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
I’m not a virtuoso reader, but I hope to be one day. I was reading Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi this morning, and on page 25, he explains how virtuosos are made. He says: “Like all virtuosi, he must spend many years learning, and he must keep constantly in training. Being a specialist, he cannot affordContinue reading Become a Virtuoso Reader
It’s morning now. I’ve just turned on my espresso machine and I’m holding Sophie’s World in my hands. The air is cooling down outside, just a little, and I can feel that fall tingle on my skin. There’s something great about starting the day with coffee and a book. It’s nice having a ritual thatContinue reading Coffee & A Great Book
Your reading environment matters. It affects how you feel, your level of motivation, and a host of other psychological patterns. I’m not saying you shouldn’t read a book unless everything is perfect. I read everywhere I go, whenever I can. All I’m saying is that the environment makes a difference. Take some time to craftContinue reading Your Reading Environment Matters
If you’re retired, you can skip today’s message. For the rest of us, read on. It’s Monday. Love it or leave it, today is the start of a new work week. It’s easy to feel “too busy” for the things we love, especially reading. When the boss is knocking with deadlines and customer complaints, theContinue reading Before a Busy Week Starts
We do a lot of things on autopilot from driving cars to eating dinner, scrolling social media, and surviving those weekly team meetings at work. Life is pretty much on coast for a lot of us, and that’s why when we pick up a book, it can be hard to focus. Out of habit, weContinue reading The Decision to Pay Attention
I’ve survived another long vacation and I’m mentally discombobulated. Yep, I’m using that word today. We went to New Orleans for a jazz crawl. I’m not sure if that’s what you call it, but “bar crawl” is a thing, so why not have a jazz crawl? You may not know this about me, but inContinue reading Restoring My Morning Reading Ritual