Are you in a reading rut?

While setting my 2016 yearly goals and aspirations, and reviewing 2015, I discovered something horrible. I finished reading just four novels last year. FOUR! I’m an author, for goodness sake. It’s my JOB to read. Cue various levels of silent shame–that is, until I thought, hey, maybe it’s not just me. Maybe some of you have fallen into a reading rut too?

I will qualify that I started reading dozens of novels. (And, not to be dismissed, I read hundreds of children’s books to my son… I know this, because I recently counted how many books were on his book shelf and it was over 200, all of which I have read many times over.) It’s just that I couldn’t finish them. There are many reasons for this, one of which is that I long ago let go of the idea that I had to finish a book just because I’d started it, whether or not I was enjoying it. I realised that I am a slow reader by nature, that I only had a certain number of years left in my life, and I could only read a certain number of books a year, and that life was to short to read bad books (or, at the very least, ones I didn’t love). See, I like a lot of books. But there are very few that I love. Passionately. Whole heartedly. Fan stalkerish crazy.

Also, motherhood. And exhaustion. I know I’m not alone here. Enough said.

But I digress. The thing here is that we need to keep reading. So if you’ve fallen off the reading wagon, as I clearly did in 2015, it can be awkward to get back on it.

I see a number of online ‘reading challenges’ going around right now. I considered joining one, but the numbers people were pledging were intimidating. Fifty books? Really? My self-esteem plummeted.

So here’s my advice for you if you need to get back on the reading wagon.

Set the bar really low.

There are occasions in life where it’s great to aim for the moon and work doggedly until you achieve your goal. I wouldn’t be an author now if I didn’t and couldn’t do that. But there are other times where it helps to set the bar low and give yourself a chance to surprise yourself.

Leonie Dawson, in her daily habit list, commits to moving her body for 5 minutes a day. Five minutes. That’s it. She knows that if she makes it any higher, she won’t do it. And of course if she can move for five minutes, she’ll likely move for more.

In 2015, I set a number of intentions that I not only met but surpassed. And this year already, I have surpassed my goal of ‘go swimming 6 times’. I’ve already been 12 times and have bought another 20-visit pass. I’ve quite unexpectedly fallen in love with swimming.

And as for books, I’ve set the bar low at reading (and finishing) just 6 books. I might do more. I might not. But if I finish those 6 books I’ll still be better off than I was last year. But I’m betting I’ll do more.

So for 2016, I wish you fabulous books and engrossing reading! Just start and keep going.

p.s. I’ve already finished my first book, Hester and Harriet by Hilary Spiers. I LOVED it!!! I can’t say enough fabulous things about this book. Hilary has a new fan girl in me.