Ep 16 – Inculcating Reading as a Habit

Since I have never discussed my love for reading, I thought this should be one of my topics in this series.

Reading has to be one of my favourite ways to keep myself engaged.

I never used to read as a kid, but as a teenager, I fell in love with reading. Starting with the love for Harry Potter, courtesy my sister, I still remember the first-ever book I fell in love with. It was by Agatha Christie- ‘And Then There Were None.’ It is one of those books you cannot put down until you have read it all the way till the end.

From then on, this habit of mine never stopped. The genres changed, the authors evolved, but the love for reading remained. To date, my favourite way to spend a weekend is to curl up with a book and not move, unless required.

Why Reading is important? 

Reading has given me more wisdom than any of my education, and with every new book I read, the conviction in this belief has only grown more. I believe everyone should read. It is an absolute must for several reasons-

1- You gain knowledge and insight like no other when you get absorbed in a story, be it fiction or non-fiction. A good book by an esteemed author would mean a lifetime of observations and lessons packed in those 350 odd pages and that is priceless.

2- It is a window into an unknown world: I have travelled through the streets of London, Korea, Japan, the United States, etc., even before stepping foot into the countries. Every setting for a scene takes you away to imagine a world unknown. It’s almost as magical as travelling, and God knows we could use some exploration locked down within the four walls of our house.

3- It helps you understand the psyche of people who are different from you: Reading gives you the story of the hero, the villain, every supporting character that led to the thickening of the plot. Good writers even bring out the human side of the worst of villains. And with each character more diverse from your nature, your understanding, and acceptance of people increases. I attribute my judgement-free nature to reading far and wide, as you start to recognize that good or bad is just a matter of perspective. Change the lens and you have an altogether new hero to the tale.

4- It is one of the best ways to build your imagination: If you love reading, I am sure you understand watching movies that are adapted from books is nothing but pure hell. Because with every word you read, your imagination is wildly more colourful and creative than the limited resources directors have to work with in reality. This is not just for reading though, slowly you start to build capabilities of developing alternative scenarios in your head, and your imagination helps you decipher what-if scenarios, and improves your decision making.

5- It helps you discover yourself: With every book you read, you open up newer dimensions of yourself, aspects you probably never knew existed. Your mind immediately connects with the character in the story, its events, emotions, and experiences, and you feel like going deeper, exploring your varied facets.

6- Improves that Emotional Quotient: Books can make you ecstatic, nostalgic, sad, jealous, angry, or betrayed. And with every character you resonate with, you add more depth to your emotional capacity.

In addition to this, reading also increases focus, concentration, memory, analytical thinking capabilities, and the list is endless.

Books have been my companions since I was a young adult and I have never felt bored because there was always enough and more to read. A good book is more than just entertainment, it is one of the fundamental ways to grow. So whether you are a bibliophile or the exact opposite, cultivate the habit of reading. It is one potent habit that only rewards you over time. It doesn’t matter what you read, it could be your bedtime story as a child, but read every day. Even if it is just for 15 minutes.

The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.