Atomic Habits: The Crunchy Way to Lasting Change
Today, we’re diving into the first book in our Wannabe Crunchy Book Club—Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book isn’t just about habit-building; it’s about reshaping your daily routines to align with your goals, values, and the life you want to live.
Why Atomic Habits?
Being “crunchy” in today’s world can feel overwhelming. Social media is flooded with images of homesteaders canning food, making sourdough, raising animals, and crafting their own non-toxic products. When you’re just starting out, it can feel like you’re a hundred steps behind.
I know that feeling all too well. I’ve made so many small changes in my life—switching to homemade meals, reducing toxins in my home, and learning to read ingredient labels—but sometimes I still feel like I’m nowhere near where I want to be. That’s where Atomic Habits comes in.
James Clear explains that achieving goals isn’t about one big transformation. It’s about small, consistent actions that compound over time. He breaks it down into four simple laws:
Make it obvious
Make it attractive
Make it easy
Make it satisfying
These laws are game-changers for anyone trying to live a more intentional, crunchy, and non-toxic life.
Goals vs. Systems: The Crunchy Perspective
One of my biggest takeaways from Atomic Habits is that goals don’t get you results—systems do.
A goal is something like:
✅ I want a cleaner home.
✅ I want to eat healthier.
✅ I want to exercise more.
✅ I want to reduce toxins in my home.
But goals alone don’t create lasting change. If you don’t have a system in place, you’ll always be in a cycle of starting and stopping. Clear explains that people see successful individuals and assume they achieved their goals overnight. In reality, those “overnight successes” spent years building habits and systems to support their success.
So instead of just setting goals, we need to ask:
What systems will help me achieve my goals?
If I want to cook more at home, I need a system that makes meal prep easier.
If I want to eat healthier, I need a system that makes it simple to choose better ingredients.
If I want a clean home, I need a system that keeps me from leaving laundry in the washer (we’ve all been there).
By focusing on systems over goals, we shift our mindset from pass-or-fail thinking to continuous progress.
The 4 Laws of Habit Formation (and How They Apply to Crunchy Living)
James Clear outlines four laws for building good habits and breaking bad ones. Here’s how they relate to a crunchy lifestyle:
1st Law: Make It Obvious
Clear suggests using a habit scorecard to track your daily actions. For example, if your goal is to get better sleep:
✔ End work at 6 PM — good habit
✔ Cook dinner by 7:30 PM — good habit
✔ Finish bedtime routines by 8:30 PM — good habit
✘ Scroll on your phone for an hour before bed — bad habit
✘ Snack late at night — bad habit
By identifying the habits that help or hurt your progress, you can start making intentional changes.
One powerful tool he shares is habit stacking—pairing a new habit with an existing one.
Example:
After I make my morning coffee, I’ll take my vitamins.
After I wash the dishes, I’ll wipe down the counters.
After I put the kids to bed, I’ll stretch for five minutes.
When you attach a new habit to an existing one, it becomes part of your routine naturally.
2nd Law: Make It Attractive
People are more likely to do things that are appealing. This is where temptation bundling comes in.
If your goal is to cook more at home but you love watching TV, try:
Playing your favorite show on your phone while you cook.
Listening to a podcast while prepping meals.
Making double portions so you have a night off from cooking.
Another key point? Surround yourself with people who support your goals.
If your partner or friends encourage takeout and convenience foods, you’re more likely to give in. But if you have a friend who also wants to eat healthier, you can motivate each other.
If you struggle to find like-minded people, try:
Joining a book club
Shopping at a local farmer’s market and talking to vendors.
Joining a crunchy mom Facebook group or local homesteading group.
Your environment and community play a huge role in your success.
3rd Law: Make It Easy
We tend to overcomplicate change, but the key to success is to start small and make things easier.
James Clear recommends the 2-minute rule: if a new habit feels overwhelming, break it down into a tiny action you can do in two minutes.
If you want to work out, start with just two minutes of stretching.
If you want a cleaner home, commit to putting away one item right away.
If you want to eat healthier, swap just one processed food for a whole food each week.
Over time, small changes add up to big results.
Another trick? Make bad habits difficult.
Want to reduce screen time? Put your phone in another room at night.
Want to stop eating junk food? Don’t keep it in the house.
Want to drink more water? Keep a full glass next to you at all times.
Your environment should make good choices easy and bad choices hard.
4th Law: Make It Satisfying
The final step in habit formation is making it rewarding. One way to do this is through habit tracking—seeing your progress visually.
Marking off a calendar for every day you stick to a habit.
Moving a marble from one jar to another each time you complete a habit.
Keeping a checklist of habits you want to maintain.
Another key lesson? Never miss twice.
If you fall off track, don’t let it turn into a new habit. If you forget to work out one day, just get back to it the next.
Clear also emphasizes accountability partners. Whether it’s a friend, sibling, or spouse, having someone to check in with helps keep you on track.
Small Changes = Big Results
Crunchy living isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating systems that make healthier choices easier.
You don’t need to grow all your own food—start by shopping at a farmer’s market.
You don’t need to make everything from scratch—swap just one processed item for homemade.
You don’t need a non-toxic house overnight—replace things as they run out.
As James Clear says: “Getting 1% better every day counts for a lot in the long run.”
If you’re ready to start building habits that align with your crunchy goals, Atomic Habits is the perfect place to start.
Resources
https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
https://www.audible.com/pd/Atomic-Habits-Audiobook/1524779261
