How to start reading again

Hey. Have you been struggling to read? This one’s for you.

Depression, anxiety, grief, PTSD - all these and more, can affect your reading.

They can affect your focus, your recall, your ability to follow a plot. If you’re feeling like you want to read, here’s some ways into reading that may be helpful to you.

Poetry books

Poetry is not just for heartbreak and nature!

There are a million awesome poets out there, from every age group and background you can think of.

They write about laughter, pain, love, shopping, adventure and more. 

Why it works

Poetry has short lines

So it’s easier to follow

Than lengthy paragraphs

It can be simple

And stories only run

For the length of a page 

or two.

Audiobooks

Audible has a massive catalogue of every subject, or there might be a free audiobook app like Borrowbox, through your library.

Why it works

You can skip back whenever you lose track of the story

You can do something else at the same time - very useful when you’re needing busyness to occupy a noisy brain

You can speed up the audio, so it moves as quickly as your brain does

Younger reading

Maybe it’s simply not the time to be reading adult books. Not a problem! We aren’t reading to impress, we are just reading for ourselves.

Why it works

Young adult books offer simpler storylines with simpler language, and if you’re feeling nostalgic, grab one of your old kids’ books. 

Sometimes just being back in a book that you used to love, can reconnect you with who you are.

Read something silly

Reading doesn’t have to be serious!

There are so many books from comedians out there, there are lovely little romcoms, ghost stories, and joyful fantasies.

Why it works

The more entertained you are, the easier it’s gonna be to read.

So if you’re laughing, or swept up in an adventure, you might just get through the whole book.

I hope this was entertaining. Happy reading!

Warmth and wishes,

✨ April ✨