One of my students made a presentation to our class about reading which as she stated happened to be her lifetime passion.
She shared quiet moments that allowed her to dive into different worlds, explore unknown territories, and meet characters who felt like friends.
Thankfully, she is not the only one, many of us grownups and kids share an early love for reading that has shaped us into the adults we are today.
You see, reading reports, and spending all that time with our heads buried in books did more than just help us ace our tests. It subtly carved out traits within us that are not unique but pretty advantageous, too.
Compassion - Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you just “get” what someone else is feeling without them having to spell it out for you?
If you were a bookworm as a child, chances are, your empathy levels are off the charts.
Reading stories from various perspectives and experiencing characters’ journeys, joys, and struggles firsthand has a way of doing that to a person.
This isn’t just about feeling sad when a beloved character faces hardship or rejoicing in their victories. It’s about understanding the complexities of human emotions and relationships.
Those of us who spent our childhoods immersed in books have practiced putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes so often that it has become second nature.
It’s a beautiful trait to carry into adulthood, one that enhances our connections with others and allows us to navigate the world with kindness and understanding.
So, if you ever wonder why you’re the friend everyone turns to when they need someone to listen, to you might just have your childhood reading habits to thank.
Creativity - Remember those lazy afternoons spent imagining yourself in the fantastical worlds you read about?
For me, it was always the magical realms filled with dragons and daring quests that sparked my creativity. I wasn’t just reading about these adventures; I was crafting my own stories in my mind, building on the vivid landscapes authors painted with their words.
This habit of daydreaming and building upon existing stories didn’t fade away as I grew up. Instead, it evolved into a robust creative thinking skill.
Whether it’s solving problems at work with out-of-the-box solutions or picking up hobbies like painting and writing, I find myself constantly drawing on that well of creativity that was nurtured by book after book in my formative years.
It’s a trait I’ve noticed among many fellow bookworms. We’re the ones who can see beyond the mundane, finding inspiration and magic in the everyday.
Communication - Growing up, I was the kid who’d rather spend recess with a book than on the swing set. This didn’t just fill my head with stories and facts; it unwittingly turned me into somewhat of a wordsmith.
I remember vividly, during a family dinner, weaving a tale about a day at school that had everyone hanging on to every word. It wasn’t that the day had been particularly exciting, but the way I told it made it seem like an adventure.
That was when I began to realize the power of storytelling. So, please carry forward these c words with confidence and curiosity. The world is vast and filled with endless stories waiting for your unique contribution.
This ability to communicate, to share stories and information engagingly, is something I’ve carried into my adult life.
Whether it’s writing that gets to the heart of the matter or telling stories that captivate my listeners at social gatherings, I find that my love for reading has given me a unique edge in how I express myself.
Curiosity - If there’s one thing that all those books taught me, it’s that there’s always more to learn. I remember finishing a novel set in ancient Rome and immediately diving into history books, eager to separate fact from fiction.
That hunger for knowledge didn’t stop at history; it extended to science, art, culture—essentially, anything I came across in my literary adventures.
This unquenchable curiosity has shaped me into a lifelong learner. Whether I’m traveling to new places, trying out a new recipe, or picking up a hobby on a whim, the desire to know and experience more is a direct result of my book-filled childhood.
Concentration - Diving into a thick novel as a child meant hours lost in a world of imagination, with the outside world fading into mere background noise.
This wasn’t just child’s play; it was an unintentional training ground for developing an incredible level of focus and concentration.
I realized the full extent of this trait during my first job out of college, where I found myself able to zero in on complex tasks with ease, even in a bustling office environment.
My colleagues would marvel at how I could shut out distractions and stay immersed in my work, a skill I attribute directly to those long reading sessions.
Interestingly, scientists have found that engaging in deep reading activities (like getting lost in a book) can enhance neural connectivity, particularly in the brain regions associated with concentration and executive function.
This means that those of us who spent our childhoods reading might have been unknowingly boosting our brain’s ability to focus, making it easier for us to tackle tasks that require deep concentration.