Climbing out of feeling overwhelmed doesn’t come easily to me. I get mired in details and past mistakes and “why didn’t I just”s, even though I know those admonishments keep me firmly in the state of paralysis. When I feel like this in December, it’s tempting to say that anything I want to do, I should do in the new year.
Improving things in December feels futile. Social engagements and holiday prep and the endless errands that pop up because I’ve forgotten something make it almost impossible to adhere to a routine, and I’m a sucker for ritual and routine, especially when I’m trying to make changes in my life.
However, December isn’t nearly over. Three weeks stretch between now and 2022, and staying stagnated for three weeks doesn’t feel right, either.
Paging through our library newsletter, a reading challenge caught my eye.
50 books in a year.
I’ve done this in the past, challenged myself to 50 books, and I go in stops and starts and don’t always track exactly right. I’m a huge re-reader, and I never know if I should count those books. (And then I feel silly, because it’s my challenge. Reading Challenge Police aren’t lurking in the corner, waiting to negate the pages I’m reading, even if I’ve read them already.
This year, I’m enlisting the kids to participate in the challenge with me. 50 books each will be tough. Like me, they each go through spurts with reading, and some of their dry spells last longer than mine. This challenge, though, isn’t one that can be failed. Each book read, each page read, offers us something, even if it’s only a short break from a stressful day or a way to see a situation from another perspective.
Beanstack is new to me, but I signed up today. I can’t wait to see what the year brings, reading-wise. (Also, I don’t want to miss a chance to sing the praises of our library, one of my favorite places.)
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