5 REASONS TO DEVELOP A READING HABIT

“Readers are leaders.”

I’m sure you’ve heard that too many times to count, but reading doesn’t only make you a leader it can help you sleep well, de-stress, and make for a great conversation starter between you and a new acquaintance.

Before I get into today’s article on reasons to develop a reading habit, I’d like to share a bit about how I developed a love for reading. My mom was a reader, she loved to read books when she was younger(still does), she inspired me to read. I didn’t quite get into it when I was much younger, but I noticed that as I grew older, I developed an interest for reading, especially fiction. As time went on, I began to read other genre’s and joined book clubs to have great discussions about the books we were reading and that’s how books became a part of my life.

If you are not much of a reader, you are missing out on a lot of exciting benefits. Here are some of the reasons why you should develop a reading habit;

Reading Expands your Knowledge

Nothing else expands your knowledge like reading. Reading has proven to be the perfect way to learn more and broaden one’s experience. 

If you doubt it, how come you recognise so many places you’ve never been? You possibly got the information somewhere; that’s one extraordinary advantage of reading.

You get to know completely different people and their experiences; you also get to know unique places, cultures, and information that you would otherwise not know about. Another thing reading offers you is the opportunity to learn new things and discover new ideas. In my business, I have acquired more knowledge from reading books, and I am better equipped. I have also made good progress with my on-going project.

Approximate the information you’ve garnered over the years, 70% possibly came through reading. After you had read, you became more exposed and well informed; your increase in knowledge makes you smarter.

Reading Offers Enjoyment

Reading is something I revel in once I am alone; books are an ideal companion for me. A good book engages you so much so that you can even lose track of time while reading. Like when I read the book; Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, I was totally lost in it.

Personally, I enjoy fiction, memoirs, and nowadays, African literature.

If you are worried that a book is too boring, pick up books on subjects that interest you. There’s something for everyone. It could be African literature, fantasy, memoirs, poetry, spirituality, or romance novels, there’s definitely something for everyone.

Reading Boosts Your Creativity

Books require active engagement and focus; they completely absorb your mind. Reading the words, figuring out what they mean to you and why they increase your imaginative ability. 

As you read, you build up images, thoughts, and opinions in your mind and if you can see places or imagine how they feel; your imagination is at work. What you’ve explored would expand your mind, develop your imagination and stimulate creativity. 

You can discover new things and new ideas by reading books. Reading a book requires your imagination and this, in turn, develops your creativity. The key to developing your imagination while reading a book is to pick an interest in the content. 

Boosting your creativity for me is definitely one of the most important reasons to develop a reading habit.

Reading Improves your Communication Skills

The more I read, the better my communication, and I mean this with regard to how I articulate my thoughts verbally and in writing. 

Reading will make you imaginative, but another side to that benefit is how reading helps to present your thoughts neatly. The more you read, break down complex ideas into simple ones, easily understandable concepts; the better you will become at it, especially if your career involves a lot of presentation or if you work in a people-centric role.

The more I read, the better my ability to communicate has become, and since I do a lot of writing, reading has helped me connect better with you.

Reading Strengthens your Character and Personality

Reading strengthens character and personality. In fact, I can say I know more about life because of how well books informed me, and my understanding of life has made me a better person. In the same way, my confidence and self-esteem has improved greatly. 

As a reader, I react to situations with better judgment because I’m exposed to a different view of life. I’ve learned to forgive and let go of the things that hurt me in the past. 

As a reader with a broader understanding of things, you will realize that we are all different, and you will appreciate the uniqueness of people and treat them better. People who have hurt me in the past, I learnt to forgive them after reading books on forgiveness. I enjoyed inner peace and tranquillity, and I became more connected to myself because the authors had experienced what happened to me at that moment.

There are several life lessons that you learn by reading books. It makes you a better person in all ways.

There are many benefits to reading that I can’t exhaust in this article, but I want to encourage you to read as often and as widely as you can. It doesn’t have to be books on tough subjects like sciences or artificial intelligence. 

Just find books on a topic that you are curious about and get reading. If you love reading, I’d like to hear your story too. I’ll be looking forward to them in the comment section.