My goal at the beginning of 2022 was to read at least ONE book a month… which in theory, seems like a pretty easy goal to accomplish. However, prioritizing reading was not high on my list, so I had to figure out a way to make it a priority in order to reach my goal.
As much as I LOVE books and LOVE reading, it’s difficult for me to make time to read because it also somehow feels like I’m being lazy. I also prefer reading in the daylight, thus, stopping my day to sit and read felt very unproductive. I KNOW this is the furthest thing from the truth and to change my ridiculous beliefs around the whole thing, I registered for a library card at the end of 2021. My hope was that borrowing a book with a due date instead of buying it, might give me the motivation I needed to to prioritize reading because I wouldn’t have the book forever… And it worked!
I also created a BOOKS note on my phone and listed each book I read by month just to keep track of everything. I checked out more than I ended up reading and started a handful I didn’t finish because they weren’t resonating but overall I really enjoyed my library visits. Of course I can go online and check out specific books to pick up, but I really LOVE browsing the library shelves just to see what might catch my eye. It reminds me of way back when I used to spend hours walking around bookstores… before they all disappeared.
Though I was a few books short on my “one a month” goal, I also listened to 12 audiobooks with my Audible account and a few free/shorter books on Youtube. So if I count the books I listened to AND the books I physically read, it equals 21, which for me, is a HUGE accomplishment 🙂
* Admittedly, this post is mostly for my own reference, so I can look back on it next year at this time to compare, but I hope you find some value in it or at least a book you might enjoy 🙂
Books…
The Alchemist… I intend on reading this again this month… I read it almost every year but I think I’ll make it a tradition to read it every January. It’s a quick read. I’ve read it a million times and each time I read it I get something new from it.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking… Very interesting… a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant–in the blink of an eye–that actually aren’t as simple as they seem. Blink reveals that great decision makers aren’t those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of “thin-slicing”–filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.
Rules for Being a Girl… I wrote an entire post/rant about this book, which I loved! I originally checked it out from the library and ended up buying a copy for myself as well.
How to Date Men when You Hate Men… This was a semi-interesting read and nothing like I thought it would be. It almost felt like a dating guide for 20-somethings in our world today, which I wasn’t looking for, although it was technically IN the title, but it’s a book men who are dating might benefit from. I think I just liked the title and thought it would have a little more insight on how to get over the patriarchal system we somehow seem trapped in. I found it right after I finished Rules for Being a girl and the audiobook below Why Does He Do That? and was a bit angry with men at the time.
The Gift… My mom gave me this book as a gift -no pun intended 😉 and I really enjoyed it. A practical and inspirational guide to stopping destructive patterns and imprisoning thoughts to find freedom and joy in life
Year of YES: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person… I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! I would totally recommend. It was light and a quick read and completely uplifting and inspiring!
The Upside of Unrequited… I picked this up while in the library one day without realizing it was in the Young Adult category or that the author had previous books-turned-movies, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. What I love most about YA books, is the larger font, LOL! Makes it so much easier and quicker to read! There’s also something about YA that takes me right back to teenage years and makes me smile.
White Oleander… This is an older book that I’ve wanted to read for YEARS. It actually took me a while to read it though, and I’m going to blame the small font and the fact that it was a million pages long, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it. I also love books based in LA because whenever they describe an area, I have a full realistic picture in my head based on my own experiences. What I took most from the book (and wrote down in my notes) was that the downfall of all female characters was men… and I have found that true in my own life as well.
Wait For it… This was the last book I finished in 2022. I checked it out of the library in October right before I moved and because I was so busy packing and unpacking, I didn’t get a chance to dive in right away. Also though, and this goes to show just how motivated by time I am, my local library is under renovation and when I checked it out they said it wasn’t due until January 19, 2023… this seriously made a huge difference in my reading habits! Anyway, this is another book I ADORED!! I almost want to buy it just to have it. I have another book by the same author requested for pick up next week and I can’t wait to get it! I hope it’s as good as this one was.
All the books mentioned above… below…
Audiobooks…
Since I’ve read what feels like EVERY self help/personal growth book ever published starting at age 19, and after awhile it sometimes feels like they’re all saying the same thing or like I’ve read them all before and know all the information, but I know this can’t be true, so I decided that listening to them would be a better option to see if they hit differently, and I think they did. Not all of them were in that category, but most were.
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself… I love Joe Dispensa. I get most of my info from him on YouTube and Gaia, but this was helpful in many ways
Finding your North Star… Fabulous for creativity and trying to find your purpose and path again.
The Big Leap… delivers a proven method for first identifying which of these four fears prevents us from reaching our personal upper limit, and then breaking through that limitation to achieve what Hendricks refers to as our Zone of Genius.
Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men… Completely eye opening in so many ways.
The Art of War… I actually have this book and have read it but didn’t find it as enlightening as so many people claim. It was free on audible so I listened to it so see if it would hit differently. I don’t think it did. Not a fave, but a quick read.
The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self… I read this because I liked Finding your North Star, both worth it.
Emotional Inheritance: A Therapist, Her Patients, and the Legacy of Trauma… WOW. Just WOW.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles… THIS is a twist on the title The Art of War, and it’s really good. In fact, I might give it another listen.
Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It… Life changing.
The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpos… This was also free on Audio and a quick listen so I did. IT was good. Positive. Inspirational.
NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children… Brilliant insight into the minds of children and (our own trauma possibly) and raising healthy kiddos.
The Art of Seduction… This was very interesting and a bit of a history lesson. I might actually listen again, there was so much info I think I need a refresh. Very good! Total recommend.
All the books mentioned above… below…
I’m not going to raise my reading goal for 2023 because I’m pretty happy with my reading habits as they stand now. I am not really interested in reading MORE just to read MORE, I want to really gain knowledge, so I’ll keep my one a month goal PLUS audiobooks and see where I get. I’m in the middle of a book right now and a handful of audiobooks I haven’t finished from 2022. So my goal is to finish those and keep on keepin’ on 😉
Do you have any reading goals for 2023? Do you have any advice on how to read more or more quickly? I’d love to know… reach out on Instgram (I have to close comments here due to Spam risks UGH, so annoying) but I like communicating via IG anyway.
Happy Hump Day Lovecats!
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