My favorite place to read is under an umbrella at the beach!
Welcome to Week 4 of the 5 Week Body Transformation Challenge! This week we’re talking about why reading can be life-changing. Up to this point, all of the challenges have been focused on your physical body. This week, we’re more focused on your mind. Don’t underestimate the importance of doing healthy activities for your mind. What you do for your mental well-being is huge. And this is why I’m going to give you 5 reasons why you should read more. But before we get started, be sure to download my list of 25 books that will absolutely transform your life!
#1: Reading More Promotes Continual Learning
You should never stop learning! Continual learning helps to keep the brain young (so yes, reading is an anti-aging tip!). By reading, you can learn a new hobby/skill or conquer an unfamiliar task. These are all ways to simulate the brain and improve memory. And, when you do learn something new, try to use all of your senses. You’ll be using more of your brain during the learning process and bolter the memory retention process.
#2: Reading More Promotes Better Sleep
Remember how we talked about how to sleep better last week? Limiting your television time at night contributes to better sleep. Light from the television inhibits the secretion of melatonin, which is a hormone that naturally promotes sleep. Keep lights dim in your room as you go through your nighttime routine just before bedtime. Turning off your television will help promote melatonin production and the body’s natural body rhythm for sleep. Then, pick up a book and read it. This is a calming activity that will help you de-stress, relax, and get better sleep.
#3: Reading More Improves Self-Esteem
Expanding your knowledge in a subject area is so beneficial. When you know more, you’re able to do more. That enhances self-esteem because you’ll feel more capable when you have more knowledge. This could entail learning a new hobby or skill, but not necessarily. You can expand your knowledge in a new area like history by reading an autobiography or nonfiction book. Simply put, if you know more, you’ll be able to communicate about different subjects. This boosts your confidence and self-esteem.
#4: Reading More Increases Motivation
Let’s keep it real. If you’ve ever had a big goal, an obstacle to overcome or you’ve needed to get through regular life challenges, you probably needed reinforcements/motivation/insights to get you through that challenge. Reading gives you just that. With the abundance of self-help, autobiographies, and inspiration books available, you’re never at a loss for resources. Whether you’re looking for tips, learnings from someone else’s hardships, or inspiration, you can find it in a good book. That special nugget of inspiration may be all you need to get through your challenge.
#5: Reading More Focuses Your Mind
Have you noticed how easy it is to get distracted these days? Do you log into your computer with the intent to do something, then find yourself sidetracked by something completely unrelated? Are you trying to do a lot of things at the same time, but struggle to be productive in your efforts? Reading helps to increase your focus and concentration as you lock into that one activity. Think about it, you can’t divert your eyes if you’re going to read, can you? With consistency, reading will increase your concentration, which will increase your productivity in other activities.
Take Action!
I hope that I’ve convinced you to pick up a good book. Take some time to plan what you’re going to do this week during the challenge. If you already read regularly, that’s great! Perhaps consider stepping out of your comfort zone and reading something that’s outside of your favorite genre. If you don’t read regularly, why don’t you? Use my five tips to pick up a new book and commit to reading it from start to finish. Also, do know you how to find a good book? I use an app called Goodreads, which is great for picking books by genre. You’ll have access to helpful book reviews by other readers too.
By the way, this post is part of a series called the 5 Week Body Transformation Challenge. If you haven’t committed to the 5 Week Body Transformation Challenge yet, you still can! Grab your 5 Week Body Transformation Action Plan here. Think about your goal, write it at the top of the Action Plan, and sign the form at the bottom. Check back here on the blog because I’ll add a post each week about the “Tweak of the Week”, how the change can benefit your body, and I’ll give you extra motivation.
See you next week!
Mrs. Traylor is a Fitness Instructor, NASM Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach, AFPA Certified Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness Specialist, wife, and momma who provides actionable advice for positive lifestyle changes with fitness, nutrition, and wellness. Read about Wendy’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey, and subscribe to Wendy’s newsletter here!
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