Reading, Creativity, and How to Cultivate a Practice
Welcome!
Unsure where to channel your creativity?
Do you believe in a myth that you have no creativity?
Want to add more spark to your life?
Read on
How Creativity Improves
My parents were big readers. They passed on the gene, and I grew up reading stacks of books. I read in a hammock. I read for adventure. I read when teachers made me. I read because I was bored. Above all, I loved being transported to worlds not my own, so I read.
But it’s getting harder.
Books are banned. Libraries and schools are regulated. Kids play games on their phones, watch videos, and scroll social media. Adults are busy. There are emails to read, texts to respond to, and posts to review. At the end of a long day, the TV and couch await our tired bones.
All that said, we mustn’t let anything stop us from reading.
Reading offers a creative experience different from anything else.
Unlike movies or TV, books provide words that readers transform into unique mental images. Reading stimulates the brain, enhances vocabulary, and develops critical thinking skills. When readers connect or empathize with a character, they increase emotional intelligence. Reading inspires new ideas and, sometimes, forces a reader to fill in the gaps and interpret themes.
How does one cultivate a reading practice?
Get recommendations for a book. It’s hard to know where to begin.
Stop reading if you don’t like the story and pick up another book instead. There is no reason to finish a book that bores you.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to read every day. You may read four chapters one night and none the next.
If you don’t like reading or have weak eyes, listen to a book on tape- often the narrator brings the book to life in a way you can’t imagine for yourself.
I hold out hope that reading will remain a steadfast way to grow, escape, and enjoy. Pick up a book and give it a go. If you need recommendations, reach out-- I have them!
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Are you interested in a writing project or creative endeavor?
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Give a gift to yourself or someone you love!
Check out my website for more information.
Quotes to Remember!
“We read to know we are not alone.”
“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
Thanks for reading.
If you know someone interested in creative endeavors, please forward this on!
Yours in spirited creativity,