The worst thing for an avid reader is a reading slump. Fortunately, Hannah Tay is here to help you combat it!
Hannah Tay is quick to note that she doesn’t necessarily see reading slumps as a wholly negative experience. “I think sometimes in life… there is just other stuff happening or you just might not find the right book for you at that time,” she explains, emphasising that people shouldn’t feel ashamed of or punish themselves for not reading. The hobby ebbs and flows just like any other.
Her first suggestion to combat a slump is to re-read a book you love, whether you’ve read it two times or twenty times already! Hopefully, this book will “reignite your passion for literature.” Hannah particularly recommends reading a childhood classic. She also suggests setting small goals as a way to not feel intimidated about getting back into reading: 10 pages per day is much more manageable than 100. “Hopefully, the book will be so good that it sucks you into the story and gets you back into reading,” she says.
Hannah adds that she believes many people experience a feeling of being unproductive while reading; they feel anxious and unable to relax as a result. However, she makes a strong case for reading as an important aspect of good mental health. “I don’t see reading as an indulgent thing,” she says. “I see it as something you should appreciate and something that you should do to help your brain.”
Reading is a genuinely empowering experience for many people. For Hannah, reading is an accomplishment as she is dyslexic and believed herself to not be “intelligent enough” to read. She adds that many people in the world, especially women, are deprived of an education; being able to read is a “gift” that we should utilise. “There are so many girls around the world who would love to be educated, and would love to have the gift of being able to read a book,” she says. “You should really embrace [reading] as a part of building your character and you as a person,” Hannah adds. She describes how reading can broaden your world view as well as add to your vocabulary.
Feeling especially inspired to read? We’ve got just the thing.
Check out Lauren Wade’s ways of coping with failure. Alternatively, read about Daniel Howell’s coming out journey.
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