Build, Understand, Rebuild, Smooth Sailing (Atomic Habits Book Review)

The October Lines and Squares Photograph Challenge is moving right along (here). 

The theme is Build – Understand – Rebuild – Smooth Sailing (then repeat)

Here is my entry for today:

This sunrise photo brought a smile as a new day was upon us….

BOOK CONNECTIONS

Don’t you love it when blog world meets the real world?

That happened to me again this weekend. 

Erica, the host of Behind the Scenery blog (here) likes some of the nonfiction authors that I have been reading.  We learned this while I was over at Book Club Mom’s blog (here).

Then, in Erica’s recent post – she shared about some books she read while camping – I told her about Atomic Habits (2018) by James Clear.

She told me that she went and put the book on hold and they said it would be “available in 111 days.” Then she shared that number one’s have had a significant role in her life – starting when her granddaughter was born on 1-11. (And don’t you love learning about the special symbols or patterns that people have? I find it inspiring – and reminds me of the spirit and soul side of humanity.)

So anyhow, on Saturday morning, I was up early – grabbed a cup of coffee  – then reached for Atomic Habits. My husband said, “Don’t lose my spot…” and when I opened it – guess what? 

He was stopped right at page 111. 

So I smiled and knew I had to tell Erica.

Then I realized I needed to post about the book – because maybe some other readers will enjoy tips from this AWESOME book. 

Here are my top takeaways from Jame Clear’s Atomic Habits book:

1. You can set yourself up for more success by learning about four areas that underpin behavior: cue, craving, response, and reward.
2. You need to identify the way you have formed different “cues and cravings” and then see how the “response and rewards” connect to that behavior.  
3. The cues and cravings relate to the “problem phase” and the response and rewards relate to the “solution phase.”
4. Learn how to PRIME your environment so it is ready for immediate use for what you need it to be used for next. Priming an area can impact your mood and actions – priming is called “Resetting the room”  – and this allows you to clean up after the last action in your life and then prepare for the next action with less friction.
5. There will be less friction and more action for the things you want to get done if you reset the room.
6. When consequences are severe – and painful – you will learn quickly
7. Bad habits can be eliminated when there is a painful consequence and if there is an instant cost to that action.
8. Bad habits are repeated because they “serve us” and we can reduce this need meeting serving us role if we add “some friction to the behavior” and increase “the speed of punishment” with the behavior to help end it.
9. Want more success creating new habits? Make the behavior attractive, easy, and satisfying. And maybe use a habit tracker to measure progress
10. As humans we are diverse, but also so alike when it comes to some of the ways we change or create habits.

Clear’s blog: JamesClear.com.

Amazon link: Atomic Habits

Four Minute Books review of Atomic Habits here

PHOTO CONNECTIONS

I want to wind down this post by sharing some photos that tie into the theme of creating or changing habits.

BUILD: Sometimes in life we carefully build – we plot the structure and plan what we want. We give things care, attention, and work with excellence.

UNDERSTANDING LAYERS: Sometimes things in life are NOT so clear. And this is why James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, is so helpful. He writes with simplicity and with short chapters he educates us. I was reminded how some human behavior is murky  and very individual – yet many times we all share the same behavior modification principles. We just need better understanding about “why” so we can “modify” and create. 

DUMPING: Sometimes in life we need to clean house and just get rid of the shit.

RECYCLING: Sometimes we need to pack up the baggage and send it off for recycling. Not everything can or should be sent to a landfill (mentally blocked out). Some life experiences get recycled –  repurposed – to make us stronger. Past experiences can get worked through and then used to shape and sculpt. Often this is the only way you get all that seasoning – depth – steel – and helps you release demandingness!

SMOOTH SAILING: Better phases in life do come. Sure, we can talk about changing habits and we can talk about cleaning up the mess – but let’s also talk about the sweet days that come when we “arrive” – or when we reach a goal. Our work days off! It does. and so let’s not be so quick to dismiss the delicious wave that just came our way from a bit of effort or hard work. Let’s learn to embrace — and deeply feel — the “contentment of maturity.”  

 

Build – Understand – Rebuild – Smooth Sailing (then repeat)

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Okay – so have you read Atomic Habits? Does it sound like a book you would enjoy?

Or better yet, do you have any books – nonfiction of fiction –  that recently inspired you? 

I have a few more books to hopefully share about this month –

and so see you again soon with another post.

Peace….

#prior house blog

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