In the last few years, I have rediscovered my love of reading. I'm a physical book person -- I much prefer to flip pages and have the weight of a book in my hands than use an electronic device (and yes, I've tried the Kindle and phone for reading). It might be less convenient, but I love the covers, the colours and the print. I tend to have more than 1 book going at a time.
I'm finding it of good practice to have 1 self-development or business book and 1 novel/story being read at any given time. A morning routine I've discovered in the last year, and do my best to maintain, is to read 15-20min of a self-development or "learning" book while enjoying my morning coffee. This is a little more challenging on mornings my kids are in the house and up getting ready for school... but I'm trying not to let this extra "busy" take away from this motivational start to my morning. I have to say, the days I keep this as part of my routine, are days I feel much more ready to move myself forward with my personal goals. It keeps me focused and open to ideas and opportunities. It keeps my creativity active. It keeps me thinking.
I also like to give myself the gift of reading something for entertainment and enjoyment. Something I can open up when I have some quiet time to escape for a little while. I find myself turning more to books these days than Netflix. And I have to say... I much prefer these escapes. Imagining and creating my own mind pictures of the stories I'm reading is far more satisfying than watching what someone else has created from a story. Have you ever read a book and then watched the movie made from the same story and been disappointed? Because how you picture it in your head was so much better!? That.
So today, the 2nd day of 2023, I'm ready to READ my way through the year! They say, by the way, that the most successful people (top CEO's, etc) read 50+ books/year. that is my goal for 2023! As of right now. I didn't really have a reading goal until I started writing this post - but I think 50 books in 2023 is a perfect goal!
Before I tell you what's first on my list, let me share a few titles of books I loved reading that you might consider adding to your "to read" list.
My all-time favourite read:
Where the Crawdads Sing ~ Delia Owens
Self-development books I've loved:
You Are a Badass ~ Jen Sincero
Rick as F*ck ~ Amanda Frances
Soundtracks ~ Jon Acuff
The Beautiful No ~ Sheri Salata
Fiction Novels I've loved:
The Light Between Oceans ~ M.L. Stedman
The Accidental Book Club ~ Jennifer Scott
The Cactus ~ Sarah Haywood
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo ~ Taylor Jenkins Reid
Development Authors I enjoy
Brene Brown
Jon Acuff
Jen Sincero
Gabrielle Bernstein
Amanda Frances
James Clear
Fiction Authors I enjoy (and can't choose just 1 book of theirs)
Emily Henry
Colleen Hoover
Megan Miranda
Elin Hilderbrand
Development Books on my 2023 "To Read" List:
The Big Leap ~ Gay Hendricks
Manifest: 7 Steps to Living Your Best Life ~ Roxie Nafousi
The 5 Second Rule ~ Mel Robbins
The 6 Phase Meditation Method ~ Vishen Lakhiani
Girl on Fire ~ Cara Alwill Leyba
Untamed ~ Glendon Doyle
Lighter ~ Yung Pueblo
Fiction Books on my 2023 "To Read" List:
Here's to Us ~ Elin Hilderbrand
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine ~ Gail Honeyman
All the Light We Cannot See ~ Anthony Doerr
The Authenticity Project ~ Clare Pooley
More Colleen Hoover, Megan Miranda, Elin Hilderbrand, Emily Henry
Let me know what's on your list to read and what you recommend that you've already read! I'd love to connect over books!
"You are never alone when lost in the magic of a book" ~ Marie Lu
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