• Visualizing yourself smoke-free makes a self-fulfilling prophecy. A helpful book is ‘The Power of Visualization’, by Lee Pulos.
• Realize that some people do not want you to quit because it emphasizes their behavior and puts pressure on them to quit. Avoid them temporarily.
• Making positive statements to yourself is helpful. For instance, "I am enjoying being able to breathe better," "I am free of desire to smoke," and "I am relaxed and calm."
• Stress is a trigger to smoking. Learn new ways to deal with stress.
• Smokers who embrace a regular exercise program have about twice success rate of non-exercisers. The higher level of activity, higher success rate.

The Ohio Quit Line (800) 934-4840) will offer you additional resources and assistance. See http://www.standohio.org

Auld Lang Syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers, by John C. Norcross, Marci S. Mrykalo, Matthew D. Blagys , University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology, Volume 58, Issue 4 (2002). John Norcross is a co-author of Changing For Good. http://www.proactive-coach.com/resolutions/theory/index.htm

There is no vaccine available. And there won't be for months. Probably six-to-twelve months. Maybe longer. Clinical trials take time. Usually a year. Then once it's available, vaccine must be distributed worldwide. A logistical nightmare.

So what can you do to protect yourself and your family?

Three steps. And they should be done now, while winds of pandemic are blowing in Southeast Asia.

1. Buy a supply of oseltamivir, only antiviral available that seems to reduce impact of virus. It doesn't kill it, but it does give your body time to build immunity.

2. Buy only filter mask that will block H5N1 and kill it dead -- no that mask is not N95 series. You'd be wasting your money on a N95. Nanomask is one I strongly recommend.

3. Buy a supply of immunolin, only blood protein on market that will strengthen your immune system against horrific challenges like H5N1.

You can wait for your government to come up with a solution to protect you, or you can become proactive. My family has already taken three steps outlined above, I hope you will too.

Mr. Hart is the author of "H5N1 VIRUS: It's Coming, Are You Ready?" and is a member of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW). He hosts a blog titled "Pathogen Alert" that monitors H5N1 developments worldwide: http://www.urgentebooks.com/blog, where he can be reached.