I was a smoker for 11 years and quit after my mother died of a stroke. I'll tell you what worked for me. I started by saying okay, I won't smoke between 8 and 10 PM. I can smoke as much as I want during the other times, but just not that time. I did that for a week or two and then took out another chunk of time. Did that for a couple of weeks. and kept knocking out chunks of time. Ultimately I found that even though I gave myself permission to smoke as much as I wanted during the rest of the day, I really didn't smoke any more than usual during those times. Soon, I was down to smoking once a day and that just seemed silly, so I quit altogether at that time. So tapering off is what worked for me. Oh, and in my car I put a pacifier on my turn signal and I would pull it off and stick it in my mouth when I would get stressed driving. I chose a pacifier because that is what cigarettes were to me, a grown-up's pacifier. Hope this helps and that you don't wait for someone you love to die of a smoking related problem to get the proper motivation. Best of luck to you.

When you quit smoking, symptoms of nicotine withdrawal can make life uncomfortable.

People don't quit smoking in a day either. Most of us had 20 years or more of smoking under our belts before we quit. Give yourself the gift of time and patience. Work to undo old patterns and replace them with newer, healthier choices. Each day you complete smoke free brings you closer to lasting freedom.

Managing unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear, and anxiety are some of the most common reasons why adults smoke. When you have a bad day, it can seem like your cigarettes are your only friend. Smoking can temporarily make feelings such as sadness, stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air. As much comfort as cigarettes provide, though, it’s important to remember that there are healthier (and more effective) ways to keep unpleasant feelings in check. These may include exercising, meditating, using sensory relaxation strategies, and practicing simple breathing exercises. 

For many people, an important aspect of quitting smoking is to find alternate ways to handle these difficult feelings without smoking. Even when cigarettes are no longer a part of your life, the painful and unpleasant feelings that may have prompted you to smoke in the past will still remain. So, it’s  worth spending some time thinking about the different ways you intend to deal with stressful situations and the daily irritations that would normally have you reaching for a cigarette.

AND your own WILL plays the most important part.

Good luck and all the best to you.

Thanks for all your support, friends. Ya, have surely heard that an exercise routine can indeed prove relieving to cope with issues related to quit. That I think, has to go along with some proven quit method. 'am infact looking out for some proven stressfree technique that does not fail.

All I can say is what worked for me. I hope you find what works for you. Good Luck.

Sharon, you can try hypnosis or acupuncture. In theory these methods are natural and stress free, but in my opinion, when you quit using your will power only , it is easier for you not to relapse in the future. Because you broke the neck of this habit and something changed into you and turned you into non-smoker. 

 Good luck!