As a self-proclaimed bookworm, I've always had a list. A list of books I "should" read, a goal of how many books I wanted to finish in a year, or a challenge to tackle a certain genre. For a long time, reading felt a little bit like a race. I was always checking my progress, updating my Goodreads, and looking for the next book to tick off my list.
But over the past few months, something has shifted. With my new routine of reading for 30 minutes before bed (a habit that has survived even with all the new excitement in my life!), I've dropped all the goals. The reading list is gone. The annual book count? Forget about it.
Now, I'm simply reading for the sheer joy of it.
This small change has made a huge difference. I'm no longer picking up a book because it's a bestseller or because I feel like I'm "supposed to" read it. Instead, I'm choosing books based on what I genuinely feel like reading in that moment.
If I'm in the mood for a light, funny romance, that's what I read. If I want to get lost in a detailed historical fiction, that's what I grab. There's no guilt if I abandon a book halfway through because it just isn't grabbing me. The only rule is that it has to be a book that I'm enjoying.
This approach has reminded me why I fell in love with reading in the first place: the escape, the connection to a story, the quiet peace of turning a page. It's a reminder that reading isn't a chore or a competition. It's a gift we give ourselves.
It feels a bit like coming home. I’m back to being a kid who would read by flashlight under the covers, completely lost in a world that felt entirely mine.
Have you ever given up on reading goals? I'd love to hear how it changed your relationship with books.
No comments:
Post a Comment