Let's Get Reading

I've spent most of the day reading in order to prepare for my book club meeting tonight. Last fall, I started a book club and so as the leader of the group, I felt it was probably best if I had actually read the book by the time I was supposed to be leading a discussion on it. But having invested most of my free time in this blog over the past couple of weeks, I lost track of my days. This morning I woke up and realized I was only on chapter 2 of the book I was to have read by the end of the day. I spent 5 hours this afternoon hurrying my way through it and actually managed a pretty decent discussion.

Since today has been entirely devoted to reading, I didn't have much chance to think about what I wanted to write. After the meeting was over and everyone had left, I sat down at my computer to finally squeak out a post for today. But no matter how hard I tried to switch gears, my mind remained firmly affixed on reading. (Remember, I warned you that I was an avid reader.) So I started pondering if a post about reading belonged on this blog. While it doesn't have much to do with fitness other than providing a form of entertainment while on the exercise bike or treadmill, I strongly believe that it is vital to health. And since this blog is about whole health, and not just fitness, here I sit writing a post on reading. 

I love the outlet that reading offers - it can be so therapeutic! When I'm having a bad day, I can easily slip into a book and become someone else. I can read about someone going through something similar to my situation and learn from what they did, good or bad. Or I can become someone else entirely and forget about my own trials for a little while. It also gives me the opportunity to be all the things I don't have time to be. I have sincerely desired to be an astronaut, a meteorologist, a doctor, (this could go on) none of which I will ever see come to fruition. But within the cover of a book, I can be whomever I want to be, even if just for a short while. 

In addition, reading also stretches my imagination, extends my knowledge, and expands my vocabulary, all of which enable me to become more articulate and increase my intelligence. Therefore, I feel reading is important on the path to whole health. With this in mind, I'm proposing the first Challenge of this blog. (I love challenges and will probably present them often.)

This year, challenge yourself to read at least 1 book per month (that's only 12 books this year for the mathematically challenged). 

*Bonus Challenge #1: Choose your books from 12 different genres and branch out from what you would normally read.

*Bonus Challenge #2: Try to join a book club. If you can't find one near you, start your own. 

If you are an avid reader like myself, and 12 books sounds like a great weekend to you, please comment with a number that you think would be a good challenge for you to complete this year!