Well, it's been about 4 months now of vaping & one of the best decisions I ever made. A group of us hard-core smokers have "succesfully" transitioned. I thought it was time to share our "rules & tools" for success to maybe help the next group! Mind you, these rules & tools were adapted on the fly and may/ may not work for you, and you may not agree w some/ all of them; bottom line, you have to find out what works for YOU so customize as needed or use your own plan 
Rule 1: I am not quiting smoking. I am simply using my PV more often than real cigs. I have the option to smoke a real cig if I want/ need to; however, I am using the PV to improve my health & overall well-being. (f1)
Tool 1: I need at least 3 batts (650mAh or higher; I have 1 650 & 4 1100's), 2 chargers, 1 car charger, 5 clearomizers (or prefered cart/atty/tank), and 3-4 flavors of e-juice (it really helps to have variety). (f2)
Rule 2: The first few days of transition, USE THE ECIG WHENEVER I FEEL THE URGE TO SMOKE!!! My brain is lying to me, saying that I really need a real cig to get my nicotine, but that is a lie lie lie! I may smoke my ecig all day for 2 or 3 days, and that is OK. My brain will learn that ecigs do a great job of delivering nicotine and my body will start to feel better, reinforcing the ecig. My vaping will average out quickly, but the first few days it's just about not smoking the real ones!!
Tool 2: My friends are transitioning also; I can support them and they can encourage me. We share what works and what doesn't, making the group stronger!
Rule/tool 3: As I move forward, I am concious of the positive changes I am noticing. Writing them down where I can see them will help me when I'm having a tough day. Ex. from our group: no cig smell; getting more done @ work/ home because not taking 10 min cig breaks every hour; able to do deep breathing exercises w/o becoming winded; no standing outside in rain/ sleet/ snow; no cig burns in clothes; no yellow nails; not having to rush to bathroom to wash hands, mouth, and face; fam & friends super-stoked w change; singing in the car & being able to finish song w/o weasing, etc...
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
f1: this may appear as a cop-out, however, it worked for me & our group. I had ecigs for 2 or 3 months, but when I broke down & had a real cig, my brain said "well, you failed, may as well stay on real ones". It wasn't until I allowed myself the option of smoking the rest of my life that I transitioned to ecigs. During one very stressful drive home (in the last 5 months) I bought a pack of cigs. I smoked 3 on the way home, but the rest are still sitting in a drawer. I probably won't smoke a real cig again, they make me feel like crap now. However, if I do, I didn't fail and I can easily go back to ecigs again.
f2: My group all tried starting w the small batts (I think 810 thread) & prefilled carts. If you are a lite or causual smoker, these may be enough. However, for us pack + a day folks, they just didn't work. I was always having to charge a batt or change a cart, always! It was just easier to smoke real cigs. The batt power & storage of the bigger personal vaping equip is substantially more which really helps, eps those first few days. Multiple chargers are great for unexpected events (it's all about setting yourself up to win, not loose). I use KGO/EGO batts from NW Vapors and clearomizers from a few places. I just started using atts to sample new flavors (tres awesome!). E-juice; some of my group stays w the same flavor all the time, but most of us like to mix it up. Where to go is a great ?? I like Heather's Heavenly Vapes, The Vapor Room, Mom & Pop Vapor Shop, and NWVapors has some good choices too. Heather's & the Vapor room offer sample packs; I like those, if you don't like the flavor you don't have a huge bottle of juice left over.
Rule 1: I am not quiting smoking. I am simply using my PV more often than real cigs. I have the option to smoke a real cig if I want/ need to; however, I am using the PV to improve my health & overall well-being. (f1)
Tool 1: I need at least 3 batts (650mAh or higher; I have 1 650 & 4 1100's), 2 chargers, 1 car charger, 5 clearomizers (or prefered cart/atty/tank), and 3-4 flavors of e-juice (it really helps to have variety). (f2)
Rule 2: The first few days of transition, USE THE ECIG WHENEVER I FEEL THE URGE TO SMOKE!!! My brain is lying to me, saying that I really need a real cig to get my nicotine, but that is a lie lie lie! I may smoke my ecig all day for 2 or 3 days, and that is OK. My brain will learn that ecigs do a great job of delivering nicotine and my body will start to feel better, reinforcing the ecig. My vaping will average out quickly, but the first few days it's just about not smoking the real ones!!
Tool 2: My friends are transitioning also; I can support them and they can encourage me. We share what works and what doesn't, making the group stronger!
Rule/tool 3: As I move forward, I am concious of the positive changes I am noticing. Writing them down where I can see them will help me when I'm having a tough day. Ex. from our group: no cig smell; getting more done @ work/ home because not taking 10 min cig breaks every hour; able to do deep breathing exercises w/o becoming winded; no standing outside in rain/ sleet/ snow; no cig burns in clothes; no yellow nails; not having to rush to bathroom to wash hands, mouth, and face; fam & friends super-stoked w change; singing in the car & being able to finish song w/o weasing, etc...
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
f1: this may appear as a cop-out, however, it worked for me & our group. I had ecigs for 2 or 3 months, but when I broke down & had a real cig, my brain said "well, you failed, may as well stay on real ones". It wasn't until I allowed myself the option of smoking the rest of my life that I transitioned to ecigs. During one very stressful drive home (in the last 5 months) I bought a pack of cigs. I smoked 3 on the way home, but the rest are still sitting in a drawer. I probably won't smoke a real cig again, they make me feel like crap now. However, if I do, I didn't fail and I can easily go back to ecigs again.
f2: My group all tried starting w the small batts (I think 810 thread) & prefilled carts. If you are a lite or causual smoker, these may be enough. However, for us pack + a day folks, they just didn't work. I was always having to charge a batt or change a cart, always! It was just easier to smoke real cigs. The batt power & storage of the bigger personal vaping equip is substantially more which really helps, eps those first few days. Multiple chargers are great for unexpected events (it's all about setting yourself up to win, not loose). I use KGO/EGO batts from NW Vapors and clearomizers from a few places. I just started using atts to sample new flavors (tres awesome!). E-juice; some of my group stays w the same flavor all the time, but most of us like to mix it up. Where to go is a great ?? I like Heather's Heavenly Vapes, The Vapor Room, Mom & Pop Vapor Shop, and NWVapors has some good choices too. Heather's & the Vapor room offer sample packs; I like those, if you don't like the flavor you don't have a huge bottle of juice left over.
