Asking Minds

Hey there! Hope you are doing good. And also, hope you will develop the habit of reading regularly after reading this blog.

You know, one should possess no phobia unless its abibliophobia (What ablibliillio..). I said Abibliophobia which means fear of running out of reading material. Isn’t that an interesting phobia?

From reading magazines to reading tweets, the advancement of technology brought with itself a tremendous change.

Do you love draining half of your days scrolling through social media feeds? Well, what if you start spending an hour regularly turning pages instead. Just an hour.

Reading is, after all, a divine escape from the nuisance of the mundane world. It transports you to a whole new world of imagination.

Now, let’s explore more about what happens when you develop the habit of reading regularly?

But before you dig a little deep, there is something you should know.

By reading, I am not only talking about reading books but also the newspaper, journals, and magazines. There are basically two forms of reading – fiction and non-fiction.

Fiction – It lets you escape the reality and dive into the ocean of imagination.

Non-fiction –From knowledge to philosophy, it expands your mind to a whole new level.

Fiction is a fantasy while non-fiction is a truth. With a healthy combination of fiction and non-fiction, fairy tales and autobiographies, you can shape your thoughts and forge your own opinions.

So, Let’s jump to the points:

• Reading expands knowledge –

You might already know this, knowledge is the key to success. When you read, you start archiving information that may come handy later. Reading allows you to learn things that you would know otherwise. It feeds your mind with lots of knowledge and information which in return helps you stand tall before intelligent minds.

As I have already mentioned, reading newspapers, articles, journals not only expands your knowledge but also shapes your thoughts and opinions.

• Reading enriches the command over a language –

You come across a lot of new words and phrases while reading and eventually get accustomed to it. It not only enhances your vocabulary but also improves your grammar.

For a well-established career, a person who is knowledgeable as well as well-read and well-spoken will always win the race. With the appropriate command over a language, you will be able to express all sorts of emotions more precisely. It will also boost your confidence.

• Reading boosts focus and concentration –

When you read, you disconnect yourself from the outer world. It’s like immersing yourself into every fine detail you read which in a way boosts your focus and concentration.

According to an article by Sadie Trombetta, “When we read a novel, we read linearly, rather than sporadically jumping from tab to tab, and slowly think about the information in front of us. This exercise of taking time to process the narrative, to think about the complex layers of the story and how they fit together, actually increases the capacity for longer attention spans.”

• Reading reduces stress –

Reading is more like a break from a stressful moment. It can help you to melt down your stress level faster than any other method.

When you are wholeheartedly concentrating on a particular thing, everything else around perishes. When everything else perishes, there’s nothing left to be stressed about.

• Reading sparks imagination –

When you watch a movie, there is no time for you to think. But when you read a book, you have a whole new world to fantasize in your own way. Reading fiction allows you to frame your own vision.

You would feel a whirlpool of emotions within. With the power of imagination, you would feel more alive with every page you turn.

“A book is a gift you can open again and again.” – Garrison Keillor

• Reading inculcates self-improvisation –

When you read from a different perspective about different topics, your thinking ability grows. It exposes you to new understandings, new ways to handle situations. It expands your horizons, shifts your perspectives, gives you a greater understanding of the world and yourself and divert you to no limit.

• Reading exercises the brain –

Reading is a much more complex task for the human brain rather than watching TV, for example.

As mentioned by Thomas Oppong, “Your brain on books is active — growing, changing and making new connections and different patterns, depending on the type of material you’re reading.”

• Reading develops emotional intelligence –

It lets you experience multiple lives. When you read a fictional novel, it allows you to feel and live another person’s life, therefore it increases your empathy and your ability to place yourself in someone else’s shoes.

Okay, one more thing. Choosing the right book is crucial.

• History and political books to mold your opinions and win arguments.
• Philosophy will morally enlighten you.
• Fantasy fiction if you wish to create your own world of imaginations.
• Crime fiction will enhance your logical reasoning and observation.
• Biographies of influential people for self-improvisation.
• Adventure books for some amazingly unforeseen experiences.

I read somewhere, your habits can either make you or destroy you. Okay, let’s understand this in a slightly different manner.

When you plant a seed, you water it every day. Right?

You make sure it receives all the essential nutrients required for its fine growth. Now, after a considerable amount of time, it becomes a huge tree. It now provides you with fruits as well as shade.

In the same manner, your mind needs more knowledge and imagination for its essential growth which can be provided only by reading. Reading is by far the most common habit of almost every successful person around.

Now if you are saying you don’t have time to read, think once again. Reading is to mind what breathing is to body.

And if you are saying its boring, you might haven’t found the right book yet.

Promise yourself to read at least an hour regularly. Dedicate half an hour to knowledge-based content such as Newspaper, Magazines, Journal, etc and half an hour to book reading whether fictional or nonfiction, whatever you like.

To wrap up this blog, I would like to share these thoughtful lines:

“You are the books you read, the films you watch, the music you listen to, the people you meet, the dreams you have, the conversations you engage in. You are what you take from these.”

—Jac Vanek

All the best with your new found habit, trust me you won’t regret it.

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” —Joseph Addison.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like this: 10 Best Books for aspiring Entrepreneurs – Brace yourself for success