It’s that time of year again. The kids are gearing up for back to school. We’re on the verge of seasonal change, the transition from laid back summer to getting back into routine fall. The long days will soon begin getting shorter and shorter. We are on the cusp of crisp fall weather. It’s the last quarter of the year. The final dash. The best time of the year. In all honesty, now is the perfect time to set yourself up with new goals and get yourself well ahead of the New Year’s resolution crowd.
If you ask me, why wait until January to make changes? January is the worst time to implement change in my opinion. Think about it. You’ve just finished an exhausting holiday season where you crammed every activity in and made the impossible possible financially like you always do or maybe it was even a long and lonely time for you. I’ve been there, too. The weather is bleak to say the least. It’s gray and cold outside, not really the most motivating atmosphere.
Fall is the perfect time to begin. It’s the exact opposite of everything January, and you are already in the mindset to adjust with everything beginning again. Many are adjusting to new schedules. The world around you is transforming. The weather is getting cooler. Soon the leaves will change color and begin to fall. Now is the time to implement the goals you’d like to see your future self-accomplish. You will be well ahead of the curve, and when the new year does hit, you will already be in a place to have a successful year. All you’ll have to do is keep it going. The hard part of starting is already done.
Here’s the Secret…
So, what is the magical secret to changing your life? If you ask me, it’s having good habits in place. I have decided to start a series called Transforming Through Habits. Here I will highlight different habits I believe helped change my life for the better. Let’s begin with the first one.
The Habit I Would Recommend to Everyone
If I had to recommend a habit for everyone to start doing, it would without a doubt be reading. It’s a world of endless possibilities where you can learn more about absolutely anything: past, present, or future, get transported into a mythical world, find yourself in the middle of the greatest love story of all time. You can learn from stories of people you admire, both real and fiction. I find it to be one of the few hobbies where there is truly something for everyone to enjoy. The key is to find exactly what you like reading. The rest is a piece of cake from there.
I have a friend named Jess. I met her at work and she’s one of those work friends that’s turned into a real-life friend. She saw me at work, and I would always have my current read with me at my workstation. I would try and sneak in a chapter or two when it was less chaotic. It caught her attention and one day she told me I want to start reading. You can only imagine the excitement I felt for my friend and the journey she was about to begin. I, of course, was all in on this idea. The very next day I brought her some of my favorite books from different genres that I like to read so we can see what kind of books might spark some interest. We concluded she was definitely a thriller/suspense girly, and she has had a book in her hands ever since. She has read over ten books already and gets through books faster than anyone I know. On multiple occasions she has said to me, “You have changed my life, girl.”
Benefits of Reading
That’s exactly what the gift of reading does to you. It changes you. I can’t explain the happiness it brings me every time she says it. Sometimes, I can’t believe I actually influenced someone I love in a good way. I am so proud to see her elevate and really dive headfirst into this new habit. We’ve joined the library together and we even got her daughters interested enough to check out some books the last time we went. She isn’t someone I would have categorized as a reader before. That’s not a knock to her by any means. Before she started reading, she would make comments, almost poking fun about me always reading and having a book, but she’s taught me that anyone can and should be a reader, and it brings nothing but positive effects to your life. Sometimes, it just takes a bit of curiosity to spark something special.
Endless Adventures
Like I said at the beginning, reading can bring you on any type of adventure you want. The choice is yours. What I will say is that it gets your imagination going. There are so many movies and shows that are coming out that are adaptations of books, and nine out of ten times, the book is the better version of the story. I don’t make the rules. Don’t argue with me on this; facts are facts. Why do you think that is? Simple. It’s because the words on a page allow us to picture in vivid detail how a scene unfolds. A movie will never portray emotions and perspectives like a book does. It will never allow you inside a character’s thoughts. It will never allow your imagination play quite like a book will.
Staying Present, Focus, and Reducing Anxiety
Reading also helps to keep you in the present and free yourself from never ending thoughts. I never liked reading when I was a kid. I could never recall what I read two seconds ago, so I would always put a book down before I even gave it a fair shot. We had a program called Accelerated Reading (AR) at my school. You would set a goal of points for each month, and every book in the library was worth a certain number of points. You would take tests on books and earn points based on your reading comprehension. When I tell you I was way ahead of my time, this is a prime example of that. I would always hit my goal but never read a single book. I would fib my way through the tests, guessing, and retaking the tests until I passed. Not my proudest moment, but I know why I hated reading as a kid. I was never present enough to comprehend it.
Nowadays, anxiety is a more openly talked about issue for kids, but when I was growing up there wasn’t much research on it and it was kind of a taboo subject especially in an Asian household. I know without a doubt, I was a very anxious kid. I was always in my head getting wrapped up in my thoughts, worried about everything. It was really terrible. Reading has helped so much in that aspect. As an adult, I’ve been on and off reading. The last few years, I have been on all the way. Reading helps you focus, and picture what the words are describing, so you’re almost forced to stay in the present because you don’t want to miss anything.
Enhances Vocabulary & Increases Curiosity
It makes you better with your words. Since I’ve started reading, I feel like I’ve improved my writing and have become more well-spoken. I’m constantly learning new words, and it’s made me more proactive about understanding stories. If there’s a word or concept I don’t understand, and I’m really into the book, I bookmark where I am just to look some things up so I can get a better understanding of the story being told. For instance, do you know the difference between a wyvern and a dragon? I didn’t either until I was reading the Throne of Glass series, and I asked myself that same question. I had come across wyverns in other books I’d read, but it had just gotten to the point where I had to know because in my mind, they were the same thing. FYI, wyverns have two legs and two wings in place of arms, whereas dragons have four legs plus two separate wings, so two totally different creatures. Reading makes you want to learn and teaches you at the same time.
Builds Friendships
Aside from all of the above, it’s also given me common ground with many people around me. I had no idea so many people around me loved reading as much as I did, and I’ve formed many bonds over reading. Jess is one example. We’ve also taken the initiative and started a super cool book club at work with another fellow reader. We have just decided on the name The Spice Girls Book Club. It just started, but we have a group chat where we are constantly discussing our current club’s read, and we meet up for lunch and a drink to discuss. It’s a good time, and I highly recommend starting one yourself. No matter the size, book clubs are just good for the soul.
What are You Waiting For?
I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the popularity of reading igniting through Booktok and other social media. Has this recent uproar sparked your interest in reading? When was the last time you picked up a book? Maybe you never have. I challenge you to give it a try. What do you have to lose? You might surprise yourself. You might even dare I say enjoy it. There’s a reason why all information about productivity and good habits mention reading. It helps make you a better version of yourself. What more reason do you need to start than that.
If you are an avid reader, drop in the comments what some of your favorite reads are to give others some inspiration. Be sure to keep us posted on how your reading journey is going. I look forward to hearing about it. Come back for more on the Transforming Through Habits series to see what habit we tackle next. <3
The proof is in the rewrite. Here’s to redefining priorities, embracing life, and healing out loud.
Xo-J.
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