“Don’t force me to read, mom! You know I hate reading!” Maybe a couple of times you’ve heard your parents or foremost your teachers to encourage you to read books in your class or during leisure time.
One time I asked my best friend if he had read the piles of books he had and quickly responded, “You know what? I don’t even have time for myself. How could I possibly read them? I sharply replied, “You don’t need to read them in one sitting. Just choose the one you love and start from there, page by page. Even if it takes you a month to read one book, so long as you continue doing that habit, you will be at par with the rest who don’t really read.” He simply nodded and quipped, “Alright, thanks for the words!”
Reading may not be your favorite hobby but it pays the best dividends. And it surely is. A reader lives a thousand lives while a man who never reads lives only once. Reading unlocks different avenues that no one can go to. And once you hold the benefits it offers, you will surely enjoy the leisure and pleasure of reading.
Here are some of the benefits of reading which I totally love and that’s why I encourage you to start doing it:
Firstly, reading exercises the brain. Reading for leisure and pleasure exercises and strengthens our memory which eventually helps develop higher intelligence. Reading is the best mental workout for us since focusing on stories, events, characters etc. of the books we are reading boosts concentration. The more a person reads books, the more he accumulates knowledge that he can use for day-to-day activities.
Secondly, reading reduces stress and improves sleep. Reading relaxes the mind and reduces tension which allows you to sleep better. According to sleepfoundation.org, reading before bedtime is a habit that is budget-friendly, easy to do, and accessible to people of all ages.
So, if you feel stressed and want to have a good night’s sleep, why not try to grab a book from your shelf instead of spending more of your time on your screens?
Third, reading increases empathy and builds emotional intelligence. Reading expands our social awareness on people’s lives, behavior, and the darkest experiences they overcome. With reading, you become more self-aware and responsible for making choices which is crucial in leading a happy and fulfilled life. Whether these stories are fiction or non-fiction, the tales of one’s account give us a better understanding and connection as we empathize with people constantly. When we walk in someone else’s shoes and share a candle in their life, we bring light into the darkest areas of our souls. That’s the power of reading!
” When we walk in someone else’s shoes and share a candle in their life, we bring light into the darkest areas of our souls. That’s the power of reading! “
Next, reading helps develop life skills. The power of reading is not only limited to developing your vocabulary skills, awareness skills, and intelligence but also encourages problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and even creativity. Once enhanced through reading, your literacy skills will forge you to actualize other areas like communication, collaboration, teamwork, research, and organizational skills which are essential to succeed in work, in life, and citizenship, especially in this technology-laden world. A person who seeks to rise above the ordinary must court reading as a powerful servant.
Lastly, reading makes you rich. This is not about making you rich financially. Although rich people in the world like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffet, etc. are great readers and reading has extensively paved their success, reading allows you to be a great thinker, wiser and analytical which purposively helps you to create wealth and money. Reading enriches our lives through imagination, reflection, and appreciation of the universal values embedded in literary works. The rewarding experiences reading offers reveal a grain of truth in the words of Dr. Seuss, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go.”
Truly, reading makes a man full. You can only reap the benefits of reading once you cultivate it as a habit. The best things in life are free and so is reading. Read and continue reading until time immemorial.