Did you know that one-third of US high school graduates never read another entire book after graduating? (*according to Literacy Inc.)
I am in the middle of an exciting book about a diamond thief.
Which, for me, is progress. Many years ago, I used to read only to learn more.
Now, I read to learn but also to
laugh,
connect,
explore the world,
enjoy,
r e l a x,
and rest.
I experience reading as a form of self-care and caring for my personal wellness. Especially since I’ve decided to read for fun as much as I can, I see reading as such a sweet thing to look forward to.
Years ago, my good friend Heather and I decided to read 12 books in one year, all centered around the same concepts or topic. My topic was “Community.” That was the year I learned about what causes shame (thank you, Brené Brown), I learned about the Art of Gathering (thank you, Priya Parker), and I overall learned about the things that sometimes get in the way of human connection.
If you are interested in starting to read more as part of your daily life, here are some tips that I’ve learned:
- Give audiobooks a shot: It worked for me. I would say that listening to books has been the single most helpful factor in reading and completing more books.
Realize that you probably do have time: Hear me out 🙂 Driving to work, doing the dishes, or scrolling on social media. Your smartphone stats probably show you that if you have time to spend 13 hours a week on Instagram, you probably have the margin to read each day. Please don’t force it, though! And also, it’s always okay to give yourself the gift of silence. Every moment does not need to be filled with something. But if you have an incredibly busy lifestyle, see if you can sneak in even 20 or 30 minutes at a time most days.- Do it while you’re doing something else you love: My favorite time to read is when I’m going on a walk by myself, either on a treadmill or outside in the sunshine.
- Make it free: Don’t let money keep you from reading! Most local libraries have an app that gives you access to so many free audiobooks. And, of course, walking into your local library and checking out books works, too!
Reading is such a gift. What are you reading? Tell me over on Instagram @vimbowatson ✨
