Create Your Own Reading Habit

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough, or a book long enough to suit me.” C.S. Lewis

This voiceover is an audio version of my Slow Sunday Letter below. It is unedited, so may have some stutters, imperfections, and background noise. I hope you enjoy listening to it anyway!

Welcome to Generosity of Spirit, a space to share my slow and gentle living philosophy. Please do subscribe to join me on this gentle journey of discovery and receive my Slow Sunday Letter straight into your inbox.

Hello, welcome back. I am so happy you are here. I hope you had a wonderful week.

Last year I rekindled my love of reading. I can’t imagine my life without a book ‘on the go’ anymore. Sticking to a consistent reading habit has improved my mental health in so many ways. Whenever I pick up a new book, it is like walking into my own personal happy place. I have really enjoyed dipping into different genres and finding what worlds I love. Falling back in love with reading has made a huge difference to my life. It is the perfect slow living hobby, and opens my mind to creativity- reading inspiring non-fiction books or amazing fiction stories. There is so much to gain.

I know that it can be a struggle to find time to read, and even if you have the time - it can be hard to find the right book for you! So, in today’s Slow Sunday Letter we are going to do a deep dive into how to create your own reading habit. So, grab a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get started!

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Rekindling My Love of Reading

I’ve always loved reading, but like many of us, over the years I found my ‘to read’ pile of books growing, whilst I struggled to find any motivation or time to read at all. I wasn’t prioritising reading, and to be honest, it had been so long since I'd read properly, I wasn’t even sure what I enjoyed anymore.

As a young girl, I loved the classics - my favourites were Pride and Prejudice and Little Women. I never grew tired of these stories, and I would read Pride and Prejudice every single year. I studied English Literature up to A-Level, and then studied Philosophy at University - academic reading engulfed my late teens and early twenties. When I graduated, I still read fiction every now and then, but I certainly felt I'd lost the love and the focus to sit and read.

Every single January - one of my resolutions would be to read more. Year after year would go by with this ambition, and the pile of unread books would grow and grow.

I have always loved journaling, and writing in general is an essential part of my own self-care, and one of my most important slow living habits. It helps me process my emotions, slow down and re-focus my mind. If I am feeling anxious journaling will always provide some relief. I have also found looking back and re-reading my journaling and writing has helped me so much if ever I feel lost or overwhelmed. It is true, your own writing improves the more you read. This has certainly been another source of inspiration for me, as I have been writing more regularly. I wanted to keep filling up my ‘creativity cup’.

I also started craving the escapism reading can offer, and the more I embraced slow and gentle living the more I realised that reading is essential to that journey. Reading provides instant comfort.

Taking a hiatus from reading is a normal part of life, and it is nothing to feel bad about it. I am so grateful to reading now, it really does feel like magic. Feeling emotions and creating worlds in your mind because of words on a page. It is such a gift.

I have truly rekindled my love of reading and I am excited to encourage you to do the same! If you are looking to start a new reading habit but struggle with finding the time, then keep on reading to learn my top tips on how to create a new reading habit.

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How To Create A Reading Habit

“she read books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live“ Ann Dillard

Explore Different Genres

If it has been a long time since you had the time to sit down and read, then you may not know what kind of books you enjoy. This the perfect time to explore different genres to see what kind of books really speak to you. From fantasy to romance, thrillers to mysteries, there are so many options to choose from. I loved trying out different genres when I started reading again, and I did it very intentionally searching for my first five-star read.

Dedicated Reading Time

Finding the time to read, is a stumbling block for so many. This is another reason I think reading and slow living are best friends. Reading epitomises slow living, as you slow down and focus on one thing – the book in your hands. You connect your mind, body, and spirit in this one moment with gentle movement, imagination, and calm.

So, you have chosen your book – now let’s find the time. Set yourself easy and realistic goals. Just read for five minutes or one page at a time. I also recommend having books within easy reach at home, maybe you can read a page while the kettle is boiling or just before bed? I also think it is a good idea to take a book out with you for the day. Perhaps you can read on a break at work, or while waiting for a friend. You will be surprised how much time you can find to read throughout the day.

Habit-Stacking

If you’ve read Atomic Habits by James Clear, then you know that it’s easier to start a new habit by adding it to something that you already do. When I first started reading again, I read a few chapters when I woke up in the morning, stacking it with my existing habit, of scrolling on my mobile through social media. That simple change really helped me get into the habit of daily reading. Better yet, now I have finally shaken off the habit of grabbing my phone first thing in the morning, and replaced it entirely with reading - which makes me so happy!

Create a Cosy Reading Environment

When you have a little more time - I love romanticising reading and really leaning into the wholesome, cosy vibes. Finding your perfect reading spot is gold. I love getting cosy on the sofa with my blanket and a hot drink, lighting a candle and dedicating a good couple of hours to reading. I actually relish bad weather days when I can just stay home and read!

Keep a TBR (to be read) list

Once you build up the momentum of reading your first few books, you’ll want to create a running list of the books that you may want to read in the future. This way as soon as you finish one book, you can quickly scan your TBR list for something new. Jot down any book that sparks your interest. I like to use Notion to save my TBR list and document my progress towards my reading goal.

Set A Reading Goal

When I got serious about reading again – the one key change for me was setting myself the attainable goal of reading one book a month. I knew I could easily achieve this. I really enjoyed planning out my reading and I got such a sense of accomplishment as I moved through the year and realised how easily I was getting through my TBR list.

Seasonal Reading

I have also started to try seasonal reading too, which essentially means you read books that are particularly suited to the current season. Think… cosy Christmas novels during the winter, whimsical and light stories in the spring, like Anne of Green Gables, summer romances like Emily Henry and magical autumn vibes like Harry Potter.

Permission to Stop Reading!

If you don’t like a book or you are not getting on with it – it is okay to move on! If you persist, it can very quickly turn joyful reading into a chore. It is entirely your choice what books you read, and if you aren’t enjoying a book- just stop and move on to the next one.

Try Different Formats

You do not always have to use a physical book … I have listened to a couple of audiobooks now, and I really enjoyed them. While I usually guard against multi-tasking in favour of single tasking (more on this in a future Slow Sunday Letter), I do love that I can listen to an audiobook whilst doing other gentle activities like cleaning, ironing or walking.

Reading on an electronic device is still my least favourite way to read. But I recently charged up my kindle and downloaded a new book, and I am going to give it another go. There is no doubt it is a sensible choice when travelling and often you can get amazing deals for electronic books.

Visit a Library

There is something so magical about a library. I have started regularly visiting my local library and honestly, I am like a kid in a candy shop. It never fails to surprise me, that I can walk in, choose any book I like, and leave without any exchange of money! I have started keeping a list of books I would like to read, and searching them in the library catalogue, before a visit so I have more direction (otherwise I could roam for hours in the library getting distracted by every bookshelf!). This is your gentle nudge… go and visit your local library!

Keep a Book Journal

I love keeping a book journal. After you have finished a book, give it a rating, note down your thoughts, and maybe some quotes you liked. This will give you a sense of achievement and it is a good record of all your reading. It can also help you notice patterns in what books you enjoy the most, and which you didn’t like as much. You can keep a physical reading journal or use a notetaking app like Notion.

Explore Book Vlogs on YouTube

I love watching cosy YouTube videos about books and reading, and nothing is better than a bookshop visit video! I really love Christy Anne Jones, Morgan Long and Darling Desi for so many reasons, but their book inspiration is second to none. Their enthusiasm is so infectious. I always come away with another book to add to my TBR list!

Talk about it!

It feels good to share things you love with others. Substack is an amazing space to cultivate community and there are so many book lovers here. If you are a book lover say hello in the comments so we can easily connect with each other. I would love to feature more reading and books here at Generosity of Spirit … what do you think…?

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As I embrace Slow & Gentle Living, I realise how important spending time reading and writing is for my mind, body and spirit, and how much a reading hobby compliments Slow Living.

I hope these tips help you form a reading habit that works for you. And remember, reading is a wonderful invitation to countless stories, adventures, thoughts and feelings… and it is the best fun creating your own reading life. So, stay curious and happy reading!

Please do say hello, and share what you are currently reading in the comments below - I’d love to bring together all the book lovers here!

Thank you for being here,

With Light & Love

Emily xxx

If you enjoyed this post, found it useful or want to help me spread the word about how enriching Slow & Gentle Living can be, please do like/leave a comment or share/restack to help others discover Generosity of Spirit. Thank you for reading!

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