Reading is one of the most powerful ways to transform your life. Here’s how you can grow exponentially through books.
In our digital world, the allure of reading may not be what it used to be. But at the same time, people are suffering from digital burnout, a lack of purpose, and the constant dissatisfaction that comes with existing online in the age of social media.
While there’s no turning back the clock to the pre-internet era, the good news is that reading books is one of the most powerful ways you can develop your mind and spirit.
Read on to learn how we can harness the power of reading in just a few minutes a day to boost your mental power, focus, empathy, and skills, and gear up for huge growth and success in the year ahead.
Make reading your island of virtue in a sea of bad habits.
Here’s an unpopular opinion that I totally standby: modern life gives us way too many opportunities to self-sabotage.
From time spent browsing social media and doom scrolling to superficial relationships and overstressed work environments, many of us are losing touch with what life is all about.
Reading can be a great antidote to digital fatigue because it forces us to sit quietly, spend time with ourselves, and connect intellectually with some of the greatest writers of our age and days gone by.
These are some of the benefits you’ll enjoy from developing a reading habit this year:
A sense of calm and mindfulness
Wellness gurus keep telling us to sit still and meditate, but instead of trying to clear your mind, how about filling it with some great ideas?
Creating a comfortable and inspiring space in your home with soft seating and natural light – and filling it with great books – is one of the biggest investments you can ever make in your mental health.
Inspiration for life
The things we do during our downtime have a big influence on how we perform during busy periods.
While total rest and relaxation is important, letting your body recuperate while your mind stays active by reading is one of the best ways to spend an evening or a few hours over the weekend.
Relaxation
In our modern, fast-paced world filled with constant stimulation and demands on our attention, truly relaxing and unwinding has become a skill that many of us struggle with. Our ability to fully relax gets rusty without practice.
Getting absorbed in a good book about a beloved pastime like popular video poker gamesstimulates your mind and brings you a sense of relaxed entertainment. Video poker is a common hobby among many casino enthusiasts, and while it uses virtual cards and video screens rather than physical cards and tables, it maintains the core strategy and decision-making of traditional poker.
Given that, since the rules of video poker differ from the ones of traditional poker, casino readers revert to books and practical guides, such as “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker” and “The King of Video Poker.”
Reading these books provides an opportunity to slow down and immerse yourself in something you find inherently interesting and satisfying, without overwhelming external stimuli.
So, whether you’re diving deep into optimal video poker strategy, envisioning your next DIY renovation, or imagining the crafting project you want to create, the act of reading engages your mind while allowing tension to melter away.
A host of new skills
Despite the popularity of online courses and instructional videos, reading is still one of the best ways to get game access to quality information and learn skills that will boost your personal and professional life.
Unlike influencers whose advice may or may not be accurate, a book that’s been through proper editing has probably been fact-checked thoroughly – and that’s a great relief for anyone who’s tired of consuming questionable information in the age of social media.
If you have kids, it’s especially important to create a culture of reading in your home. Children who read regularly enjoy better cognitive function later in life according to new research on cognitive performance from Cambridge University.
Now that we’ve sold you on the benefits of reading, the big question is: what should you read?
Here’s a year’s worth of inspiring book titles to rejuvenate and transform your mind.
- The Alchemist: This classic by Paulo Coelho is a journey of self-awareness that will help people of any age to find their calling.
- The Witches Are Coming: Lindy West’s hilarious take on modern society and the enduring challenges of gender equality makes a powerful case for women to keep striving and men to take themselves just a little less seriously.
- The Pivot Year: Inspirational writer Brianna West takes young adults through a year of growth in this treasure trove of wisdom and practical positivity. This book is a must-read for anyone who is coming of age in modern times.
- Ikigai: Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia unpack the Japanese concept of Ikigai, a philosophy that helps pinpoint the precise calling that we all should follow. If this year is your time to finally unlock your superpower, this could be the book that helps you do it.
- Atomic Habits: James Clear cuts to the chase in this extremely practical book that will help you identify your good habits and cut out all the tendencies that hold you back.
- The Tuscan Daughter: Tessa Harris beautifully paints the experience of life during World War Two in war-torn Italy with a beautiful message of hope for all of us. This impressive novel will give you loads of new things to be grateful for.
- The Handmaid’s Tale: Margaret Atwood penned this modern classic almost 40 years ago, but its dystopian world is as powerful a reminder to protect our freedom to live and define our futures as the day it was written. If you love the series, you’ll adore the book.
Take the plunge and transform your life with reading this year.
The books on our list are just the beginning of the lifelong adventure you can embark on by making reading part of your daily habits.
From razor-sharp productivity advice to inspiring fiction that lets you imagine alternative worlds, you’ll find a universe of inspiration between the pages of your new favorite book.
The Lit Bitch 