Comments Off on Why You Need A Business Plan Before Setting Up a Personal Injury Law Practice?

By admin, June 4, 2023 3:34 am

While it is true that starting a personal injury law practice is difficult because it requires you hard work and a lot of expenses, such situation can be minimized through a business plan. Linda Pinson, author of the book Anatomy Of A Business Plan cites the following reasons why you need a business plan in setting up an office:

1. To serve as guide – A business plan is your blueprint in confronting the realities related with starting your personal injury law office. It also gives you a clear idea of your goals and objectives, potentials, strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. It will guide you with the tools to analyze and implement changes that will make your personal injury law practice profitable.

2. As documentation for financing – Capital is very essential in starting up a personal injury law office, through business plan details you will able to forecast how much you will invest to further the practice’ goals and increase it’s profits.

The book Flying Solo by K. William Gibson and Redi F. Trautz says that “every firm – large and small – should think strategically about its goals and objectives.” If you plan to go solo in your personal injury practice, “going through the process of developing a business plan requires a great deal of strategic thinking on your part.” Your business plan should be based on your particular needs and the needs of your practice. An apprenticeship in a personal law firm will give you an overview of the issues, payroll, marketing, case management and billing required in your practice.

An effective business plan is an organic document. You should always have it ready in your computer and change it whenever necessary. As you progress in your practice, you will find that your business plan becomes more refined. If in case you notice that you cannot keep up with your business plan, ask yourself: is the plan unrealistic or you are just not interested in doing what needs to be done?

K. William Gibson specifies the following elements comprising a good business plan:

1. A description of the kinds of services you intend to offer

2. A statement of the location (s) where you plan to offer your services

3. A description of your target market

4. A projection of anticipated revenue and operating expenses

5. A statement of personal resources that you intend to commit financing the personal injury law practice.

6. Statements detailing your personal worth – assets and liabilities.

In addition, you need to seek guidance before drafting your business plan from the following:

1. Certified Public Accountant – You might consider loaning a capital to start your law practice, the involvement of an accountant gives your business plan immediate credibility with potential lenders. Your CPA will make sure that your business plan is in proper form and makes sense. He or she will also tell you exactly what you need to do to comply with the rules and regulations of the Internal Revenue Service and other government entities.

2. Bar Association Practice Management Advisors – Practice advisors are usually former practicing lawyers or law office administrators that had experienced everything you are about to step into.

3. Established Personal Injury Lawyers – Mentoring from experienced personal injury lawyers will be essential in forecasting the potential out-of-pocket costs involved in personal injury cases. An experienced lawyer might even share with you the names of vendors and experts with whom you can work in the future.

Comments Off on Safety First: Properly Using Alternative Herbal Medicine Effectively

By admin, May 31, 2023 10:34 pm

Herbal products are the perfect choice for individuals who want to avoid using expensive synthetic medical products and their documented side-effects. It’s true that synthetic medicines are carefully formulated for maximum treatment, but we can never deny that there might be certain reactions on our bodies when take them in.

The Safe Alternative Solution To Health Problems

Being an affordable medical solution, herbal medicines can be seen in large quantities being sold in the market and quite a lot of consumers today are opting for this method than those normally prescribed by medical practitioners. Doctors and other medical specialist today are even prescribing the use of alternative herbal medicines for a speedy recovery and boosting a person’s immune system for a permanent health improvement.

These products make use of 100% natural ingredients and none of the components used in synthetic medications distributed today. But despite the safety that herbal medicines promises to everyone, it is quite possible to incur some problems with it if we’re not careful.

Safety First — Get The Right Product For Your Health Problem

Don’t just buy any herbal product in the market without properly consulting a professional whether it would work for you or not. Also, we can never be too sure how the herbal ingredients would react in our body’s composition so its best to let your doctor or any medical practitioner check you out first to avoid allergic reactions from happening in your system.

Keep in mind that pretending to your doctor about your illness so you can make use of this affordable health solution is not safe. You might leave some important details out that would prove to be a problem later on when you proceed to take the medicine in regular doses. Always be honest during the consultation with your doctor for them to arrive at an accurate diagnosis whether the herbal product is the one for you or not.

Check The Company That Made The Herbal Product

Even if you have a name of the herbal product to use, it would be best to take matters into your own hands and do your research well to avoid complications during use. You can look for information about the herbal medicine on the Web, specifically about the company that created it and consumers who used it to address their health problems.

While you’re at it, you might want to check out the ingredients used in the herbal product, as well as the proper formulation to ensure that you won’t suffer from overdose when you take it in. You can also search for consumer comments and suggestions about the herbal medicine to determine whether it’s safe for you to use or not.

Follow The Proper Dosage

Many would think that herbal products are 100% safe to use and would often take more than the prescribed dosage in order to speed up the effects. This is a misconception that often leads to more complications than getting rid of your health problem. Before using your herbal product, it is very important to read the label for the correct dosage. You can also ask your doctor for some advice if you don’t trust the indications on the herbal product.

As with the old medical adage, following the right process of healing will results to a speedy recovery; and making up your own prescription and instruction would only bring around disastrous results. Just follow the prescription and instructions in taking in your alternative herbal medicine to get the best treatment for your declining health.

Comments Off on Things to Ponder in Cases of Personal Injury

By admin, May 28, 2023 5:34 pm

How would you know if you are eligible to file for compensation claims regarding personal injury that you have sustained from any accident or related events? There are actually two types of this kind of injury. The first type is physical wherein you can broadly record the data of all the details of what you have gotten out of the situation. Aside from pictures taken at the scene, you can also submit medical bills, charts and other stuffs that you were asked to undergo in the hospital after the incident. The other type of this injury is psychological. This is more worse than the first because the effects can be long-term and may cause you stress, anxiety and other emotional baggage that won’t help you in moving forward after the accident.

It is very important that you gather all related evidences while you are still at the scene where the accident happened. If you cannot do this, ask for help from someone you know personally to do the recording of all matters that can be used as evidences later on.

You must not take the matter lightly because even if you think that the pain is light or that you can handle things well after the incident, you can never be too sure as to what can be the effects later on. You may be kind and you simply want to forget about what happened, but this cannot be easily said and done if the accident will cause you too much, like you won’t be able to attend to your regular duties and responsibilities because of your injuries.

The mental effects are harder to treat because the length will vary depending on your state and how you were affected by what happened. The treatment can be short but there are also cases when it takes too long. There will also be a stigma attached to it, like you will be treated differently on your job and on other activities that you were active before the accident happened.

To be sure that you will be able to get what you deserve at these cases, here are some of the things that you must handle at the scene of the accident.

1. You should gather all the evidences that are visible right then and there. Ask someone to do this for you if you can no longer perform such task or you need to be wheeled in immediately on to the nearest hospital. Take photos of all the things that occurred on the scene. If it is a vehicular accident, you must take pictures of all the angles of both vehicles. You should also record your injuries and take photos of what you have gained from the accident.

2. You should also gather all the bills and all the papers for the treatments that you have undertaken after the accident. If this is not your fault, you can later ask the other party to pay you for the expenses that you have shouldered in relation with what happened.

3. You should find a good lawyer that handles compensation claims regarding personal injury. Give them all the evidences that you have gathered so that they can figure out how to handle and help you with your case. You should ask for recommendations for attorneys who do not ask for consultation fees, especially if you cannot afford such additional expenses.

Comments Off on Overcoming Communication Problems Involved With Elder Care

By admin, May 25, 2023 12:34 pm

Identifying Communication Problems

Lack of proper communication is one of the biggest hurdles in elderly care. It can lead to frustration in both the elder person and their caregiver. There are several reasons why communication become less effective with older people, but most of them are due to their reduced hearing capacity or inability to express their thoughts clearly. Since communication involves a clear exchange of information involving two parties, a gap exists when one of either parties fail to function.

Reduced communication skills are one of the results of aging, which is something that is beyond your control. However, your ability to identify the source of the problem will consequently determine the steps you need to take in order to resolve them. Solutions can be as simple as finding alternative means to communicate outside of verbal signals, or as intricate as medical treatment.

Cause of Communication Problems

There are various reasons why aging people lose their ability to communicate properly. Here are some of the most common reasons for them:

• Failing hearing – When people age, they undergo anatomical changes. Reduced hearing capacity is a natural effect involved with the natural aging process. When an elder lacks proper hearing capacity, they do not recognize when someone is talking nor understand clearly the information being relayed. There are hearing aids available nowadays to produce sharper sense of hearing for older people.

• Vision problems or failing eyesight – Another natural effect of again is failing eyesight. Therefore, older person have difficulty reading written communication. The effects of a failing eyesight can be reduced though using alternative communication devices such as eyeglasses.

• Effect of medications – This cause for communication problems is reversible. Taking medicines often produce adverse effects on the elders such that they become easily fatigued or confused. Therefore, they find it difficult to understand communicative patterns.

• Structural or neurological damage – This condition is often caused by other diseases such as brain lesions, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or strokes. Most of these conditions produce permanent results, there are a few coping mechanisms and strategies provided for patient so that they are able to communicate effectively.

Dealing with Proper Communication

If you are faced with communication problems involved in caring for the elderly, then it is important to figure out the proper method of dealing with such communication lapses. Below are a few principles you can apply:

• Understand the two-way process of communication. An effective communication involves a clear exchange of information between the speaker and hearer, therefore both have to cooperate in seeing results. It is both individual’s responsibility, not just one.

• Make some communication adjustments. When you notice that problems exist or that you are not communicating properly, take action. Adjust your communication pattern by first identifying where the source of problem is.

Non-Verbal Communication and Aids

Once you have determined the source of the communication problem, you can minimize their effects by enlisting the help of some devices and aids designed specifically to cater to better communication. Here are a few you can try if you’re having problems communicating when caring for an elderly:

• Eyeglasses and hearing aids: Is recommended for elders who are suffering from failing hearing and eyesight.

• Using writings or pictures instead of spoken communication: Doing this will help prevent create frustration on both parties, since the elderly person will be able to comprehend what you are trying to communicate without having to repeat yourself.

When To Get Help?

If you have done all the procedures indicated above and you are still having communication problems with elderly care, then it might be time to seek professional help. Asking for professional help must be done during the following circumstances:

• When an elderly person have difficulty speaking, understanding, or communicating as a whole.
• When an elderly person exhibits unusual sound of voice that is neither caused by cold nor flu.
• When their speech becomes incomprehensible.
• When they fail to respond clearly.

Comments Off on Stop Smoking: A Friend’s Reminder

By admin, May 22, 2023 7:34 am

Smoking may lead to an addiction; one thing that is very difficult to keep away from your system. Quitting smoking is a very hard process; thus, if your friend is on the process of doing so he will need all your support to do it. Be supportive and encourage him to defeat his urge to smoke. Be there with him as he tries to stop smoking.

Proper Encouragement

As a friend, your encouragement is your best contribution to your friend’s rehabilitation. Remember, with the right words said at the right time, you are able to push your friend to reach his goal. But, how can you really give encouragement without sounding too much of a nagger?

Encouragement follows after a person finally decides to quit smoking. Once he has the determination to quit, you step in to give him words of encouragement so that he will not lose his focus. This is the time when you have to let your friend feel that you are with him throughout this process and that you will stay beside him until he finally reaches his goal. Sometimes, words are not necessary anymore – your acts alone may be enough as encouragement.

You also have to remind yourself of the difficulty of the process that your friend is going through. This reminder will let you understand your friend more, and the better you understand his situation, the more helpful you can be. There may be times when your friend may not stop himself from puffing another stick, but you should not use this against him. Instead of criticizing his mistakes, try to remind him of his progress and steer him away from the said errors. You should not dwell on his mistakes, but on how he was able to correct such afterwards.

And though after quitting, addictive substances such as nicotine and tobacco still remain present within the system of someone who has recently stopped smoking. This is what causes relapse. Thus, the process still continues even after a long time, and you should continue to encourage for as long as your friend’s battle with smoking continues.

Process of Quitting

People have their own ways of quitting. Some say that it is better to quit all at once; however, there are still others who believe that it should be done slowly but surely. Slowly quitting would mean that nicotine exposure would be decreased moderately by consuming lesser cigarettes each day.

Really, it does not matter how one chooses to proceed with quitting. Whatever method he chooses, you should always be ready to give him the encouragement he needs. To do so, here are some things that may help you give confidence to your friend who needs to stop smoking:

1. When you talk about progress, stay positive and inspiring by pointing out the instances when he has really surpassed a trial.
2. Talk about his slip ups but refrain from dwelling on the matter.
3. You should support whatever quitting technique he may have chosen.
4. Help him avoid situations which may trigger his desire for smoking again.
5. Continue to be a friend!

You do not need to be licensed counselor to give good encouragement. All you need to be is to be loyal and one who cares for a friend. Just stay with them, back them up and make them feel that they are not alone in their attempt to stop smoking.

Comments Off on Ready to Stop Smoking: How to Deal with Habit Cravings

By admin, May 19, 2023 2:34 am

Many smokers have been smoking cigarettes for the past years, or even decade. Smoking has become a part of their everyday routine, from the moment they get up from their bed in the mornings up to the time that lie down again for a goodnight sleep. Just imagine how difficult it would be for them to stop smoking, a long-time habit in their routine, when they have been doing it for quite some time already. This is the reason why when they decide to quit smoking, they still have some cravings from time to time; and at times give in to the urge.

Usually, smokers have really allotted a portion of their time for smoking alone. And even without time, they can multi-task and perform their other jobs while they puff a stick. Just a few minutes is what they need to be able to finish one cigarette, and they can make sure that they have just the time to do so.

Smokers can use all the excuses they can get just to be able to puff a cigarette. You may see some people driving their cars with one hand holding a stick while the other holds the wheel. There are also times when you see a smoker light up a cigarette after a stressful event. When people are having fun, dancing in the clubs, drinking alcohol, they too smoke. And the most common time when people smoke is right after a satisfying meal. When they are too full to do other things, they smoke because they feel that it helps them digest whatever they have eaten.

People who smoke can do so every time they feel like doing so. They may bring up excuses like stress, boredom, peer pressure or just the usual “it’s a part of me” excuse. The bottom line is that they have these urges and cravings which they feel should be satisfied right then and there. Smoking must have really been a part of their life.

But, if smoking is really a part of your life now, how would you handle these things when you have finally decided to stop smoking? The act of quitting alone is a difficult task, but the part where you have to eliminate a practice from your usual routine is a lot more difficult. However, if you are really determined to live a healthier non-smoking life, you will have a way to do so.

You may try to do other things in substitute for smoking. Some people who have tried quitting may recommend you to chew a gum instead of lighting a cigarette. The important thing is that you have something to keep your mind off the idea that you are craving for a stick. You may try munching and chomping on unsalted sunflower seeds, or you may also try going for a walk when you feel like smoking. As you fight the urge to smoke, you will realize that It will become less harder for you to refrain from smoking the next time your cravings kick in. Trying to stop smoking is not an easy thing to do, but with the right motivations and with sufficient support from others, you can reach your goal and have a healthier lifestyle.

Comments Off on Practical Tips for Effective Elderly Care Giving

By admin, May 15, 2023 9:34 pm

Effective caregiving only means the ability to provide for the elder’s needs and improving their lives without exactly ruining yours. Indeed, some people can become entirely dedicated into providing for the needs of the elders that they can tend to ignore their own set of needs.

Take note of the following tips to perform a better job at care giving for the elders.

Time and Attention

An important consideration that you need to make and have to make known to the elder you are caring for is that your services are not available for them anytime and wherever they want. Your first business would then involve creating reasonable limits as to when and how you provide service for them. It is important to set your limitations as this too will affect how they establish their demands.

They cannot expect you to provide the care and service for them whenever they want. Learn how to deal with this minor demands. When you fail to give in to them, they will eventually stop. However, there is still the tendency to give in if they continue to push harder in their demands. Find alternatives in responding to such demands, especially if you are caring for your elderly parents and you are tempted to cave in to them.

Practice how you can balance being able to attend to their essential needs and taking care of your personal businesses.

Coping With Unreasonable Demands

At some point while caring for your elderly parents, they can have unreasonable demands. Instead of beating yourself up trying to meet those demands, look at the more important needs that you can provide for them. The worse that could happen if you try to go out of your way trying to meet those demands is that they’d eventually demand some more to the extent that your inability to meet those demands disappoint both you and them.

Like with providing your time to serve and care for them, you also have to set limitations when it comes to the kind of service you will provide for them. It does not mean that you become nonchalant to their needs, but you need to recognize which ones are essential and those that are not.

You can engage them in various activities to spend the best of their remaining years together. There are various agency or non-profit groups dedicated to providing activities and services for the aged that you cannot do on your own. Here, you can have professionals in caregiving willing to extend out any form of help so you can improve ways in which you can provide for you

Dealing With Elder’s Complaints

In relation to creating your boundaries or limits, try to infuse empathy and sympathy to the elders. Immerse yourself in their position and understand why they are making such demands. When they make insulting or unfriendly remarks to you about what you did or failed to do for them, learn how to resolve that within yourself. Stay as positive as possible and redirect your attention to avoid being affected by such remarks. If you fail to overcome such negative thoughts, talk to them about it. Let them know how you felt about their reaction and your genuine concern to provide for their needs and demands. At their condition, talking to them straight would be the best way to cope with the difficulties and challenges of trying to meet their demands.

Dealing With Behavior Towards Carer

When people are aging, they tend to exhibit extreme behavior that could cause people lacking in patience to erupt quickly. Most elder individuals exhibit dementia, which results in unusual behavior. When you notice that an elder you are caring for shows behaviors that are unusual to them, then it is best to seek for professional help. This will benefit both you and your elderly loved ones as you become less frustrated and they get the immediate help they need.

When it comes to extreme behaviors, you can correct or prevent them from happening again by making it known to the elder. Never respond by using foul language yourself or raising your level of voice. If you cannot hold your temper, walk away and let your mind relax for a while until you are ready to settle the matter with a clear mind.

Comments Off on Tips To Look For A Safe Alternative Herbal Medicine Online

By admin, May 12, 2023 4:34 pm

Alternative herbal medicine is the latest trend in modern medical technology. Modern societies are known to make use of this method for addressing common health-related problems or to improve their body’s overall performance. They are free from side-effects commonly attributed to synthetic medicines distributed and used today.

If you are planning to take this method of healing for better results and savings then you might want to look for the best herbal medicine in the online market. There are quite a lot of them around but you have to be careful before buying one to ensure that you are not scammed by frauds active on the Web.

1. Consult An Expert Before Purchase

Consumer should always take extra care in what they drink or eat — especially in the case of medicines. Even if herbal medicines are reputed to be 100% free from side-effect, we can never be too sure how our body will react to the ingredients in it.

Such is the case; it is best to consult an expert first and have your body checked and your health problem diagnosed in order to determine what type of herbal medicine would be best to use, as well as making sure that you won’t have any allergic reactions to it. Have a doctor prescribed you details on the name of the herbal product, ingredients, and dosage for use.

2. Check The Company Who Made The Product

Since you will be buying your herbal medicines on the Web, you have to be sure that the product is 100% safe to use. Since identity is a common problem related to the Internet, it would be best to do your research first to ensure that you won’t be having troubles with its use later on.

You can use search engines to pull out some information about the pharmaceutical company that made the herbal product. You can use the name of the herbal medicine or the company that made it as keywords and try to check out reviews from different consumers who tried it out. While you’re at it, you might want to check if these companies are affiliated with known government health services and credible medical companies in the market.

3. Determine The Ingredients Used

If you don’t want to have any allergic reaction to a specific herbal medicine then you need to check out the details indicated on the label. Since the product is advertised online, there should be a specific page on the distributor’s homepage that details the natural ingredients and other chemicals used in it. If you have no idea what to look for then you better consult an expert to determine whether it is safe for you to use or not. Don’t buy herbal medicines on the Web without proper information of its ingredients, dosage, or usage to avoid compromising your health.

4. Look For Consumer Testimonies Online

It would be prudent if you look for testimonies of people who have used the herbal product before making the purchase. We can never be too sure how it would affect our health when used so you can base your research on those who have tried it out and to determine whether it worked for them or not — and whether it could be useful for your health concern. Don’t stick only with the positive comments but concentrate more on the negative postings from consumers to make sure that you get the advantages and disadvantages listed down to help you decide.

Comments Off on Things to Know If You are to Stop Smoking

By admin, May 9, 2023 11:34 am

You should understand that the fight to stop smoking starts from the moment when you have finally decided to quit. However, it does not end there, because the hard part is when the withdrawal urges kick in and you find yourself on the verge of smoking again. These urges are just temporary in nature, and they too shall pass you just have to fight them when they manifest. So, as you stop smoking maybe you should know ten things that will help you with the cigarette renunciation.

1. Patience is the key to winning over the battle against smoking. The truth is that this process is not easy, nor is it for a short period of time. Thus, you should be patient to deal with the rehabilitation for as long as it takes you.

2. Go through the process day by day. Do not think of how long the process will really take, instead live through the rehabilitation each day. You will soon notice that as each day passes, your craving to smoke gets weaker, and your strength to defeat such craving gets stronger.

3. Do not let yourself be bothered by negative thoughts which may only make you wanting to smoke again. By being constantly reminded of your purpose and your goal, you will be more motivated to end your smoking life and replace it with a healthier lifestyle.

4. During your rehabilitation, you should not forget to satisfy your other needs, such as food and water. A good diet and sufficient hydration can help you flush away the toxins from your body that has accumulated because of smoking. You should also keep your body physically fit, so exercise regularly and then take enough rest daily.

5. Refrain from drinking alcohol, because it may just trigger your urge to smoke. Some people cannot detach smoking from drinking, because these two are very much related to each other.

6. Being stressed will not help you in your struggle to stop smoking. It may only tempt you into releasing your stress through smoking. Thus, you should not be stressed out, especially during your withdrawal phase.

7. You would definitely feel the urge to smoke again, sometime in the middle of your rehabilitation. You may find yourself craving for the pleasure of smoking, but you should not give into the temptation. You should learn to repress this urge, and soon enough you will realize that you are no longer feeling the drive to smoke.

8. The fight against smoking is a difficult battle. It would help a lot if you are able to find someone close to you, or some other people who are going through the same process just like you. It would make your feel at ease and comfortable, and will give you a sense of security that you are not alone in this battle.

9. Do not think that smoking a single stick would not affect your rehabilitation. The moment you give in to this temptation, you will continue doing the same again and again; and all your previous efforts to quit will just be flushed down the drain. If it becomes really tough for you, you may ask for assistance from a counselor.

10. Hold on to your reasons for quitting. You should keep in mind that you are to stop smoking for a good reason, and this should be your motivation.

Comments Off on The Brave Attempt to Stop Smoking

By admin, May 6, 2023 6:34 am

Perhaps, you have heard a lot of people say that smoking is an old habit that dies hard. Smoking can become very addictive, and once a smoker becomes dependent on its substance, he will definitely lose most of his strength to steer clear from such addiction. Despite all the reminders of advertisements and all the warnings given by medical professionals regarding the harmful effects of smoking to one’s health, a lot of people are still lured by the aroma of a burning cigarette; and before they know it, they are already too hooked on smoking to quit it. And then, for any reason, they will begin to stop smoking, but then they will feel too weak to fight the urge to smoke again.

Smokers may say that they will stop smoking in due time. But when really is the right time to stop smoking? Don’t they know that the longer they prolong their addiction, the harder it shall be for them to quit it? Why wait for tomorrow, when you are already a victim now? In waiting, you are just waiting for the consequences of your actions to become more serious than it already is. Listen to what health practitioners are saying; take the brave attempt to quit smoking now.

In quitting, your tool winning tool is your willpower and determination. People may tell you how to go about the quitting process, but it is really your focus that will help you get through the rehabilitation. Just remember that it is never going to be a quick change, it would definitely require you to work hard for your goal. Do not look for the easy way out, keep in mind that you should do it slowly but surely.

Set your goals, and take note of the reasons why you are finally stopping. Emphasize on the benefits that you will get when you are finally a non-smoker instead of using all its harmful effects to scare you into quitting. The reward is a better motivation than the punishment. And as you set your goals, remember that there are trials as you quit smoking, such as the withdrawal stage, and this may be toughest part. You should be prepared when these symptoms occur.

You should plan activities that would keep your mind of smoking. Enjoy sports, or pamper yourself by going to the spa, or watching movies. Try to see how much productive you can be by doing all these things than just smoking. The money you are spending is well spent as well, and it is not just wasted on a bad vice. For the time being, hang out with your friends who are not smoking and surround yourself with an environment that would really make your forget about smoking.

Bear in mind that you are the key to the success of your battle against smoking. It is your determination that will push you to reach your goal. No matter how much people remind you to stop smoking, it is always you who has the last say. So, you should stay focused and determined.

And, you should know that if you are planning to stop smoking, now is the best time. Today is better than tomorrow, and this will certainly make your future a lot brighter and healthier. Do it now, be brave enough to stop smoking.