My Reading Challenge for 2021

I'm giving myself a reading challenge this year! I used to be very big into them, as well as reading, but have set the bar low this year. I want to make it a joy to read rather than add pressure and overwhelm myself with stress. I'm giving myself permission to alter the goal and forgiveness if I don't finish it. This is something I have learnt during trauma therapy and having PTSD. It's great to set goals, or a challenge for instance, but not to the point of becoming obsessed and being overwhelmed. With my OCD I also get very preoccupied with lists and numbers so this works as a two-fold.... three-fold... maybe more folds... challenge for myself. I'll post about challenges next week. Challenges are important in combating things like OCD and repetitive behaviours.

My goal is to read a combination of pure entertainment books and books for personal growth and therapy. When it comes down to it all books will be read not out of obligation, but because I want to read them.

Challenge Totals: 22
Pure Entertainment: 11
Growth and Therapy: 11

So far I have some planned reading, but I'm keeping the planned numbers low. It helps I'm also creating a book club as motivation, inspiration, and socialisation! 

Growth and Therapy Titles

1. ✔ Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
2. ✖ Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker
3. ✖ Healing From Hidden Abuse by Shannon Thomas
4. ✖ The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel A. Van der Kolk

Pure Entertainment and Book Club

1. ✔ Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey 
2. ✖ Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
3. ✔ Dune by Frank Herbert
4. ✔ Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
5. ✔ Normal People by Sally Rooney
6. ✔ A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
7. ✔ Mindhunter by John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker 

End of Year Update: 8! I read 8 books this year. After doing more therapy in 2021, and making progress, I've realised I really lost my love for reading. Stupid mental illness. I'm definitely recovering from major depressive disorder and once again finding my joy. Unfortunately it is slow going, but progress is great no matter how long it takes. So I'm happy with 8 books.

Thanks for reading 💗