutely sure I will never smoke again!!