Part 1 our 'How to Read' Series. In this article explore why you should read and how reading benefits you.
Reading. Love it or loathe it, its hard to avoid it. Every day we are bombarded with thousands of words. They are on signs, subtitles, labels, books, newspapers, screens, and billboards. Why, then, would anyone inflict extra reading upon themselves?
Why Should You Read?
Short Version - Reading helps develop empathy, context, self-knowledge, build self-esteem and confidence.
Develop Empathy
There are dozens of reasons why you should read, but lets talk about one of the most important: empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. To step outside your own emotional experience of the world, and to understand what would be good or bad in another person's eyes. Empathy is a critical part of emotional development, and reading is a big help. Why?
When you read, the author often places you inside the head of one or more characters. You hear their internal dialogue, and live the story through their eyes. Viola, empathy. This process is incredibly exciting, especially when you come to read from the viewpoint of the villain a morally grey character. The ability to understand and validate different opinions is a life-long skill.
2. Gain Context
Secondly, empathy is the key to context in life. Our understanding of the people, places, and objects in the world we live in helps us to better understand where we fit in.
We can't all up and travel the world, but we can travel through space and time just by opening the right book. We may not have first-hand experience of the Battle of Waterloo (Vanity Fair) or the Infinite Improbability Drive (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), but we know how we felt when we read about them.
3. Get to Know Yourself
Thirdly, reading is a great way to get to know yourself and to build a sense of identity. You learn more about the genres you enjoy reading as you explore them. Over time you can build your library with books that appeal to you, that make you cry, that make you laugh.
4. Combat Loneliness
“We read to know we're not alone.” wrote William Nicholson. There's no feeling like learning that a long-dead person shared your thoughts or feelings, and asked the same question as you. All people are different, but no emotion is solitary.
5. Build Self-Esteem and Confidence
Ah the sweet feeling of finishing a book. It gives you a sort of post-reading buzz, especially if the book is on the large side. Reading is a brilliant way to gain confidence in your abilities, away from high-pressure environments. The ability to read fluently, understand, and explain written information is a vital skill.
What Now?
Reading is a gift. It can be downright hard sometimes, but the rewards are endless.
Today we've mentioned only a handful of reasons why reading is good. But there are so many more reasons! But what should you read? Check out part 2 in this series. If you love reading or want to improve your reading ability, experience or enjoyment, check back regularly to see new Bookworm content!
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