You really are what you read. Let’s explore… If you only read poetry, you’ll probably dabble in poetic verse yourself. You may walk a little slower, smell the flowers, and write about them before you go to bed tonight. If you only read cookbooks, you’ll spend most of your time in the kitchen throwing doughContinue reading You Are What You Read
There’s never enough time to read. That’s the point. Reading is an activity of expansion. It adds to your life and makes it better, rather than something that must be done to avoid pain. It falls in the category of “should” tasks. I should go to the gym. I should call my mother. I shouldContinue reading Do You Need More Time to Read?
I’m reading about the philosopher Simone du Beauvoir who struggled at the beginning of her career to get her thoughts in order. “One day, somewhere around the time of the 1948 Berlin trip, Beauvoir was sitting with pen in hand, staring at a sheet of paper. Alberto Giacometti said to her, ‘How wild you look!’Continue reading Not Sure What to Read? Try a Steamy Romance.
I got my first film camera in 1998 for $400. It was chunky, gray, and too heavy in my hands. I bought a roll of Kodak film, asked the store owner to load it into the back panel, and then rolled the dial forward to the first frame. “You have 24 frames,” the clerk said.Continue reading Read Like a Film Photographer
I like reading in 30-minute increments for several reasons. First, I get sore if I sit too long holding a book. Getting up and stretching after a 30-minute session makes it possible to keep reading. Otherwise, I end up thinking more about the pain in my neck than the story in my hands. Second, I’mContinue reading The World Can Change in 30 Minutes
Robert Greene, author of Mastery and other psychologically juicy books, shares a powerful tip for achieving a higher level of skill in any field — and it’s connected to how you read. Before I share his secret, let’s figure out WHAT you should master in your life. In the first section of his book, Greene suggests thatContinue reading The Art of Mastery (For Book Lovers)
I just got back from a work trip to Chicago, and now I’m staring down the barrel of a week’s worth of emails, to-do list items, and chaos. I had a small panic attack this morning until I remembered my thinking ritual. It’s a morning routine that keeps me out of anxiety land. If youContinue reading Create a Thinking Routine
Today is a special day. I’ll be interviewing Maryanne Wolf, author of the incredible book Reader, Come Home. Her book is a call to action for anyone frustrated with how the digital landscape has decimated their reading brains. Here’s some even better news! This is a live event and members of my book club canContinue reading Reclaim Your Reading Brain
My morning started off less than stellar. I had to read a 30-page business contract (stressful), redline it for changes (boring), and then send it back to attorneys for an update. My brain is fried and it’s only 9:30 in the morning (shocker). Reading deeply was not in the cards. Normally I would start myContinue reading Do This Before Reading Deeply
Let’s pretend, for a moment, that every time you finish a book, you apply at least one idea from its pages to your life. I’m not talking about remembering a concept, sharing what you learned with friends in a book club, or teaching a class on the ideas – I’m talking about making a real,Continue reading Apply One Idea from a Book