Your Brain Needs This
©2018 Kari Carlisle
Today should be the most important day of the year – National Read a Book Day. It’s never been easier to get a book, and yet it seems people are reading fewer than ever.
There are lots of reasons people are not reading. Too busy. TV entertains me. Can get all the information I need from the Internet. But the main reason I think is that people have just gotten too lazy. It’s easier not to read than to read.
I’m sure that most would agree it’s a good thing to read but still can justify not reading. It’s time to reevaluate your reading behavior.
I can hear you thinking, I’m reading this blog, that’s reading, right? Sure, but reading blogs and other short bits of information is what’s killing your good reading. You’re rewiring your brain to absorb small bits of information instead of diving into the depths of a topic or story. It’s only a step above getting your news and opinions from Facebook memes. To truly understand something, you need to focus on it.
If you’re the type of person who has never really enjoyed reading and couldn’t possibly pick up a book and read it through, you of all people need to consider rewiring your brain, starting today.
You’re okay with the way your brain is wired? You are missing out on a depth of knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment that can only be achieved through reading books.
Recently, I have had several conversations with someone who started reading, and the result is amazing. He chose books that interested him and just started reading. Now, he can’t get enough, and he’s encouraging his friends and family to read also. He asked me what it is about reading that helps someone understand things better. He realized that he could get the same information from videos, but reading is different. When you expose yourself to multiple sources of information (audio, video, written, etc.), your brain remembers things better. It creates more connections.
Another thing you need to understand, especially if you have children, is that reading to children and encouraging them to read is critical to their early brain development. Reading to children right from birth will help their brains develop to their greatest potential, giving them the best opportunity to succeed in school, work, and life. Children who are not read to lose their ability to fully develop.
If you’re not much of a reader, it may be difficult to get started, but don’t be discouraged. Pick a book that’s of high interest to you (fiction, nonfiction, biography, how-to, motivational, etc.) and force yourself to read a page. Then two. Read a chapter. Keep going. Even if you fall asleep, don’t give up. No matter how long it takes you, keep at it. It will take effort and time to rewire your brain.
One action that may help you is to keep a notebook handy and jot down ideas and thoughts that spark your interest. The addition of taking notes will dramatically speed up the process of rewiring your brain. Even if you only spend 5-10 minutes a day, the effect will be dramatic. Your vocabulary will improve, you will begin thinking more critically about things, and you will become a more interesting person to talk with. There is no downside to reading books. Get started today.
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www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Today should be the most important day of the year – National Read a Book Day. It’s never been easier to get a book, and yet it seems people are reading fewer than ever.
There are lots of reasons people are not reading. Too busy. TV entertains me. Can get all the information I need from the Internet. But the main reason I think is that people have just gotten too lazy. It’s easier not to read than to read.
I’m sure that most would agree it’s a good thing to read but still can justify not reading. It’s time to reevaluate your reading behavior.
I can hear you thinking, I’m reading this blog, that’s reading, right? Sure, but reading blogs and other short bits of information is what’s killing your good reading. You’re rewiring your brain to absorb small bits of information instead of diving into the depths of a topic or story. It’s only a step above getting your news and opinions from Facebook memes. To truly understand something, you need to focus on it.
If you’re the type of person who has never really enjoyed reading and couldn’t possibly pick up a book and read it through, you of all people need to consider rewiring your brain, starting today.
You’re okay with the way your brain is wired? You are missing out on a depth of knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment that can only be achieved through reading books.
Recently, I have had several conversations with someone who started reading, and the result is amazing. He chose books that interested him and just started reading. Now, he can’t get enough, and he’s encouraging his friends and family to read also. He asked me what it is about reading that helps someone understand things better. He realized that he could get the same information from videos, but reading is different. When you expose yourself to multiple sources of information (audio, video, written, etc.), your brain remembers things better. It creates more connections.
Another thing you need to understand, especially if you have children, is that reading to children and encouraging them to read is critical to their early brain development. Reading to children right from birth will help their brains develop to their greatest potential, giving them the best opportunity to succeed in school, work, and life. Children who are not read to lose their ability to fully develop.
If you’re not much of a reader, it may be difficult to get started, but don’t be discouraged. Pick a book that’s of high interest to you (fiction, nonfiction, biography, how-to, motivational, etc.) and force yourself to read a page. Then two. Read a chapter. Keep going. Even if you fall asleep, don’t give up. No matter how long it takes you, keep at it. It will take effort and time to rewire your brain.
One action that may help you is to keep a notebook handy and jot down ideas and thoughts that spark your interest. The addition of taking notes will dramatically speed up the process of rewiring your brain. Even if you only spend 5-10 minutes a day, the effect will be dramatic. Your vocabulary will improve, you will begin thinking more critically about things, and you will become a more interesting person to talk with. There is no downside to reading books. Get started today.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
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