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The journey continues.

You're past the halfway mark now and it's time for the next step. These next few weeks are all about finding your place in your new non-smoking life. Much of life will stay the same but there are a few positive changes that you might need to make to stop yourself falling into old habits. One of these changes is making new friends. Now, we're not telling you to do away with the friends you have now (don't worry). This is just a step towards surrounding yourself with people who will bring out the best in you. Perhaps you're used to going on nights out with your friends where you'd end up out in the smoking area having a cigarette, or your work friends are constantly calling you outside to join them on their smoking break. The more often this happens, the more likely you are to fall into old habits. Addiction expert and life coach, Raul Aparici, brings up the quote attributed to Jim Rohn that we are the average of the five people that we spend the most time with. Whether or not that's true, there can be no doubt that we are influenced by those around us. Our friends influence our decisions, they affect how we act, our opinions, and our thoughts. This is by no means necessarily a bad thing. However, if you're hoping to make a change in your life, it might be beneficial to think about who you're spending time with and how that impacts your life. Raul Aparici encourages people to surround themselves with people who will be helpful in the journey forward. "Play to your strengths, seek out the company of your non-smoking friends and work on increasing your social circle. "A great way to do this is through group fitness activities such as yoga. Regardless of how you feel about yoga or whether you have tried it before or not, this is a great opportunity to experience being in a different environment with different people. "If you, like Jean Paul Sartre, are of the opinion that 'hell are other people'" (relatable ) "and have labelled yourself as a shy introvert in the past, you might find this challenge particularly difficult. It will mean leaving your comfort zone well and truly behind; however, you can do this while being kind to yourself." Raul tells everyone to take it one step at a time. Go to each class and when you start to feel a bit more comfortable, introduce yourself to people. Who knows? They might beat you to it and introduce themselves first. "As your confidence grows, so will your social skills but remember the first time you do something new is always the hardest." Preach. He reiterates that this does not mean you should leave your old friends behind, though he suggests maybe telling them why you're distancing yourself slightly. Don't forget - you influence them too. They might see all the great changes in your life and decide to throw out the smokes too. Keep up to date with how our teams are doing on Instagram. Follow along with the campaign on Facebook and Instagram and let us know how you're getting on with the #QuitToFit hashtag. Brought to you by NiQuitin. Combining nicotine patches and nicotine lozenges is clinically proven to be an unbeatable way of quitting.* Try the NiQuitin 14mg patch for 24-hour craving control and NiQuitin 1.5mg mini lozenges for craving relief.  NiQuitin Clear 21mg, 14mg & 7mg 24 hrs transdermal patches and NiQuitin 1.5mg & 4mg Mini Lozenges are stop smoking aids that contain nicotine but you still require willpower. Always read the label.

*Provides significant improvements in quit rates compared to the patch alone.

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