When I was young around ages 9-15, I really loved reading all kinds of books, especially comics and novels 🤣. But when I was in high schools, I read only comics. Then I was no longer a reader. I read just a few super natural fictions in Thai. I love fictions. I can say I stoped reading for awhile, wasted my time to be with friends or slide my phone.
In the past few years, I started reading again with non-fiction. It is hard until now. At the beginning of turning myself to read more, it’s hard because I was too lazy to focus and just wanted to slide my phones. After that, when I finished the first book, I was hungry to read more. For some book, I can spend all night. But some book, it is hard to continue so I just leave it, and tell myself to get back later. I think, I’m just not interested in its content.
Now, I find it easy to start and continue, because I got suggestions from you and others around me about which books are related to my interests.
That's great! What are some books you read recently that left you hungry for more? And I think if a book doesn't grab you, you should just stop reading it. There are many good books you can read and it would be a shame to spend time on the ones you don't like!
I read Hunger Game then I want more books so I got Fifty Shades of Gray... but lost my interest. Then I start again with Option B, I love it but cut at a half of it. Because I saw the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F, and ...I finished it faster than other books. So I got back to the Option B then finished it. Now, I started several books, I can finish a few of them e.g. crime novels. By the way, I’m trying to get back to the self-help books cuz I listen to Podcast and want to start with some books. I’m reading the Handbook for Highly Sensitive Person and the Power of Regrets now.
I also lost interest in reading when I got to college. Sometimes I wish I had read more for pleasure while in college. But for the past couple years I've been reading a lot of books
I think I found it easier to start reading at night to relax during grad school. I was getting my MA in psychology and worked at a substance use clinic and specified in trauma, so I needed something to disconnect from school and heavy work. And then when covid lockdowns hit (and after i graduated), I just hunkered down and figured I would do more of the things that would improve me. Some nonfiction favorites have been Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins, The Third Door by Alex Banayan, and Ashley's War by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. Fiction favorites span all different genres but some of my biggest ones have been It by Stephen King, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. You can message me if you want more of my favorites! I don't wanna make this comment too long
Thanks Alessandra! That's a great list to start with and many of them I haven't heard of, which is even better. I tend to just read the same genres and authors.
I really like the "doing more of the things that would improve me" decision you made. That's such a good guiding principle in life (I've actually drafted a post on that topic that I'm aiming to send out in a couple of weeks).
Reading can be such a great way to unwind and disconnect. I wish I had better evening concentration so I can read after my day. I'm normally so scatter-minded later in the day that I can't focus on reading, and I just tend to resort to Netflix. Which definitely isn't a habit that improves me!
That sounds like a great post and I can't wait to read it!
Reading within the same authors and genres is fine too! As long as you're reading for whatever your goals are, I don't think that's a negative thing!
It's something you just have to be cognizant of and have grace with yourself when you choose Netflix over reading. But if you're paying attention to what you're doing, you can start trying to get yourself to turn off Netflix and try reading instead. And about the attention thing, just start with a page. Reading one page a day is still reading. And if you can't read one page, do a paragraph (and mark where you left off).
True, the most difficult thing is to start. When I've picked up a book and started reading a page, I find I can continue easily and read more. (The same applies to work tasks as well.) Thanks for the tip Alessandra!
When I was young around ages 9-15, I really loved reading all kinds of books, especially comics and novels 🤣. But when I was in high schools, I read only comics. Then I was no longer a reader. I read just a few super natural fictions in Thai. I love fictions. I can say I stoped reading for awhile, wasted my time to be with friends or slide my phone.
In the past few years, I started reading again with non-fiction. It is hard until now. At the beginning of turning myself to read more, it’s hard because I was too lazy to focus and just wanted to slide my phones. After that, when I finished the first book, I was hungry to read more. For some book, I can spend all night. But some book, it is hard to continue so I just leave it, and tell myself to get back later. I think, I’m just not interested in its content.
Now, I find it easy to start and continue, because I got suggestions from you and others around me about which books are related to my interests.
That's great! What are some books you read recently that left you hungry for more? And I think if a book doesn't grab you, you should just stop reading it. There are many good books you can read and it would be a shame to spend time on the ones you don't like!
I read Hunger Game then I want more books so I got Fifty Shades of Gray... but lost my interest. Then I start again with Option B, I love it but cut at a half of it. Because I saw the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F, and ...I finished it faster than other books. So I got back to the Option B then finished it. Now, I started several books, I can finish a few of them e.g. crime novels. By the way, I’m trying to get back to the self-help books cuz I listen to Podcast and want to start with some books. I’m reading the Handbook for Highly Sensitive Person and the Power of Regrets now.
I also lost interest in reading when I got to college. Sometimes I wish I had read more for pleasure while in college. But for the past couple years I've been reading a lot of books
Did you find it easy to start reading more in the past few years? What have been some of your favourites?
I think I found it easier to start reading at night to relax during grad school. I was getting my MA in psychology and worked at a substance use clinic and specified in trauma, so I needed something to disconnect from school and heavy work. And then when covid lockdowns hit (and after i graduated), I just hunkered down and figured I would do more of the things that would improve me. Some nonfiction favorites have been Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins, The Third Door by Alex Banayan, and Ashley's War by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. Fiction favorites span all different genres but some of my biggest ones have been It by Stephen King, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. You can message me if you want more of my favorites! I don't wanna make this comment too long
Thanks Alessandra! That's a great list to start with and many of them I haven't heard of, which is even better. I tend to just read the same genres and authors.
I really like the "doing more of the things that would improve me" decision you made. That's such a good guiding principle in life (I've actually drafted a post on that topic that I'm aiming to send out in a couple of weeks).
Reading can be such a great way to unwind and disconnect. I wish I had better evening concentration so I can read after my day. I'm normally so scatter-minded later in the day that I can't focus on reading, and I just tend to resort to Netflix. Which definitely isn't a habit that improves me!
That sounds like a great post and I can't wait to read it!
Reading within the same authors and genres is fine too! As long as you're reading for whatever your goals are, I don't think that's a negative thing!
It's something you just have to be cognizant of and have grace with yourself when you choose Netflix over reading. But if you're paying attention to what you're doing, you can start trying to get yourself to turn off Netflix and try reading instead. And about the attention thing, just start with a page. Reading one page a day is still reading. And if you can't read one page, do a paragraph (and mark where you left off).
True, the most difficult thing is to start. When I've picked up a book and started reading a page, I find I can continue easily and read more. (The same applies to work tasks as well.) Thanks for the tip Alessandra!