Reading – that thing we were all forced to do in school while growing up. Remember? I bet most of you definitely experienced that. When I was in elementary and middle school, every year there was a school initiative to get every student to read 100 books before the end of the school year. We had reading logs and all of these checks and balances to double-check check we actually read all the books we listed. If you read 100 books by the end of the year, then you were able to join in on the big reward: the pizza and ice cream party. It’s funny when you look back and realize how little was required to encourage us to do so much. Nowadays, if I just get through the week, I buy myself a pint of ice cream at the grocery store. No reading required, ha! I remember loving every book I read over the course of the year. I loved reading as a kid! Then, I entered high school and no longer chose the books I wanted to read, so I found myself hating reading. I definitely utilized good ‘ole SparkNotes to try to read as little as possible. Looking back on it now, I realize that I didn’t start to hate reading all of a sudden, the issue was that I hated the books I was forced to read.

It took me until college to start wanting to freely read again. I started dabbling in some trending titles and finally found my footing in the reading world once again. That’s the key – finding the right book to read. I will say, I am a huge non-fiction fan. In fact, I can’t name the last fiction book I read. What you choose to read is totally up to you but finding what suits and excites you the most is definitely a great place to start.

Benefits of Reading

No matter what genres you choose to read, reading is proven to help you in a multitude of ways – your high school language arts teacher wasn’t lying. Reading has been linked to stress reduction, an increase in vocabulary, an improvement of your memory, an increase in empathy, an improvement of sleep, an improvement in attention and focus, and overall improvement in cognitive development and your mental health. Reading also boosts your critical thinking, literacy, and analytical skills. As someone who is now an avid reader, I can assure you I notice a huge difference in myself when I’m on my reading game versus when I’m off of it. Overall, I just feel sharper when I’m consistently reading than not.

The Self-Help Era and Self-Help Books

It seems like almost every new book that comes to the market falls under the self-help category in some way, shape, or form. When I think about it, I guess the concept itself of Our So-Called 20s is self-help to the max. I personally love a good self-help book, but I find I gravitate more towards the ones that are rooted in business or share personal stories from the author. I like these types of reads because I find myself learning from the perspective of someone else who has truly lived what they are talking about, instead of someone who just likes to give “pie in the sky” ideas and advice. It’s almost like reading these books helps me to not make the same mistakes of the people before me, which is always nice to avoid.

Reading a book in this realm can really help you discover where you would like to grow in your life or even help guide you through tough times. I know I have personally learned a lot from some of my favorite reads over the past year alone. Some of my favorite books will be a forever resource for me and, I can’t buy enough copies for my friends.

Check out some of my favorite book recommendations here.
The best book for the importance of personal growth in your 20s here.

The Expensive Part

Buying books often, especially if you read them quickly, can certainly get costly. I don’t know why it took me so long to adopt this idea for myself, but make sure to get a library card! Your local library that you probably haven’t stepped foot in since you were a kid – that place! Go swing by and get a free library card. New books also end up at local libraries, and it can save you so much money in the long-term. I’m a bit of a hypocrite here because I love my bookshelf and watching it grow, but boy, does it get expensive.

A friend of mine recently told me about libbyapp.com, which is a great way to access free eBooks and audiobooks with your library card, as well! Who would have thought your local library could also give you access to audiobooks and eBooks? I guess it is 2024.

If you struggle to complete or commit to a book at this point in your journey, this could also be a great option for you. There’s no loss if you don’t finish the read, or if you just don’t like it. Don’t get me wrong, I love Amazon as much as the next person, but you also can’t beat free!

How to Develop a Reading Habit

Reading has greatly helped me hold myself accountable. I struggle to detach from screens, whether it be my email or the next YouTube video I want to watch before going to bed.  I love using reading as a stress reliever at the end of the day. If I know I have a book I’m in the middle of, I have to put down my phone and read a chapter or two before bed. I keep my current read on my bedside table so it’s within easy reach and helps me maintain a better habit. I also like to start my morning by reading a chapter or two as well rather than reaching for my phone to scroll. I know this is not for everyone as we all wake up differently, but this is something that I have thoroughly enjoyed incorporating into my morning routine. Adding reading back into your life doesn’t have to be something that completely alters your schedule or life behavior. A little can go a long way!

“But I Don’t Know What to Read”

Figuring out your next book can be hard, there’s no doubt about it. I personally love asking my friends or people older than me what their favorite books are. It’s actually one of my favorite questions to ask people. “Do you have a favorite book or a go-to book you would recommend?” For starters, it can tell you a lot about a person, but it also keeps your list fresh and unpredictable, so don’t be afraid to ask around! You might just find your next favorite read.

Make Book Clubs Cool Again

A couple of my friends and I have book clubs to help keep us all on track. Now, they’re not like your high school book club wherewe create critical thinking questions for each chapter and quiz one another on them. Instead, it’s more like group accountability and a mini community for questions and thought processes on the materials mentioned in the books. I’ve really enjoyed our little book clubs because sometimes it’s nice to have someone to talk to about the book or someone to call when you’re looking for more clarity on a topic discussed. It’s also a fun activity to do with your friends and can spice up the group chat!

Incorporating reading back into my life has been a major plus. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned from my reads or how many new perspectives I’ve gained through them as well. I couldn’t recommend it enough, and I hope you are able to start, improve, or reinvigorate your reading journal as well. Those book clubs we once thought were lame…there might just be something to them.

Sources

Health Benefits of Reading. www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/health-benefits-of-reading.