With the New Year has come countless resolutions, and at Free & Clear we have been busy helping with one of the most popular -- quitting smoking! For so many, January 1 is a great time to kick the habit. The first of the year means a fresh start, new beginnings, and a chance to leave behind the past.

But one particular person’s quit has taken center stage. President-Elect Barack Obama touts change and hope and who has until recently kept his smoking and struggle to quit under wraps. To say that the New Year is a new start for him would be quite the understatement. For Obama, January 2009 will mark his official transition into the white house and commence our country’s 44th presidency. Lately there have been many photos of him working out and showing off his healthy physique, which is a popular image for him to have since “getting healthy” and “exercising more” are also popular resolutions. But many still want to know, is quitting smoking on his list of New Year’s Resolutions?

An article in the New York Times declares that Obama has not truly quit yet, despite the New Year’s push to quit smoking. However, it does appear that quitting is not far off of Obama’s To Do List. The 3-8-cigarettes-a-day-smoker has been making attempts with the nicotine gum, and has stopped smoking for periods of time. The article also brings to light an interview Obama had with Tom Brokaw where the President-Elect confirms that he “had stopped” but also “fallen off the wagon.”

But there are some who are not so encouraging of Mr. Obama quitting. Another article has weighed the pros and cons of our President Elect’s desire to quit. Many quit smoking advocates would love to see him quit and be a role model to those struggling to do so. They say it would be a great thing for him to do this New Year and would be a great way to start change.

But others bring up some valuable concerns that many others have about quitting smoking. What if he gains weight? We’re so used to his fit and healthy image- what would people think? And what about the state of nation being so unbalanced right now- shouldn’t he worry about our country first? And my personal favorite, what if has a nicotine fit in the middle of a press conference?  Will he ruin our foreign relations because he quit smoking?

This ambivalence or uncertainty around the idea of quitting is common. Hesitation to change is a part of making change. I think it’s great that people are expressing their concerns about it, because again it shows us all how tough quitting can be. Not only does the person quitting have concerns, but so do those around them.

So as many people quit and as many are struggling to quit at this time of year, including our President-Elect, I have no doubt that change is just around the corner. Because no matter where anyone is during their quit process, what’s important to realize is that there IS a process in place to work on quitting. And so long as the process and desire continues, change will inevitably come.