It is getting close to that time of year again where we gather with our most loved ones to celebrate and hope for a new start. Why do New Year’s resolutions have to centre around getting fitter, eating less chocolate, or getting a new car? Why not set a New Year’s resolution which is not only achievable from the comfort of anywhere that focuses on mental growth, rather than physical. Cultivating the habit of reading is greatly beneficial and we are going to tell you why it should be a part of your New Year’s resolutions.

A great way to bond

Share a bottle of bubbly this New Year with your loved ones and promise yourself to prioritise sharing memories with them at the stroke of midnight. New Years is important to us all. It’s a time where we reflect upon what we are grateful for and what we hope for. So, gather around have a snuggle and read a book. Make the creation of memories a resolution. The time of day you and your loved ones connect over books could be at night or outside during a nice summer’s day, it enhances a bond and creates memories you’ll remember forever.

It's a great way to relax and recalibrate at the end of a busy day

Reading has been proven to be one of the most beneficial ways to relax yourself, entering a state of altered consciousness. Exploring an author’s imagination allows you to remove yourself from reality making it a great way too reduce your stress levels. Getting lost in a good book can be a good way of putting your mind at ease, prioritise your mental health this New Year. Books can be your free therapy.

Expands your listening and communication skills

If you are someone who is looking to improve their self-expression and coherency, reading is the perfect way to do so. Reading strengthens the brain and works on its functions meaning it leads to the betterment of communication skills. You are not only embarking on a journey of adventure but the analysis and decoding of words seeps its way into bettering your cognitive functions.

Not only does it greatly aid the way in which you communicate but it is beneficial to the way in which you listen. Times are tough and one thing we all need is someone who listens. Your New Years resolutions do not just have to just centre around you, but around how you touch and effect other people’s lives. Reading guides us into bettering our understanding of people, it helps with perspective placing yourself in someone else’s shoes. Researchers have called this “theory of mind”- when reading our brains subconsciously make words easier to recognise when spoken. More improvement on listening is directly linked to reading. We are so engaged with the words on the page that it improves engagement with spoken words making them much easier and recognisable. It has been found that reading aloud helps readers track their speech and follow along with different sentence structures.

Learn something new

Have you ever looked at your screen time after aimlessly scrolling? Instead of reading your newsfeed, try and read a book on a topic you’d never thought to research. Learning through reading is an effortless way to do so. It’s enjoyable and who knows, at your next New Years party you might have some facts you can impress your loved ones with. Some of the information we learn may never be used, but learning is never a waste of time.

Stronger analytical thinking skills

Reading a mystery novel is not just providing entertainment, it develops your problem-solving skills. Analytical reading is a high-level cognitive skill and one vital to debates and is extremely attractive to employers. Analytical observation is important to learning and observing the world around us.

Reading acts as a stimulus for the brain, it improves memory and learning capacity. You may sometimes struggle to read between the lines (pardon the pun). But, with reading improving your analytical skills it makes words go from simple descriptors to maintaining hidden messages and meanings.

Reading is a great motivator

Sometimes finding a reason to get out of bed can be difficult. Sometimes finding a reason to try and achieve your goals can be difficult. Sometimes finding the confidence to stand out of your comfort zone and do something different can be difficult. But many people have found their guiding light in a book. Reading doesn’t just have to be about the betterment of your skills but having the confidence to exhibit said skills.

Even the most successful people still seek motivation within reading. Bill Gates was greatly inspired by Nike co-founder Phil Knight’s book, “Shoe dog”. Tim Cook the co-founder of Apple sought motivation from, “Compete against time” by George Stalk Jr. James Dean carried a copy of the, “Little Prince” with him. Even the most successful people found motivation in words.

We hope your New Years is filled with fireworks, celebrations, and thankfulness. Remember, a New Years resolution doesn’t have to be bettering the way you look or wishing for more. It can be about bettering the way you feel and being thankful for what you have. If your year hasn’t worked out the way you hoped, we hope it’s out with the old and in with the new. Happy New Year- new year, new book. We hope its everything you wish for.

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