I Tried Reading for 30 Days and Here’s What Happened

Let’s start this off by being honest - reading was never something that interested me. I was probably SparkNotes biggest fan throughout high school since I never really wanted to read the assigned book.

This conditioned me to believe that I just didn’t like reading. I thought that some people were readers and some people weren’t, and I was convinced that I fell into the latter category.

But, I always WANTED to be a reader. I wanted it to be something I enjoyed as a hobby, since so many people I knew talked to me about their latest read and their TBR lists. They’d tell me how easy it is to get lost in a book, and I just couldn’t understand.

30 days ago, I decided to pick up a book and start reading. I made a timeline for myself so I knew I would finish the book in a month. As I'm writing this, it's been 31 days since the start of the challenge.

So, what happened? Well, let’s just say I think I’m a reader now.

The Problem I Faced

After going through the majority of my life thinking I didn’t like books, I knew there had to be a reason for it. After renting and buying an array of books, I still wasn’t interested in reading any of them. I would get a few pages in and lose the motivation to keep reading.

What was the issue? Well, it turns out that I wasn’t reading the right genre of book.

There are millions of books out there, and I never thought about the fact that maybe I just hadn’t found the right one to get me into reading.

My friends all loved fantasy-type novels, and I just wasn’t into it. This feeling brought me back to my childhood when my teachers would assign books that I couldn’t care less about.

The problem was that I wasn’t interested in the book, not that I wasn’t a reader.

After trying to get through thrillers, mysteries, and even auto-biographies, I stumbled upon a cheesy romance book - and I was hooked.

How I Did It

Now that I found the genre and style of book that interested me, it was time to read. I ended up finishing the first book in three days and the second in five. I’m now onto my third book of the month, and I can’t believe I’m saying that either.

The key to getting into reading is to find books you actually like - shocker, right?

From there, you can set a reading goal for yourself. This will help get you into the habit of reading, which is really helpful!

I use GoodReads now to track my reading and my goals. I think it’s a super fun way to log your progress while also getting to see what other people are reading as well.

Tips for Getting into Reading

After 30 days, I do have some tips for getting into reading that I’d love to share with you:

• Create the right environment.

If you’re trying to read in an environment that’s super distracting, it might not work out. Try reading early in the morning or right before bed. These times of day tend to be great for reading since we are alone and have a bit of time to ourselves.

• Use a reading schedule.

I made an easy reading schedule for myself at the beginning of my 30-day challenge. I took the number of pages in the book and divided that by the number of days I wanted to finish it.

Example: 300 pages / 30 days = 10 Pages a Day

• Start SMALL.

One of the biggest mistakes I made when trying to get into reading was trying to take on too much. Don’t try to finish a book in a day if you’re just starting, as that can drain your love for the reading pretty quick!

What Happens Next?

So, if you think you aren’t a reader, I would encourage you to try out a bunch of different genres. More likely than not, you’ll eventually find the type of book that fits you. Trial and error is big with this, so I’d recommend you visit your local library to rent books instead of buying them outright (don’t make my mistake).

I hope this inspires you to read a book this month - try it for 30 days and just see what happens.