Welcome back, friend. In this second part of our four step journey inspired by Atomic Habits, we’re gonna create a little oasis of good habits together. A cozy corner of your day where new routines can take root right beside the ones you’ve already got growin’.

Just like plants thrive when they’re planted close together, our new habits grow best when they’ve got support from the ones we’re already tendin’ every day.

This method is called habit stacking. It’s all about usin’ an existing habit as your foundation to grow a new one. You “plant” that new habit right in the soil you already know – safe, familiar, and well established.

As an example, let’s say you already brush your teeth every mornin’ and night. If your goal is to move more, you can add 15 squats every time you brush. The toothbrushin’ then becomes your signal, a little daily seed that reminds you to care for your health.

The beautiful thing about habit stacking is how natural it feels. You don’t have to fight for time or rack your brain tryin’ to remember what to do. The new habit just rides along with the old one, like a young plant leanin’ on an older, stronger stem.

Think about the habits you already have that feel steady and familiar. Which new habit could find its footing there, like a fresh branch on a sturdy oak? Start small, let it grow, and watch how one simple connection can change the rhythm of your whole day.

This isn’t exactly a habit stacking, but I wanted to share it with you because it’s changed the way I wake up. Not too long ago, I picked up a sunrise alarm clock. Now, this little gadget isn’t cheap—it cost a bit more than I expected. But in our quest for a more peaceful, harmonious life, we can also borrow a little help from modern tech.

A sunrise clock simulates the soft light of dawn and wakes you up slowly by gradually brightenin’ your room before the alarm even goes off. The result? You wake up feelin’ more rested and ready for the day, without that jarring shock of a traditional alarm blarin’ in your ears.

I’ve noticed it’s so much easier to get out of bed now. Even though I still sleep through the night, my body wakes up gently without me really noticin’. Slowly, slowly, slowly… and then when the alarm finally rings, the room is already light. It’s wonderful.

It’s really helped me get out of bed and hit snooze way less. Not a habit per se, but I just had to share this little gem with ya.

Before we dive deeper into this cozy little world of habit stacking, I want to mention real quick that, as an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made through certain links in many of my posts here on this blog. It doesn’t cost ya anything extra, but it helps me keep sharin’ my experiences and experiments with you. Thank you so much for your kind support!

1. Find your anchors – the steady roots
Your existing habits are like strong roots in your daily life. They might be brushin’ your teeth, brewin’ your mornin’ tea, eatin’ breakfast, gettin’ dressed, or lockin’ the door before you head out. When you identify these “anchors,” you get a solid foundation where new habits can take root and grow without resistance.

2. Plant the right habit in the right spot
Pick a habit that already happens at the same time every day and let that be the soil where you plant your new one. Link ’em clearly, so the old habit naturally leads into the new. Start small, two to three minutes is plenty. It’s more important that the rhythm sticks than that you do a lot right from the start.

3. Examples that help it grow

After brushin’ your teeth: do 15 squats.

During your mornin’ tea: sit in quiet meditation for five minutes.

After gettin’ dressed: stretch your body for ten minutes.

When you lock the door, take three deep breaths and set an intention for the day.

These little rituals become tiny seeds in your day that over time grow into a whole garden of good habits, a place where you feel present, balanced, and productive.

4. Tend the growth – keep the soil alive
Give yourself a little praise whenever you follow through, no matter how small it seems. Write down what works and let your successes become the fertilizer for more growth. Build slowly, with patience and kindness. Just like nature, you’ve got your seasons—sometimes everything sprouts at once, sometimes you need to rest. But the whole picture keeps growin’, day by day.

So why not start today? Pick a habit that’s already part of your life – a safe anchor – and let it host a new, positive habit that enriches your day. It could be somethin’ as simple as takin’ three mindful breaths every time you boil your mornin’ tea, or stretchin’ your body before you step out the door.

If ya want to give your mornin’s an extra spark, try investin’ in a sunrise alarm clock. Let the light wake you up gently, like a new day slowly openin’ its petals.

Little changes like these might seem small in the moment, but they’re the seeds of a bigger transformation. Every day you tend ’em, somethin’ new grows. A lifestyle filled with meaning, focus, and quiet joy.

Tomorrow we’ll keep this journey goin’, and I’ll share a little trick that can turn even the most mundane chores into moments of inspiration. Let your day end with gratitude for what’s already sproutin’, and you’ll soon notice how every small action turns your everyday life into a place where growth is the natural state of things.

P.S. What habit stack are you tryin’ to grow right now? Drop it in the comments below so we can cheer each other on.