Reading has always been one of my greatest loves in life. From a young age, books have been my dearest passion. With them, I could explore new worlds, learn new things, escape reality, etc. Books were my best friends, my happy place, a solution to all problems. I loved the written word so much that I turned it into a career.
I had gone from reading stories to telling them and then, before I knew it, I was helping others to tell their stories!
My reading goals were always high, and I could easily—back when I still had time—read over 100 books a year. That number dwindled as time became less and priorities changed, of course, but for as long as I can remember books were always a part of me. That is until 2020, when everyone’s worlds turned upside down, including my own …
When a Hobby became Hoarding
In 2020, as we all know, the pandemic hit and everything changed. Around the end of the year, I also fell pregnant. Long story short and in full Dickensian style, it wasn’t the best of times for yours truly. As we prepared for the arrival of our daughter, we were more concerned about being financially stable than concerning ourselves with any hobbies. So, reading had to take a backseat. After my daughter was born in 2021, I soon realized that taking a “real job” would afford my kid a better life.
I was fortunate to find the job and I am incredibly grateful. However, reading was not exactly high on my list of priorities at that point either.
It went on like this until December 2023. On a sunny day around November, I looked at my bookshelves and counted almost a hundred books just sitting there, untouched, waiting to be read. They were gathering dust, because even though I hadn’t read quite as many books in the last three years, I had purchased books I wanted to read. “One day,” I had told myself. “One day, Monique …”
I’ll be honest and say it broke my heart to realize that I’d given everything and couldn’t even make time to enjoy one of my greatest pleasures in life.
So, I decided then and there that things were going to change. Reading and collecting books are two wholly different things, and I wasn’t a collector. I am a reader. Plain and simple.
Beginning my Reading Journal Journey
I accidentally stumbled onto some TikToks (praise the algorithms) that showed reading journals. Now, I’d known about them, but I had Goodreads to keep track, right? Why go through all the effort? Alas, dear friends, I was a fool. Goodreads isn’t half as interactive as keeping a reading journal. All Goodreads is good for is to make you feel guilty if you don’t reach your goals (that said, I do like keeping track with all my shelves there). Off to Pinterest I went for more ideas on how to structure my reading journal and wow! What beautiful spreads there were!
By December, I was ready. I had purchased a notebook, some stickers, there was a mountain of books to be read, and I had a whole lot of hope to finally read more than I had in the previous few years.
Ladies, gentlemen, and other readers, let me tell you that I had never been so engrossed with reading as I have since starting my journal. I actively search for the perfect quote to encapsulate how I felt about any given book. I plan both my spread and review as I’m reading my chosen book. I am suddenly more invested in the storyline, remember the plots better, and I don’t fear getting cancelled when I don’t like a book. My rating-system is personalized! My reading journal, for all intent and purposes, is me.
Lofty Goals Abound
This reading journal has done wonders for me—I’m writing again, reading more, I’ve rediscovered who I am. My creativity is also in overdrive for the first time in ages. What’s more, I feel happier … I feel whole.
My reading journal, however, was just the start of something greater. While January saw me finishing 5 books (another had been DNF’ed), which is an excellent number considering I only read 20 books in 2023, I realized I wanted to push myself to read more broadly, to dive headfirst into the classics. And, it dawned on me, this change was a long-time coming, because early in 2023 I had already started searching for a copy of 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (a book that’s uncommon to find around these parts) … Lo and behold, early February, I found a first edition at a secondhand bookstore!
Serendipitous, right?
And so, it begun. My reading goals have expanded exponentially, and while most of February saw me planning out how I would achieve finishing 1,001 books within my lifetime, I am finally ready to start this journey. 🙂
Keep an eye on my blog for updates on what this “plan” I’ve come up with is all about, what I’m currently reading, and see more glimpses of my reading journal! Who knows, you may just be inspired to do something big for yourself soon.
