Join Me In A 2024 Reading Challenge.
Hello.
While preparing for the holidays and purchasing a few gifts, including books, I was shocked when I realized I had not read any books this year. Not one! I love to read and am perplexed with how this happened.
I studied many of the classics at university and took Russian Literature classes for two years; a small group of us met with the same professor on Wednesday afternoons and discussed and often debated Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekov, Pushkin, Turgenev, and Gogol. I became obsessed with Dostoevsky and devoured his books. These classes were my all-time favourite educational experience.
I love books. Libraries and bookstores are my most beloved hangouts. I get that some people like Kindle, but I’m old school and experience great comfort holding and smelling a book. We have a small room that we pretentiously call our library stacked with books I cannot part with, even though I will likely never reread them.
How did I go from my obsession with some of the world’s greatest writers to not reading anything?
It was a hectic year. My daughter had a beautiful wedding in July, and my health hasn’t been great because I struggled with numerous months of fatigue related to Lyme Disease and COVID. These things contributed to my lack of getting lost in a great book, but I feel there is more to it.
I’ve gotten out of the habit of reading. When the fatigue was severe, I didn’t have the energy to read because I couldn’t concentrate. I replaced reading with binge-watching my favourite shows, spending endless hours checking social media, and getting trapped in one too many useless rabbit holes. I just got lazy.
I asked a couple of friends who love to read, and they, too, admit that they are reading much less because it seems to take too much effort, and binge-watching has become their go-to for taking a break from the world. Is this post-pandemic apathy?
Social media and binge-watching are competing for our attention, and excessive use makes them unhealthy choices, especially if they are replacing reading time.
How to get started if you haven’t been reading?
Get inspired. Spend time browsing your local library and bookstore. Check out best-seller lists, follow Canada Reads, or read the same book as a friend. Joining a book club or taking a literature class creates some accountability, and discussing books with a group is invigorating. If you still need a push to make reading a regular practice, consider these numerous physical and mental health benefits supported by research. Source
1. Memory Improvement: Reading regularly has been shown to slow the rate of memory deterioration and even improve memory and thinking skills.
2. Vocabulary Expansion: Reading is one of the best ways to learn new words.
3. Analytical Skills. Reading a novel can enhance analytical skills as the brain takes note of details and engages in critical thinking to anticipate what happens next.
4. Brain Health. Research published in Neurology suggests that exercising the brain by doing activities like reading will help decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's.
Reading’s wide range of benefits also includes improving cognitive function, reducing stress and will benefit your overall well-being.
I feel like I need to rewire my brain and I’m determined to get back into the habit of reading, and it will be one of my major priorities in 2024, besides saving the world and winning millions of dollars. :) I am challenging myself to read one book a month in 2024 and invite you to join me in reading more and commit to carving out some reading time for yourself.
The only way I will succeed is to schedule reading times and decrease my binge-watching and social media time. I will go to bed earlier and read for 30 minutes, and once a week, probably on a Sunday afternoon, I will get lost in some awesome prose for a few hours. My husband Ben is an avid reader, reads a few books monthly, and is a great role model. I’ve given him permission to kick my butt if he notices that I am not reading.
I’ve already chosen my first book, Michelle Obama’s “The Light We Carry." This was a gift from last Christmas, and I can’t wait to start reading it on January 1st. After a heavy 2023, I need some light.
I’m curious to hear about your reading habits. Have you been reading less lately? Is reading more books also a goal of yours for 2024? What genre do you enjoy most?
If reading boosts brainpower and is an excellent way to destress, what are you waiting for? Take some time to plan your reading in 2024. Imagine cozying up with some tea and an intriguing book. Let me know what book you have chosen to start the New Year.
Be well and get reading.
Anita
