“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

How to Get BACK Into Reading

Rediscover your reader

At what point in your life did you learn to read? If you learned when you were young and in school, you were likely presented with colorful books with pictures and exciting stories that taught new words and life lessons. Moving up in reading levels was exhilarating, and being capable enough to read some of the most anticipated stories in grade school, like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, was freeing. Why have so many of us lost the joy of reading after these first memories?

When you think of reading now, what comes to mind? Books have so many roles and tools and we all think of reading in different ways. If you read for pleasure every day, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you equally enjoy reading articles or autobiographies. Maybe someone who enjoys reading research for school or work finds no interest in stories or novels, or maybe you like it all! Like most things in life, it is important to find what you resonate with, and the same goes for reading. What you like to read can also change as you move through different phases of your life. Reading is a privilege with so many blessings and it is important to carry it with us as we go.

For the rest of this post, when I reference reading, I’m simply referring to reading books, rather than articles, journals, or other texts. If you want to get back into reading but don’t know where to start, let’s begin with what you already enjoy in life.

Step 1

The first step is to picture yourself on the couch, clicker in hand, and a whole column of movie genres in front of you. This is just a normal movie night, and you’re completely in the comfort of your own company… what genre do you choose? I’m going to pick an example but customize the next steps to whatever you pick. My example genre is definitely rom-com; don’t hate on mine just pick your own.

Step 2

What do you find yourself doing in your free time? Do you play a sport/workout, go on your phone, cook, play an instrument, do art, build things, walk your dog… really think about what you like to do throughout the day, and you can’t pick reading. This is the next step. My example hobbies are going to be surfing and yoga.

Step 3

The last step is to put these two together. Picture yourself walking into a bookstore, where do you start? Well, the first step taught me which sections are going to have some exciting books for me so I’m going to head to the fiction and romance sections to start.

The second step gave me a little insight on what type of books I’m going to like in those sections, I’m probably going to steer clear of the Nicolas Sparks straight-up romance books (because my emphasis is on the com in rom-com). If I see a book with a beach on the cover I’m probably going to pick it up and read the summary (because my hobby is surfing and I love the beach). This is just a little exercise to get you on a path to finding something that you’re stoked to read, look at your conclusions, and gather up a good diagnosis to help you find a book that calls to you.

You can also take this information straight to the library or bookstore and ask a clerk for some guidance, being in the bookstore will get you super stoked to start reading and the employees are always so helpful and nice. You should also ask your friends for book recommendations, it may surprise you which of your friends are readers and they probably have some favorites that they would happily lend you. Book clubs are also a great way to discover new books, meet awesome people, and debrief the plot; it’s like having a group to watch The Bachelor with. Check out Facebook, your local library/bookstore, or other sites for book clubs in your area that may share the same genre interests as you.

Locking in

If you haven’t read in a long time, it’s possible that getting into a book may be difficult. Maybe this part will help you kick that. Reading with ADHD can be especially difficult at times, but with some good habits I’ve been able to lock in whenever I hope to.

Novels are a lot like TV shows and movies, they’re both modes of storytelling. The main difference between the two, even if the story is the exact same, is how much more engaging a screen is. TV is a seamless task, and that is why a lot of people default to it. TV just takes a few clicks and it does the rest of the work; even if your mind wanders, the show goes on, and your attention is occupied by both sight and sound.

Think about finally starting a new TV show that a ton of your friends have been raving about and recommending to you for ages. You turn on the pilot episode, it lasts 22 minutes like promised, and at the end, you’re like this show is awful I have no idea what my friends were boasting about… but you don’t give up completely and after a few more episodes you’re completely intoxicated by the story. Books can play the same way; they just don’t always get a second chance after episode 1. But now that you know your book plays out just like a TV show, and a great story is just a few chapters away, give your book a chance and before you know it you won’t be able to put it down. 

Digital vs traditional books

Audiobooks are another form of reading that works for a lot of people who struggle with sticking with their books. If you like podcasts, you can try out an audiobook during one of your podcast activities and see if it hooks you. I love podcasts but find that my brain wanders too much during audiobooks so this actually doesn’t work for me, not to say it wouldn’t work for you. It’s worth exploring what going for a walk or doing chores and listening to an audiobook does for you. This is kind of similar to choosing between reading a paperback book or an e-reader.

I’ve realized that I really cherish reading hardcopies, even though they may be less sustainable, e-readers just don’t work for me and that’s ok. Maybe I should have mentioned this at the beginning of the blog, but it didn’t cross my mind until now because it’s not entirely relevant to rediscovering your love for reading. On the topic of finding it hard to start books and get into the stories, I resonate personally with this because I’m dyslexic. My dyslexia isn’t super debilitating, but it can be hard for me now and then. I know how it feels to struggle with reading, and if you’re feeling similarly, you’re not alone.

How to make the time to read

If you don’t think you have time in your day to add reading to the mix, I think you’re wrong. We’re all minimalists and maximalists simultaneously, in our own right; we maximize on the things we subconsciously prioritize and skimp on the things we don’t. If we’re maximalizing on something that isn’t serving us like social media or negative energy habits, then sure there won’t be a lot of time left for reading.

Rethinking how we spend our time, like a currency, will help us understand what we value and want to consciously maximize our time doing. If reading becomes something of value to us, we’ll be spending our time on it, in whatever way that may work. Start by keeping your book on your nightstand and before you go to bed leave your phone in another room so you can happily pick up your book and dive into the story.

Reading on a budget!

New books can be expensive, but there are plenty of ways to get a copy for cheap or free. First of all, your local library is the best option for reading on a budget in both a sustainable and minimalist way! All you need is a library card to have almost an unlimited selection of books at your fingertips for free. There are also free PDF versions of many novels on Google. The little libraries that you’ll see on some sidewalks and paths are great spots to swap out a book for a new one. They’re secondhand, free, and a fun way to connect with your community.

Barnes & Noble offers a membership that gives you 10% off every purchase, and they always have good sale sections set up in-store. Used bookstores are amazing options for shopping sustainably and budget-friendly. They are also the best to browse because you never know what gems you might find.

Hopefully, this helps or inspires you a little bit, wherever you are at with reading, and you go on to live a life enriched by the magic found in books! Check out this video on Instagram, where I walk you through finding books at Barnes & Noble.

If you have a good book recommendation, drop it in the comments!