“Reading is fundamental” is a saying many people heard all the time as a kid, but what does it even mean?
There a great charity called RIF – Reading is Fundamental that encourages kids to start reading and donates millions of books to kids in need. One great thing about getting kids to read is they become adults who read.
According to the dictionary, the word “fundamental” means “forming a necessary base or core; of central importance”. So basically, reading helps to support other great habits and helps you to build a strong core, or in this case, a strong mind. Not to mention this word starts with the word “fun”, which is true of some reading and is a great way to get you or your kid interested in reading.
Reading helps you in many more ways than you might have thought of. Here are 10 reasons why you should start reading more.
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1. You build mental strength
Reading helps you to build a strong mind because it’s basically exercise for your brain. When you read a book, your brain has to work. It has to see what you are reading, take the information and translate it into a moving story in your mind or interpret it so that what you are reading so it makes sense to you.
You also build a bigger vocabulary and learn new things when you read. There are many times when you’ll come across a word you don’t know. Take the time to look it up and see what it means. Usually you can guess because of the context, but sometimes a word is much more powerful or interesting than you thought.
There are so many different things you can learn through reading too. You don’t just have to read non-fiction either, you can read a fiction story and if the author has done proper research you can actually learn a lot about a new topic. If the book involves a different culture or place that you’ve never experienced before, it can give you an opportunity to learn something new.
2. It’s practically free
Reading is super cheap. You can go to your local library and get access to thousands of free books that you can sometimes keep for months or even read online. Tons of bookstores have sections where they sell books for less than $5, sometimes even as low as $1. In fact, dollar stores like Dollar Tree have book sections and you’d be surprised at what good quality books by well known authors you can find there. You can also buy a ton of books online that are used but still in great quality for just a few dollars.
Kindle allows you to read a ton of books for free or buy some really good ones for less than $10. You can just install the app on your device and read your books where ever you want.
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Another great way to get books is to exchange them with a friend. Once you’ve read a book chances are it will sit on your shelf for a while. The same goes for your friends. If there is a book you’ve seen on their shelf you want to read, ask them, chances are most people will say yes since they aren’t currently using it. Just remember to return the favor and to bring it back in the same condition you took it in or better.
3. It actually is fun
There are so many great books out there that will make you laugh, think about things you never would have, learn about things you never thought you would, explore a new place from an interesting persons point of view and so much more.
Kids books are great because it allows kids to explore the world through pictures and they are full of adventure and magic. There are a ton of adult books like this too, but some adults forget how fun it can be to escape the real world for a little bit and a good book is all you need.
There are entire humor sections full of funny and entertaining books that will make you laugh and amuse you. And some writers are great at adding a little humor into their writing to keep you smiling while you enjoy a great story.
4. Reading is becoming a lost art
With so many other options out there that seem to be more updated or interesting, people tend to pick those activities over reading. Back before there were TV’s and computers in every household reading was the thing people looked forward to doing. A good book was coveted because that’s what people had. It was basically books or radio.
Now we have the choice between books, radio, phone, computer, TV, movies, kindle, tablets and so much more. Why pick up a book that is just full of a bunch of words when you pick up a tablet that can do 10 things at once?
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The reason you should read is because reading can offer you something other forms of entertainment can’t always do. It allows you to be able to know the inner most thoughts of the characters and go through the experience with them at your own pace. If the book is done right, you won’t want to put it down.
5. It inspires you
A great story will inspire you to be the best version of yourself, try something new, help someone, be brave or one of many more inspirational messages. It will remind you of the possibilities the world has to offer and rekindle that spark that makes you believe anything is possible.
True, short stories like Chicken Soup for the Soul books
If you’re not into Chicken Soup books or want something different, it’s surprising how many good books you can find at Dollar Tree! And everything is only $1!
6. You will have your own version of what it should look like
Have you ever read a book and then went to see the movie afterwards? Almost everyone says the book was way better than the movie, but why?
Well when you read a book before seeing the movie, you have your own image of what the characters look and sound like and your own interpretation of the events. Movies usually have to leave out important details because they only have an hour or two to fit in a 400 or more page book. They also sometimes don’t have the budget or the ability to do certain things that might have been described in the book. Or maybe the book said the character has brown hair but the actress is blonde because the studio decided the actress was a good fit?
Usually the version you built in your head or the details in the book are better than what goes on the movie screen, so don’t deprive yourself of that pleasure.
7. Books can have sentimental value and last a long time
Sure, you can get a movie from your grandma and cherish it, but movies have evolved so much over the years that VHS are pretty much non existent, DVD’s are still common but easily scratched which makes then non usable and even blue ray is losing popularity. It makes sense when all you have to do is sign up for a streaming service and not have to worry about your disc breaking, getting lost or getting scratched. You have tons of options at your fingertips and you don’t even have to leave your house.
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But, the perks of a book is that it lasts a long time and can be handed down through the generations. You can have a book from your grandma and hand it down to your granddaughter years later and chances are you’ll still be able to read the book as long as it’s been taken care of. Some books have priceless inscriptions or even an autograph from someone famous.
8. Books are great to share and talk about
There are tons of clubs dedicated to reading books and talking about them. There are many college courses dedicated to this as well. Book analysis is actually quite fun. It’s really interesting to read a book and then discuss it with someone and see if their interpretation is the same as yours.
Usually in a big group there are multiple interpretations on the same book or story. Different people see things differently and it’s really interesting to get unique perspectives.
Don’t be afraid to share your ideas if you find yourself at one of these discussions. Your point of view is valuable and worth sharing.
9. Great thing to do no matter where you are
You can be anywhere in the world and reading is an option to you. Even if your phone or tablet dies, if you have a physical book, you can still be entertained. If you are sitting around in a waiting room it’s a great way to pass time. If you are relaxing at the beach, it’s a great way to relax. If you are bored at home, grab a book and find a comfortable spot. Getting your nails done? Instead of playing on your phone, take a book and you’ll probably be able to read a chapter or two. There are so many places you can go where reading a book is a great way to spend your time.
If you don’t like carrying around a book in your bag or if you can’t actually have a physical book with you, then if you have a phone, tablet or kindle you can still read. Many people prefer to read on an electronic device because of the convenience, being able to have multiple book options at one time, not having to turn pages and for less things to carry.
No matter what your preference is reading is a great way to spend your time no matter where you go.
10. People who read become people who think
With all the many benefits reading has to offer, by far the best one is that it makes you think. It makes you use your brain and come up with your own ideas and try to understand the ideas of others.
If you don’t understand something you have to go back and re-read it until you understand it order for you to know what’s going on. You have to use your brain and think about it so that it makes sense to you.
It makes you think about the characters and the story and guess at what’s going to happen next. You have to restrain yourself from jumping ahead and peaking at the ending if you want to get the full experience of the thrill of the story. You have to be disciplined enough to hold back but it’s perfectly okay to let your mind wander and imagine.
How many times have you been reading and then you suddenly find yourself thinking about something that has nothing to do with what you were reading and you have subconsciously read a couple paragraphs? That’s okay because your brain is working. It had an idea and it’s exploring it and sure you trail off into different things but that can be a really good thing sometimes. It helps you to explore your world and think about things you might not have thought about. Just make sure to bring yourself back to what you were doing in a timely manner so you can really enjoy the story or book.
Thinking people become smart people because they are able use their minds to problem solve and use their past experiences or the experiences of others to come up with a good and reasonable solution. It opens your mind and having an open mind is a very good thing.
You are right. Reading is important. Readers are leaders; leaders are readers. Reading enables you to feed on other minds. Reading is lowcost tuition.
So true!
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