If the past three years have taught me anything, it’s that being busy isn’t a lifestyle I want to choose for myself. I absolutely LOVE my downtime. One of my favourite times of day is when everyone goes to bed, and I can cozy up in my room with a good book (especially if the window is open and a nice cool breeze comes through). I really wanted my 2023 reading goals to reflect that.
My 2023 Reading Goals
Make lists – but don’t stick to them.
Or, in other words – don’t feel like I HAVE to stick with them. Personally, I love to compile and list or stack of books I would love to read in the month, but chances are I’ll throw the list away and read what I want. Sometimes I might stick with it, but it’s rare. I don’t want to force myself to read something I don’t want to read.
Don’t feel bad about getting rid of books.
I have a LOT of books on my shelves that need to be read, at least 200 or so. I can’t, nor do I want to, spend time reading something that isn’t making me happy. Case in point, I started listening to an audiobook of a book I started last year so that I could finish it. BUT I’m not completely enjoying the book, so I asked myself why I’m continuing. I don’t want to feel like I HAVE to finish reading a book. To the donation pile it goes, and I’m not going to feel bad about it. What I don’t like might be someone else’s favourite.
Enjoy other hobbies.
If you follow my blog, you’ll see that I also love video games (well, one video game – does one video game make one a gamer?) and knitting. I’ve always been someone with an all-or-nothing attitude; once I get into one hobby, I tend to throw my whole self at it. However, this year I’d like to practice balance when it comes to hobbies. Sit and knit for a bit, or maybe play a video game, or pick up a book when I want to, but I don’t want to FORCE myself to do a hobby just because it’s one of my hobbies. Maybe one month will have a lot of books, and maybe another will have a lot of knitting. It’s all about balance.
Try and be consistent with Instagram.
I love bookish Instagram, especially for the beautiful photos and for getting book recommendations. I especially love it when I see someone read and love a book that I also read and loved. At home, I could finish a book and tell my kids I loved that book, but it’s so satisfying to find someone who read that book and understands my feelings about it.
Don’t focus on the numbers.
In 2023, I want to be mindful of what I’m reading. I want to stick to one or two books at a time (usually an ebook and a physical book – sometimes an audiobook thrown in). I don’t want to tell myself I HAVE to read a certain amount of books in a month or in the year or that I have to read specific genres or authors. “Keep it simple and relaxed” is my motto for 2023.
One thing about my 2023 reading goals is that I didn’t want to go overboard and have too many things to pay attention to. Ultimately, I want to read and have fun reading. Getting back into reading and having this be my first full reading year in a long time is exciting, and I want to stay in that excitement and not feel too bogged down by rules.
What are your 2023 reading goals? I’d love to hear them below!
