When you see someone light up a cigarette, you may think to yourself, "Why the heck are people still smoking anymore anyway? Everyone knows that it is extremely deadly."

But for the smoker, it's not that easy.

No one wants to be a prisoner of his or her own addiction or bad habit. When you decide that you want to quit smoking, you really need to dedicate yourself to make sure that your desired outcome is clear. Some people consider quitting, and quickly throw in the towel since they feel like it's an impossible uphill battle.

You may think that you need to smoke or can't live without it; but luckily you can come up with a plan to help make the process as painless and stress-free as possible. Did you know that the physical withdrawals truly will go away after a few days? You can get through this.

Coral Arvon, PhD, is a cognitive behavioral therapist, addictions specialist and the Director of Behavioral Health & Wellness at Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa. Coral suggests that for two weeks prior to quitting, try jotting down your mood, where you are and when you want to smoke. This way you will be able to see when you want to smoke and what triggers there may be.

You are going to have to sit down and reflect on why NOW is the right time for you to quit. If you compile a list of all the reasons you want to quit (bad breath, yellow teeth, significantly increased probability for lung cancer) and place reminders around your home, work and everywhere else it will hopefully help motivate you to stay on track.

Dr. Coral Arvon breaks down the steps she uses to help her clients quit smoking for good.

4 tips to quit smoking, stress-free:

• Put together a list of all the reasons you want to quit smoking.
• Pay attention to when you smoke, where and with whom to recognize the triggers.
• Pick a realistic "quit day." We're all under stress in our busy lives, but some times are more stressful than others.
• Develop strategies for positives things you can do instead of smoking.