Reading is my life. Over the past year, through the pandemic and on the other side, reading has been a crutch for me, a way to escape the bad news that surrounds us and a form of therapy. I've always used reading that way but this past year really challenged my mental health more than ever so it shouldn't be a surprise that I read 50 books in 2020, the most I've ever read in a year. 

Over the course of the past few months I've found myself reading more than ever before. There are so many books out there that I have my eyes on and I just want to read them all. It's very exciting for me, it's my favorite past time and I can't get enough.

My Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2021 was to read 60 books, just 10 more than last year and I'm already almost halfway to the goal. In March alone I read around 10 books and according to Goodreads, I'm 13 books ahead of schedule.

All of this got me thinking... how is it that I read so much? I thought it would be a fun little blog post so here we are! 



Speed Reading

I have always been a fast reader. I don't know why or how but I've always read ahead in school, finished my summer reading pretty quickly and at the tender age of 16, flew through the Twilight books in mere hours. 

That is the main reason that I can read so many books in a year... because I fly through them! I don't purposefully read fast but it's just in my nature. Perhaps it's because sometimes, I'm not paying full attention and might just skim a paragraph instead of taking in every word but I get the gist of the story so I give myself a pass. 

I can sit down on a Sunday afternoon, crack open a book and finish a +300 page book in two hours. Sometimes it's because I'm bored or really enthralled by a story and other times it's because I'm reading super fast. Either way, I'm thankful I can read so fast because it's definitely why I'm able to read so books.

Reading Multiple Books At Once

This might not be for everyone but if you are someone looking to amp up your reading game, reading more than one book at once is key. I know some people think it's confusing or too much story but if you read opposite books, like one thriller and then one memoir, you won't get confused or feel overwhelmed.

You could take it one step further and read one physical book and then one e-book, or try an audiobook (audiobooks definitely count as 'reading', don't let anyone tell you otherwise). 

This is what I do and it's definitely a huge reason I can read so many books in a short period of time. I'm always reading at least two books and it helps me finish books even faster because I'm always advancing in at least one story. Similar to what I stated above, I don't read the same type of book at the same time because I do get confused; I also try to read at least one e-book and one physical book to keep things separate. 

It took some time for me to get used to reading more than one book at once but with a little practice, it all works out in the end.



Less Scrolling, More Page Turning

I think the reason I've been reading so much is because I've been making time to read more. When I'm feeling anxious, I crack open a book, even if it's for 10 minutes. When I feel myself starting to spiral, no matter what time of day or night, I crack open a book. It calms my mind, eases my anxiety, and feels like an escape.

On another note, when I'm laying in bed on a random night and find myself bored or endlessly scrolling through my phone, I pick up a book. It's a very easy to way to occupy your time (and your hands) without being pulled into social media. There are only so many times you could scroll through TikTok or Instagram before feeling like you're going insane. That's the best time to open your latest read.

The same goes for when you're waiting in line, in a doctor's office, or in waiting in a car. Instead of scrolling, I open my Kindle or Nook app on my phone to read. 

Changed My Perspective on Reading

At one point in my life, I was going months without reading a book. I had to make an effort to read more because I decided I wanted to read more! Changing my perspective has helped me a lot because it makes me excited to read. I find books that I love, books that fill me with joy, and books that excite me. If you don't like reading, you might be reading the wrong books. Find a genre that makes you happy and go with it. Reading doesn't have to be boring, you just need a little perspective. 

If you need a good book, I have a ton of reviews from books I've read over the years...and stay tuned for one tomorrow! 

xoxo
B

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