Resolve to Read Every Day in 2021 by Jennifer Janechek

Photo by Fabiola Peñalba for Unsplash

Approximately 1 in 4 adults (27%) made it all the way through 2020 without reading a single book—audiobooks included. To be fair, the year came with unprecedented difficulties. But the benefits of reading are too important to be ignored. Consider the following research-backed perks of reading and make a plan to incorporate reading into your daily routine in 2021. 

1. Better Brain Functioning  
   Reading strengthens the synapses in your brain, enabling you to think more coherently and more efficiently. It also forms new cognitive pathways, which improves your memory and aids in self-regulation. 

2. Stronger Critical-Thinking Skills 
   According to Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa in their book Academically Adrift, 75 percent of employers claim that the students they hire out of high school or college lack essential critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Reading and critical thinking are essentially synonymous. As Florida State University Professor of English Robin Goodman says, “Reading is critical thinking and critical thinking is reading.” Even reading for comprehension forces you to evaluate others’ ideas. As you conceptualize, analyze, and assess the information presented in a book, you become more adept at big-picture thinking and think more deeply about the world in which you live. Reading is so integral to building critical-thinking skills that U.S. News & World Report advises adolescents to partake in book clubs prior to entering college. 

3. Enhanced Focus 
   Ever find yourself struggling to concentrate? The pressure to multitask, combined with the cognitive demands of living in a hypermediated world, has chipped away at our ability to focus. Reading for 15–20 minutes a day draws you into the world of the book, focusing all of your attention on the story or concept being presented. The benefits don’t disappear after you close the book, either. Research has shown that those who read in the morning enjoy enhanced focus (and thus improved productivity) during their workday as well. 

4. Expanded Vocabulary 
   People who read regularly boast a better vocabulary than those who don’t. Think a bigger vocabulary doesn’t matter? Think again. Vocabulary size impacts various life experiences, from standardized test performance to job opportunities. Beyond signifying intelligence, an expanded vocabulary improves your ability to communicate—to find just the right word for a given situation (as well as to know which words to avoid). Reading provides contextual understanding of words for which other forms of language acquisition don’t provide. 

5. Opportunity for Self-Discovery 
   Reading forces you to encounter your true self in a way that no other activity does. When you read, you hear your inner voice process the text as well as the thoughts that emerge from it. You have the time and space to explore your interiority and wrestle with questions that promote personal growth.  

6. Increased Empathy and Appreciation for Diversity 
   Encountering the ideas of others—openly, without judgment—increases your empathy, or your ability not only to understand intellectually what someone else’s experience and perspective might be like (that’s sympathy), but to understand and appreciate it on an emotional level. Reading fiction places you in the shoes of all different types of characters, and reading nonfiction exposes you to ideas and lived experiences that you might not have otherwise considered. The more you read, the more you gain an appreciation for diversity in all its forms. 

7. Reduced Stress and Improved Mental Health 
   Research has shown that reading for 30 minutes “lower[s] blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress.” Another study claims that reading could reduce stress by up to 68 percent. Reading can also combat depression by fostering connection—yes, even with imaginary worlds and characters. As you escape from your own world (while reading fiction) or imagine yourself in conversation with others (as through nonfiction), you feel less isolated. Moreover, you can discover others whose experiences might resonate with your own and, with the case of personal development books, learn strategies for growth in areas with which you might struggle.  

8. Better Sleep 
   According to the Mayo Clinic, reading helps you establish a relaxed state that can make sleep easier to come by. Note that for those struggling with sleep, print books might be preferable to screen reading because the light from electronic devices can disrupt the body’s preparation for sleep. 

9. Prolonged Life Expectancy 
   Reading keeps you mentally stimulated, which can ward off age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Moreover, a study published in Innovation in Aging indicated the presence of other physical benefits as well. According to this study, those who read books live about 2 years longer than non-book readers, and those who read for more than 3.5 hours every week have a 23 percent chance of outliving those who do not read. 

All of these benefits are not tied to specific genres of books; each has its own value, so it’s important to incorporate fiction and nonfiction alike into your reading plan. Check out Sound Wisdom’s full list of titles to motivate your personal growth through reading in 2021, and be sure to sign up to receive exclusive offers and notifications about upcoming publications. 

Jennifer Janechek is the director of content strategy for Sound Wisdom and the founder of Work–Home–Life, an online magazine and virtual community for remote and hybrid workers, freelancers, digital nomads, and entrepreneurs with home offices. She is also the host of The Sound Wisdom Podcast, which you can watch on the Sound Wisdom YouTube channel or listen to on Anchor or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Changing the Calendar by Jim Stovall

Each year as January 1st approaches, most of us engage in the time-tested ritual of getting a new calendar. I realize a lot of people use electronic devices and cell phone applications to document their upcoming activities and commitments, but nevertheless, there is that annual feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning. It puts me in mind of the first day of school with a clean notebook or a fresh tablet. The future seems pregnant with possibility.  

Many people engage in the annual frustration of establishing New Year’s resolutions. These rarely work because most resolutions require us to change our performance or modify our behavior. Change doesn’t result from getting a new calendar or declaring a New Year’s resolution. Change happens when we face the discomfort of giving up our old patterns and established routines. Most goals and resolutions go unfulfilled because people simply never buy in to the proposition that true and lasting change is possible.  

Your past does not equal your future. Virtually everything in your life today is based upon choices you’ve made in the past. Whether it’s your job, your career, your friends, your hobbies, your physical fitness, your attitude, your financial stability, or your faith, your life today is but a reflection of the choices you have made in the past.  

We live in a society in which not many want to take responsibility for their current conditions, their performance, or the results they live with. Unfortunately, unless or until you and I accept the fact that we are where we are because of the choices we’ve made in the past, we cannot accept the promise and the possibility of tomorrow based on the choices we make today.  

Either we control our lives or we don’t. If we control our lives, we can change course anytime we want, including New Year’s Day. If we believe we don’t control our destiny, we will live out our lives as victims with our only consolation being the excuses we develop and the ability to blame others. As you contemplate the New Year, please accept the premise on which everything depends—change is possible and in your control. 

As you go through your day today, take responsibility for past choices and choose greatness for your future. 

Today’s the day! 

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including the Wisdom for Winners series. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor).   

How to Stop Making Excuses and Excel by Adrean Turner

It’s the time of the year when you’ve most likely created a list of resolutions. You are determined that this time will be different. You won’t quit. You won’t get distracted. You’re going to stick with your plan for a new start. However, sadly enough the odds aren’t in your favor. According to U.S. News, approximately 80 percent of resolutions fail by the second week of February. What’s the common denominator? Excuses.  

For most individuals, it’s much easier to think of ways something can’t be done versus how it can be done. Many of us have a series of excuses that we can pull out of a hat at a moment’s notice. We make excuses mostly to protect ourselves and to justify our current circumstances. But these limiting beliefs hinder our chances for success. Consider these excuses and commit to the solutions: 

1. “I DON’T KNOW HOW.” This common excuse gives you permission to not even try.  

• SOLUTION: Get support. At no time in the history of mankind has there been so much information and resources available. Want to start a charity? There are hundreds of books on the subject. Need to lose 100 lbs.? There are thousands of CDs, videos, and blogs to support you. Want to change careers? Consult a coach or mentor. Or simply try and then adjust your approach based on your results. 

2. “I’M AFRAID.” Who hasn’t been afraid to try something new, to step out of the box, to move beyond their comfort zone? Most of our fears are socially based and have no real consequences. 

• SOLUTION: Ask yourself what’s the worst thing that can happen. Once you have determined the worst-case scenarios, you’ll realize that the fear is a disguise to kill your dreams and stifle your growth. Then list the best things that can happen. You’ll recognize that your success is more important than the fears that are holding you back. 

“Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and FOCUS on what could go right!”  —Coach Adrean  

3. “I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.” If your heart is in it, then you will make the time for what’s truly important to you. 

• SOLUTION: Create a list of the things you do on a daily basis from the moment you awaken until the end of the day. Record your activities in 15-minute blocks. Include everything from talking on the phone, surfing the Internet, to watching television. After doing this for one week, most people are able to find at least three hours to dedicate to a new activity or adventure.  

4. “I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.” There is usually a way to work around a lack of financial resources. 

• SOLUTION: Find alternatives. For example, if you’re looking to increase your skills but can’t afford college tuition, there are other ways to enhance your credentials. For instance, volunteer at a nonprofit organization, get certification in a particular skill, or intern for a small company on your days off. If you are a business owner, consider bartering (trading your services or products). There is always a way. You just may have to work a little harder to find solutions to support your growth. 

“If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.” —Coach Adrean 

5. “IT’S TOO LATE FOR ME.” It’s never too late to become what you might have been. A person climbed Mount Everest in his eighties. People have gone back to medical school in their sixties. Getting a late start might be less convenient and more challenging, but there’s nothing wrong with that. 

• SOLUTION: Figure out what interests you, influences you, and motivates you. Build a plan for the challenges that are really important to you and take one step at a time to complete your goals. 

6. “IT’S TOO HARD.” Some endeavors are certainly more difficult than others. But claiming that something is “too hard” is really just another way of admitting that you’re afraid. People with limited resources and talent can still be extremely successful. 

• SOLUTION: Set your mind on success! Those with motivation and stamina are really the ones who succeed. Get an accountability partner. Read encouraging stories. Practice affirmations. Do what’s necessary to keep your thoughts and energy centered on a successful outcome. 

“The way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time.” —Coach Adrean 

Your success is dependent on effort. No action, no results. Break your tasks into small assignments and keep going until you’ve achieved your goal. It’s time to make some changes. Transformation isn’t always easy, but it is necessary for your success. Remind yourself of the reasons why you started in the first place. And have the courage to put aside your excuses and go after what you truly want. You’ll be glad you did! 

Train your brain to take actions to make your goals a reality through positive thinking. Download Power Thoughts with self-reflection activities to stay F.I.T.™ (Fearless. Inspired. Transformed.) and gain greater success. 

This post originally appeared here on www.coachadrean.com. Get more information and inspiration in Adrean’s book, F.I.T. for Success: Fearless, Inspired, Transformed for Success.