Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday! Today’s topic was to write about the reasons why we love something. Which is something I LOVE! See for example my reasons why I love audiobooks, why I love Red Winter, why I love Death Note, why I love BTS, why I love Guild Codex… you see my point.
But what I haven’t yet talked about, is reasons why I love reading. I mean, it’s the start of everything and the reason I’m even writing this blog, right?
So without further ado, let me tell you about the 8 reasons why I love reading!
It can be a welcome escape from real life
Look, I’m sure I’m not the only one to say or think this, but sometimes… life can just be too much. When that is the case, losing myself in a book for a few hours tends to help. Usually, after reading for a bit I tend to be more calm and clear-headed and I feel more ready to take on life’s challenges.
It shows me that I’m not the only who feels like this
Whenever I go through something and am feeling very emotional about it, it helps me to read about a character going through something similar. It makes me feel less alone. It makes me feel like my emotions are valid. It makes me feel like someone else went through this particular thing and they got through it, so so can I.
It makes me a more empathetic person
I don’t always need to be able to relate to a character. Having characters go through stuff I don’t relate to is equally important, because placing myself in their place, even if I wouldn’t necessarily react the same way, gives me empathy. It makes me think twice before judging someone going through something. It challenges me to look at things from a different perspective other than just my own. And that is so important.
Fictional friends
I know this maybe makes me sound a little crazy, but hear me out okay? I love books because they give me fictional friends. And sure, I know they’re not real friends who I can call to come pick me up in the middle of the night, but that doesn’t mean they’re not valuable in their own way. Sometimes, thinking about a certain fictional character is just what you need. What would character X do in that situation? Character Y would totally laugh at that lame joke I just made. I’d totally buy that rocking new outfit because it’s something character Z would wear and character Z is awesome so I’d channel all that awesome energy. I mean, just because they’re fictional doesn’t mean they couldn’t impact your life in a positive way. Like friends would.
It teaches me new things
Even if I read a lot of fiction, I still learn so much from books, from new words to fun facts and new concepts. When you think about it, authors are pretty much experts in so many things. The research they do to write a book and believably plot a murder or world domination… I’m just saying it’s useful, okay! (Though I of course learn so much more than just strategies for world domination. But yes, also world domination and what not to do so some silly chosen teenager thwarts your life goal…)
I’m never bored
The fun part about reading as a hobby! You can be sure you will never, ever run out of reading material. There are new books coming out constantly, so there’s always a book I want to pick up and read. And even better, since I discovered the beauty of ebooks and audiobooks, I always have multiple books with me on the go. So a lot of time spent in traffic = reading time! Time spent waiting for an appointment = reading time!
It feels like going on adventure
One of the things I miss most is travelling. I always wanted to travel a lot ever since I was a little kid, but then life and adulting kind of got in the way and now travelling is something I can only do on a limited basis. Because time, because budget, because of responsibilities (ugh, adulting). And of course, nowadays also because of a pandemic. So to me, reading helps fill that void. Though it’s not the same, reading about faraway places (real or fictional) and adventures kinda makes me feel like I’m travelling, even if it’s from my worn little couch.
Reader friends
And lastly, I love reading because it’s what started me on my blogging journey and what got me to meet so many reader and blogger friends. I’m an anxious and awkward person in real life, but talking about books with you all – it makes me feel happy and like I belong somewhere.
Tell Me:
Why do you love reading? Can You find yourself in some of my reasons as well?
Reading has brought me so much like my blog, friends, and some great favorite books. And yes I have learned new things and learned to be more emphatic as well.
Yes, when you think about it the effect reading has had on us book lovers is so huge!
“There are new books coming out constantly,” THIS. I love reading as a hobby, and there are always new books! It’s nice to have this as a hobby because you’re right- I’m almost never bored haha since there’s always something to read. Also the escape from real life- especially nowadays, but even without all the extra stress lately it’s always been nice to have that escape.
Haha yeah, the amount of new stories coming out every day is so huge we definitely know we’ll never be bored and always have something to do 🙂
Love this list! I agree, I love reading because I feel like I always have something to do and lean back on when I’m bored or need a bit of an escape ?
Thanks! Yes, it’s like reading is a friend who’s always there for you 🙂
These are all wonderful reasons for loving to read.
My TTT is about Nobel Prize winners this week.
Happy Reading.
Thanks!
I agree with all the reasons you states soooo much! ♥
Reading is the best <3
I’ve never actually thought about why I love reading. It’s almost like eating and breathing 😀
I think the best thing about reading and why I’m so addicted to it is how stories play in my head while I’m reading, there is nothing better than that, no movie can ever compare.
Haha yeah, reading definitely feels as necessary to me as eating and breathing too 🙂
Books have made me a more empathetic person, too. 🙂
They definitely made me so much more empathetic!
Great list! And a big yes to all of this, I couldn’t agree more.
Thanks! Glad you agree, reading is the best for sure 🙂
I agree, all these things are reasons why I love reading too! The adventure one is definitely a big thing for me, I’m not really sure which came first my love of reading or my need for adventure, but it’s definitely one of the highlights of reading for me-especially now when we can’t go anywhere!
Yes, going on adventures through books definitely helped me a lot in the last few weeks especially!
Oh yeah, I agree with all of these. I read tons and tons of realistic/contemporary fiction growing up and I really do think it made me more empathetic and understand. It also gave me some of the skills to understand my own thoughts and feelings, and that’s wonderful. Reading is also just FUN and a nice escape!!
-Lauren
Yes, exactly! I think a lot of my empathy comes from reading so much as a kid and it did make me understand myself a bit better. But indeed, it’s also just so much fun 🙂
Going on armchair adventures is one of the best things about reading! There’s so many places we can do through them. 🙂
Yes, armchair adventures are so great to have, especially nowadays 🙂
I agree with all of your points! Reading has brought me so many great things in life and has made me a more empathetic person.
Thanks! Yes, reading has definitely brought us so many great things!
I can relate to all of these things. You hit the nail on the head with this list.
Thanks, glad you could relate 🙂
Yes to books being an adventure and an escape! Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
Exactly 🙂
I love learning new things from books, especially all these new historical fiction novels that are telling more stories about amazing women, people and events I never even knew about!
Exactly, it’s such a nice way to learn about people and cultures and time periods and such! That said, I do need to read more historical fiction 🙂
Great list!! I love the escape and the adventure <3
Thanks! The escape and adventure definitely make reading so nice.
I love reading for all of these reasons! I mostly love it because I get to “travel” to new places without leaving my bedroom. I don’t have the money to travel in real life, so I need books.
Same! Travelling in real life is so expensive, but travelling in books is more doable 🙂