Why Taking a Break from Reading Won't Make You Less of a Reader! - Discuss & Wonder #12

Hello guys and welcome to the second discussion post of the year! I'm kind of behind on these but, fingers crossed I'll be able to keep up! This is also kind of an official sign up to the 2018 February Challenge, hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight! I didn't want to make a separate post for my participation so, make sure to go check out the other amazing discussions that are linked in their posts!

Today, I decided to discuss a topic that I've been itching to share for a really long time on  
I also talk a bit about how I got rid of my reading slump, which is what taking a break actually stands for and how it can actually help you find yourself!

What is your preferred way of getting over a reading slump? Do you think quality or quantity matters when it comes to being a reader? Make sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Back when I stopped blogging for a while, I barely had the energy to read anything whatsoever. I just felt overwhelmed enough to stop for a while, take a break and find myself. I love books, have loved them before I even knew how to properly read and my love for them has never wavered or lessened. 

 I wasn't enjoying it anymore and it came to the point where, it took me months to finish a single book. I picked up and put down so many books during that time and found myself staying away from one of the only things that made me feel good. I could not find anything to get me back to reading and I just accepted it and let myself take a much needed break, without trying to force it. Which is what truly helps in these cases. So, if you find yourself in a reading slump, don't try to pick up book after book and end up more discouraged by the fact that, you're not able to finish either of them. As fascinating and appealing they sound.

After I let myself relax and stopped worrying about my inability to finish any book I picked up, I decided to DNF the books that didn't speak to me after at least the first 150 pages. Which has helped so much more since, I don't feel that building pressure to finish them just for the sake of it. I've also become more conscious of what books I request and purchase, since I've learned what to stay away from and what I'm more likely to enjoy! 

You don't need to stick to any reading challenges in order to be a reader. Neither should you push your self to read a ridiculous amount of books that won't make you happy. 

 Quality over quantity, is really important. That's definitely going to help you get back on track after a reading slump. Starting slow is what's best in these cases and that's what I personally did after my break from reading! It did not make me less of a reader, neither did it erase my love for books. Which is kind of a misconception and should be cleared up! Right now, I'm feeling great and want to read as much as I can because I'm truly enjoying it. When it gets a bit overwhelming, I'll stop immediately and pick up exactly from where I left off when I'm ready. 

Getting back to blogging helped a lot as well, because it was like the passion and drive that had deserted me, came back full force with the need to share my thoughts and opinions with book lovers from all over the world! That's why it will always have more perks than not, even though it can get a bit too much a times. But, this time around, I realized that I'm doing this for me and my love for reading! You might notice that I do post quite regularly but, that's because I love the process of putting these posts together and sharing them with you! 
Which I think is what I was meant to do from the very beginning but, had to spent some time away from blogging to truly realize. This is not to say that, people who post less don't put as much effort into it or don't enjoy it as much. Quite the opposite actually! I love visiting other blogs and discovering new books, while sharing my love for reading! I also love it when I discover new comments on my posts! It just makes me so happy and more than grateful! 

Giving Book Lady's Reviews a make over and picking it up from where I left of, is probably one of the best decisions I've made in recent years. I started this blog when I was just fifteen because I wanted to share my love for books with an audience that would actually understand it! I don't know if I've mentioned this before but, none of my family or friends are fans of reading so, I kept reading all these amazing books without having anyone to share them with! That's when I discovered Goodreads and not long after that, decided to create my own blog! I just posted whatever I wanted without making any sense. I recently went back and read my first ever reviews and they seriously made me cringe but, I have much appreciation for them because as the years have passed, I can see how far I've come at expressing myself and actually being cohesive. I have definitely matured a lot since then and have come to a point where, I'm mostly satisfied with how this blog has turned out! I also feel like I've gotten a hang of Bookstagramming as well, which is so much harder than I had expected!

I really wanted to write this post today, since it's been a year since I started blogging again! I also want to keep reminding myself how much better I am at what I do right now and how happy it makes me feel. It does get worse before it can get better guys! I find great pleasure in being a part of this community, even though sometimes, I wish it could've been a bit more engaging. That's a topic for another discussion by the way!

That's not to say that, I might never get tired of blogging so much and I might even outgrow it at one point. But, I've never being a procrastinator and I'm definitely not going to start now! 
I've come to a point in my life when, I don't have time to dwell on anything and anyone that doesn't make me feel good about myself! Simple as that!

I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being a part of this community, reading my posts and supporting what we're all trying to do here. Reading is very underestimated nowadays, especially where I live and by sharing my love for it, I sincerely hope that I can make other people see how beautiful reading can be and how therapeutic it truly is!

This was a pretty long post and I truly hope I did not confuse you guys! Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

Until the next post,

Comments

  1. This was a great topic to discuss. I just recently got out of a year long reading slump and rediscovered my love for reading. During my reading slump, I seriously thought I'd never love reading again. I could never find a book that I wanted to keep reading. Once I refound my love for reading, I decided to start my own book blog to share it with the world. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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    1. Sharing your love for books is always a great way to rediscover why you fell in love with reading in the first place! I felt the same way during my reading slump. So glad I got over it and got back on track! Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. I am glad I have not encountered the dreaded reading slump (yet). WLABB is a small blog, so nobody is sending us boxes of books to review. That means we read and review whatever we want. No deadlines or pressure to finish a book. I have always been a proponent of the DNF, because there are too many books out there to be wasting time on a book that I am not enjoying. Glad you got your mojo restored and are back to blogging.

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    1. I feel so much better knowing that I can put a book down in case I'm not enjoying it as much! No more pressure or feelings of guilt for books I DNF! Blogging has definitely helped me get back on track!Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. I totally agree with everything you’ve said here! I’ve been through a few reading slumps before, and forcing myself to read book after book when I haven’t been in the mood has never helped. Quality over quantity is definitely the way to go, as it’s better to read one book in a month that you absolutely loved than five that you didn’t really enjoy.
    Great post! :)

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    1. Reading book after book without enjoying any is actually quite exhausting! Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. This was such an honestly amazing post because it's true and relatable. A reading slump is always around the corner for a reader, especially for a book blogger because the pressure multiplies due to deadlines and commitments. But YES, it's always best to just let it be because forcing oneself to keep reading is the worst thing a book lover can do. Same goes for dragging oneself to finish a book they are clearly not enjoying much. Sometimes DNFing is the best thing to do; it saves both time and energy. I loved this post! <3

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    1. Thank you so so much!<3 Setting your own pace without feeling any pressure is really important when it comes to reading slumps!

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  5. I agree that when you start letting the pressures of reading and blogging get to you, you suck all the fun out of it. The more relaxed you can be in your attitudes about reading, the better you will feel about the experience!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Definitely! Being relaxed and taking things slow is more than important!

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