a book conversation to spark a few ideas and encourage a tiny change

This post is written by: April Edwards and Niamh Celeste (check out her Substack!)

The idea of a low-key book club has been rattling around in my brain and showing up in my writing notes for a while. I was recently inspired by this post by Alicia. I loved the format of the back and forth discussion and getting to see two different perspectives.

I looked over my book basket and immediately thought of Niamh Celeste recommending the book Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg.

I think this book is perfect for the transition from summer to fall because many of us have schedule shifts, the weather change often affects our habits, and there is a natural move towards more structure.

I’m excited to work with Niamh because she is an avid reader, fellow Substack writer, and we have had fun collaborating in the past. [check out this post]

So, welcome to Book Club!

Niamh Celeste and I are co-reading Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. 😁

Grab your copy of Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg — We’re just getting started!(📖hardcover, 📱digital, or 🎧audiobook = whatever works for you)
You can follow along at our pace, read slower, or speed ahead.
share your experiences in the comments

a quick note: This is not sponsored. No commission or kickbacks. 
Just two enthusiastic readers having a lively discussion of an inspiring book.

Let’s get started!

April: You mentioned to me before that this book made an impact on you. Can you tell me about your experience with this book?

Niamh: I’m so happy to be talking with you today about Tiny Habits, April. Let me start out by telling you my own Tiny Habits story. I was working as a personal development coach in low income housing, and I was always trying to find new ways I could help my clients. I was looking for something that would help a client with severe ADHD and a history of brain injury. I googled and one of the results was a webinar on Tiny Habits for ADHD. I had to click on it. I have ADHD, too.

I was so amazed that these people were claiming that you could build a habit in 5 days by doing just the first simple step towards it every day. I’m pretty sure I snorted some tea out of my nose at that claim. But they offered a free, 5-day email coaching program, so I signed up. I could definitely prove them wrong.

April: I love that you went into it with skepticism and with the plan to help other people.😜 How did the coaching program work?

Niamh: They have you commit to 3 habits for the week. That seemed like a lot to me, but I did it. They insist that one of the habits be what they call the “Maui habit.” When your feet touch the floor first thing in the morning, you simply say, “It’s going to be a great day.” And then you celebrate for having done your new habit.

April: How did that go?

Niamh: It did not go well. I am not a morning person. I am not awake when my feet touch the floor. I’m a zombie. With the coach, we changed it to fit how my brain works in the morning. About 15 minutes into my day, I’m generally awake, and that’s when I take the dog for a walk. So when I put the leash on her, I would give her a little rub down and say, “We are going to have a great day, Bri!” and then we would dance out the door together. I’m still doing that habit and it’s been 3 years now I think.

The thing that convinced me to learn more though was my habit of leaving dirty dishes in the sink. Here’s how we attacked that. I always took leftovers for lunch, and I always washed out the Rubbermaid containers at work after I finished eating so that they wouldn’t mess up my pretty lunch bag. That was an established habit. Here’s what we added on. As soon as I got home from work, I unpacked my lunch bag and put the Rubbermaid in the dishwasher. That’s it.

I had been just throwing it in the sink with the other dirty dishes and dreading them for days until I finally got my executive function working long enough to get me to the sink. But the genius of this habit is that there I was at the sink already with the dishwasher open. All you ever have to do is the first step, but BJ Fogg really understands how the brain works. You’re on the slippery slope now. It’s almost automatic that you’re going to do the dishes at that point because you’ve overcome the biggest obstacle: getting started.

I’m glad we’re going to do this book club because I’ve retired now, and I’m not bringing Rubbermaid containers home from work anymore. I need a new tiny habit to deal with my daily dish disasters.

April: The dishes in the sink are so real! I get that.

Niamh: What about you? What are you going to be working on?

April: Well, I homeschool my youngest 2 (currently ages 11 and 14) and I’ve been a teacher for over 20 years. The beginning of the school year always feels like a good time to adjust my habits, personal routines, and household rhythms.

This summer has been super busy with my adult kids at home, my daughter’s wedding, lots of hosting, serving as a leader at High School summer camp, and family adventures. It has been a wonderful change of pace.

However, getting back into our fall school routine will be a challenge.

Because I choose to homeschool, the planning, motivation, and overall atmosphere of our home rests on my shoulders. So, to get myself back into the very structured August/September environment I have to mentally prepare. Reading non-fiction is one of my favorite ways to “get in the zone”. 😁

Several years ago I read Atomic Habits by James Clear and it was life-changing. Even though I currently have a foundation of deliberate living and intentional habits I definitely feel the need for a refresher.

Also, I have a tendency to “go big” and then get overwhelmed.

Niamh: Honestly, I’m overwhelmed just reading all the things you do!

April: Yes, I tend to juggle a lot. 😜

So off the top of my head I can quickly come up with a list of routines and habits I need to work on.

Projects I need practical help with right now:

Getting up on time (why is my bed so comfortable after my alarm goes off? I’m also not a morning person.)
my homeschool yearly planning (scheduling, choosing curriculum, mapping out extra curricular classes, High School transcript planning… etc.)
Finishing up some writing projects before our trip
Sorting through papers that have piled up in my office
Resetting the household chores and morning tasks

Niamh: Oh my goodness! Overwhelm!

April: See, even with my list I went too big! I probably need to break each of these down into smaller pieces and then start with one or two. I’m sure BJ Fogg has some thoughts on that.

I have learned in my burnout recovery that small simple solutions are more lasting and effective. Just reading through the introduction solidified that this book is just what I need right now. 💙

Niamh: I’m really excited about doing this together. I think that this kind of book can really come alive when you’re sharing the process with someone else. We can be so blind to our own issues. Support is good!

Explain how the book club is going to work.

April: Awesome! Here’s the plan…

The Plan:

Grab your copy of Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

(📖hardcover, 📱digital, or 🎧audiobook = whatever works for you)

We will post our discussion every Thursday starting on September 3 (in 2 weeks so you have time to get the book).

You can follow along at our pace, read slower, or speed ahead.

It’s up to you.

But please share what you are learning, habits you are tracking, and personal stories along the way. We can all benefit from your wisdom and experiences!

📖We would love for you to read along with us!

We hope Book Club is a place where you feel welcomed and encouraged.

Please share: Have you heard of or read Tiny Habits before?

Happy Reading –

💙💜 – April Edwards & Niamh Celeste

Action Steps:

Get your copy of Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
read the Introduction
Have your notes ready to share with us!

Remember we are posting every Thursday starting in 2 weeks.