reading - Ubinami- Sneakers & Lifestyle

This year I’m being intentional with my reading. Every book holds new opportunities to learn. Whether fiction or nonfiction, all of the books I read have been selected for specific reasons. Some of my latest reads stick out more than others. Never underestimate the power of a good book.

Mind Full to Mindful by Om Swami

When life feels like it’s always on ten speed, it’s essential to take time to slow down and appreciate what we already have. This book in my latest reads stood out to me for many reasons.

This book is based on original Zen teachings and offers interesting perspectives on life as a whole. Om Swami highlights the importance of energy flow and controlling it in a healthy manner. Breathing techniques are critical to controlling any type of energy- good or bad.

Even if someone doesn’t meditate, they can still learn from Zen techniques to handle life with greater confidence and become equipped with techniques that can help deal with the regular stresses of life.

Swami stresses the importance of taking care of one’s body- something that is often overlooked in a fast-paced culture. He adds that meditating cannot be the only way someone takes care of oneself. The physical body must be taken care of as much as the mind is cared for.

One particular chapter that stood out to me the most is titled “Life is a Flower.” Om Swami suggests to the reader to keep a fresh flower on one’s car dashboard. This flower will serve as a reminder that life is a blessing, no matter how we feel.

This book is highly recommended as it can be directly translated to everyday life. Anyone can learn from Zen even if they don’t meditate or think of themselves as a peaceful person.

“If you don’t value what you have, one day you will lose access to that thing” (30).

The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber

This book of my latest reads covers the true crime story of a nurse turned serial killer. Charles Cullen committed countless murders (so many that he doesn’t know the exact number) over his sixteen-year nursing career in New Jersey and Pennsylvania medical centers.

Cullen was arrested in 2003 after many years of abusing and ending the lives of numerous patients. The book highlights the process of tracking down Cullen and finding enough evidence to charge him with numerous crimes.

Also, the book covers Cullen’s personal life as it attempts to show how an average nurse turned to the “Angel of Death” over a decade and a half.

The book was released in 2013 and later inspired the Netflix movie of the same title in 2022. Although the movie doesn’t capture every detail, it’s still an accurate representation of the story told by Charles Graeber. Any true crime fans will love this book and will flock to the movie afterward.

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Another one of my latest reads, this novel isn’t typically something that would choose on my own. However after a recommendation from my grandma, I decided to give it a chance.

If a book is so bad after a few chapters I’ll stop reading. However, this wasn’t the case with this book. Set in a small New Hampshire town, a single mother who is a beekeeper by trade finds herself in her worst nightmare.

The mother, Olivia, is faced with a dilemma that most wouldnt wish on their worst enemy. Her teenage son, Asher, was dating a girl named Lily, as they both went to the same high school. Both families’ worlds are flipped upside down when Lily unexpectedly dies. Asher is accused of murder and damn sure looks guilty throughout virtually the entire story.

Not the typical murder mystery, an unexpected twist comes that changes the whole trajectory of the novel. This read was refreshing and something different than what I would usually choose. I recommend this book to anyone interested in social issues and anyone looking for a unique story that makes them think beyond the surface level.

Reading used to be a luxury, but now it’s a necessity of life. Reading for pleasure or reading informational works both stimulate the brain. Anyone can educate themselves by reading and embarking on a limitless journey of learning.

For many people around the world, learning stops when they finish school. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to. Reading has the ability to teach people more than classes or lectures. There are countless stories of people around the world teaching themselves and becoming self-educated, successful individuals in society. Reading books, magazines, newspapers, or any other type of text can open a world of endless possibilities.

Never Stop Learning

Some of the most successful people in the world attribute reading to their success in life. Warren Buffett spends about five or six hours a day dedicated to reading. If one of the most successful investors of all time spends multiple hours every day reading various texts, that must mean it’s beneficial in some way or another.

Any type of learning requires the brain to be stimulated somehow. Some read to pass time while others read to continue their lifelong journey of learning.

Reading is essential because it takes us to places we have never been before, both literally and figuratively. Nobody can achieve all their goals in life without reading. A college degree requires reading as does a degree from a trade school. Learning is limitless; reading opens doors that were never there beforehand

Journey of Learning: Mind Over Matter

Learning cannot occur without ignorance. Everyone is born a blank slate. Learning is universal, people all around the world can literally changes their lives by never stopping their learning experiences.

Reading brings opportunities that couldn’t have been imagined in the first place. Nobody learns everything over night. Like life itself, learning is a journey that cannot be rushed or forced; reading leads to countless possibilities throughout a journey of learning.

Throughout life, the journey of learning takes different paths. Some may be arduous while others are more relaxing. Learning has varying degrees of difficulty; anyone who puts mind over matter can learn more than they would ever think possible.

Pleasure and Improvement

Reading is not limited to one purpose.

There are many different types of learning, but for the purpose of this example, two will be highlighted. Learning for pleasure and learning for improvement are completely different.

Reading and learning for pleasure comes from the imagination running free while reading and learning for improvement often comes with a specific goal in mind.

Both can ultimately lead to self-improvement. Novels are useful because the allow the mind to run freely and think creatively. Informational and nonfiction books are also vital to learning because they present facts and stories that can be examined and studied.

Everyone has a favorite type of book they tend to flock to. Reading allows the mind to flourish. Those who stop reading for improvement find themselves in the same place (literally and figuratively) for decades on end. While shows, movies, and other forms of visual media can be informational, they don’t nearly open the mind as much as writing.

Reading: An Essential Piece of the Journey of Learning

Reading is no longer a luxury, but mandatory to be successful in life. A lifelong journey of learning doesn’t come easily. Reading is simple but still cannot be done easily.

Anyone who has been through high school and/or college knows how important reading is to one’s academic success. However, reading goes far beyond academia. Reading expands and improves the brain through multiple exercises. Muscle memory comes in hand when reading complex material. No matter the reading level, reading something informational or even a novel proves to be healthy as long as it’s not done in excess.

Reading allows people to improve their life and continue learning. A journey of learning never stops for any reason. Life has learning moments in almost every second.

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