10 Pages Daily

"... Reading just 10 pages a day will average 3,650 pages a year, which equates to approximately eighteen 200-page personal development/self-improvement books!" - Hal Elrod, The Miracle Morning

18 books in one year? That's less than 2 books a month! Pretty simple, right? Seriously, 10 pages is such a small commitment; a tiny fraction out of your day.

There are so many benefits to daily reading ... but this article is more of a HOW, not a WHY. (If you're interested in the WHY -- the benefits -- here's an article I found that will give you some amazing insight.)

If you're the kind of person who scrolls through social media in the morning ... then you are like me. I am currently guilty of this (it's one of my New Year's Resolutions, to work on this!). Let us consider taking that time, instead, to read 10 pages of a book. Personal development books tend to be shorter than most novels (around the 200-page mark, versus the majority of my young adult novels which average 400-600 pages each) ... so reading just 10 pages every morning means completing a book within 3 weeks.

Chances are, you'll be so engaged with the book that you'll want to read more than just the 10 page minimum ... and then you can finish "ahead of schedule"! (And if you're not engaged by the book ... maybe choose a different one?)

You don't have to read in the morning though; if you want to unwind at the end of a busy day, nighttime reading is also great. Read on your terms -- if the evening works better for you, go ahead and make it part of your pre-bedtime routine! Turn the devices offf 30 minutes earlier, and pick up a book that speaks to you.

(Everyone has their preference, but I actually like to read in the morning and evening! I read my personal development books in the morning, and my young adult at night ... again, this is just me though.)

In my research of becoming a Life Coach, and meeting a ton of amazing coaches this year, I came across a large number of book recommendation lists in 2020. The recommendation list I've included below is from a combination of a couple dozen different lists -- I chose books that I saw appear on multiple lists. So I haven't personally read ALL of these books -- most of them are on my 2021 TBR list -- but I wanted to give you a place to start, especially if you're new to reading personal development books (like I was this past year).

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman*

The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins*

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert*

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte

Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day*

Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Get Rich Lucky Bitch by Denise Duffield-Thomas

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin*

Light is the New Black by Rebecca Campbell

Moonology by Yasmin Boland*

Priestess by Julie Parker*

Quiet by Susan Cain

Say What You Mean by Oren Jay Sofer

Soul Modes by Carlie Maree*

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

You Are a Bad Ass by Jen Sincero

* These are the books I HAVE already read, and would highly recommend!

I am a reader by nature -- I love words, I have a collection of books, I cherish my alone time so that I can pick one up and read. I've gotten lost along the way -- school has become too much and my schedule rarely allowed it, or like now technology has become a distraction. I'm making my way back in 2021, prioritizing reading in my daily life.

I understand that not everyone is a reader though; my boyfriend expressed this to me once, that he only reads books when he's not at home because there are so many other things he'd rather do. This is a totally valid feeling!

But ... if you are looking to become a reader, or if you want to up your reading game in general, start with this trick. 10 pages, daily. Can you commit?