Hello Everyone,
I hope the sunshine is reaching your mind, body and soul!
Have you thought of adding a book to your reading list that is purely for pleasure?
I am one of those who rarely read for pleasure.
I love finding out about people, and having studied homoeopathic medicine, the materia medica continues to fascinate me.
Why would we want to read for fun?
Some of us would happily watch Netflix on our laptops when we have been staring at a screen all day.
This blog will serve as a reminder to you, and to myself, of the joys of reading for pleasure.
Choosing A Book
One of the best parts of reading is choosing the book – you could browse in a charity shop or second-hand bookshop and smell the books, feel their pages before settling on a good few. This is partly the reason why I have more books in my house than I can possibly read in a lifetime.
For me, it’s the potential of a new book. The anticipation of what’s inside.
There are plenty of books to choose from, whether you want to get lost in a crime thriller or be enveloped in a comedy.
Getting Cosy
The joy of reading for me comes in the intrigue of it. This is what motivates me to open the books; from then on, I rely on the book to keep me gripped and focused.
The image of being all cosy and warm in front of a roaring fire wrapped in blankets, woolly socks and with a mug of hot chocolate or tea and plenty of biscuits puts me in the mood for reading for fun.
With summer upon us, my mind’s eye has me lying on a beach or reading by the pool, basking in the sun. There’s simply nothing nicer.

Achieving something

When I finish a book, I have the same feeling as baking a cake or growing vegetables from scratch: it’s the feeling of achievement and accomplishing something. You can’t announce to the world that you’ve completed every single season of a tv show but you can shout about the book you’ve read.

With a book, it’s more than that – I get attached to the characters. When I’ve finished the book, I find myself wondering what each character is up to – did they ever finish that crossword? The little details play on my mind.

Rest & Relaxation

Focusing on reading and letting your brain relax is a form of mindfulness. It’s a way to rest and delve into another world. We already know that reading comes with all these benefits such as reducing stress and encouraging your brain to only work on one thing at once. It’s the feeling of ease – when all the threads and voices in my head quieten as I follow the words across the page. The story plays out in a scene in my head.

The Simple Joys of Reading

Instead of binge-watching yet another season, why not dedicate the time you would spend watching one twenty-minute episode to reading a book. Choose a book that tickles your fancy.