Why Reading is Good For You!

We are always looking for the new ways to be healthy in life right? Some are more fad driven and sexier than a book of course, but something as simple as introducing reading into your habits each day can have positive health benefits in your life. 

Books feed the mind, nourish the soul, educate, motivate us, unlock emotions and improve our vocabulary and of course entertain us! They also help us problem solve, give us good analytical skills, help us write better and provide brain stimulation. 

The feeling of finishing a book is such an accomplishment and energizes you. The anticipation of again being able to pick my next read is fun!  I am a slow reader and often have to actually schedule time aside to get reading done. Yes, too busy to read sometimes! (Sound familiar?) But when I get going, I often have trouble putting it down. I love the smell of the pages, attractive text, catchy title and a good book cover goes a long way encouraging me to pick it up and keep going. 

Currently I am reading Mindset, The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. This book is all about tuning into your full potential by identifying if you have a fixed or growth mindset. Dweck shows us how a growth mindset approach to all things in our life make all things possible and is the distinguishing trait that separates success vs failure. Failure is not a bad thing explains Dweck further in the book. It is the approach you take at the failure that matters. A fixed mindset of giving up and all is doom, or a growth mindset to discover what I did wrong, what I will do differently and how to go at it again. This one should be on your motivational book list for sure. 

For those of you who do not gravitate toward self help, there is a multitude of good reads out there for your summer reading pleasure. I do enjoy a good fiction book now and then myself, but embarrassed to say it was probably Fifty Shades ago! :)

Let's not forget the kiddos! Reading to children from infantile stages are proven to expand children's vocabulary, encourage early speech and early reading skills. Plus, we can only hope it will also foster their love of books as well. Libraries are full of activities, events and guest authors to engage our children into the love of reading and are usually free. Bookstores too are now doing book events with children's favorite book characters and giving incentives to children who read and discounts to their stores for purchases. My all time favorite children's books are Charlotte's Web by E.B White and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I also had an affinity to anything Judy Blume wrote like every other tween growing up in the 80's I am sure!

Perhaps you will give some thought to take some time to dive into a book. It's good for you!

Check out the Newbery Award winners for 2015 for wonderful enriching children's books

Newbery Medal winning books 2015

Here are some suggestions from great sites for summer reads for the big kids. :)

Good Reads

Oprah's Book club via Amazon


What is your all time favorite book? Let's hear it!