Practice What You Read

The purpose of reading can be quite varied.  Do you read for pleasure, or maybe even as a "guilty" pleasure?  Do you read for information?  Do you read for self-improvement?  Is your reading a requirement?  I tend to read for all of the aforementioned reasons!  This month, I chose one book for pleasure and one for self-improvement.

Reading Peaks and Valleys by Spencer Johnson, MD was a fulfilling experience.  The idea of the book is simple: making good and bad times work for you - at work and in life.  Much like Johnson's bestseller, Who Moved My Cheese, Peaks and Valleys is told through the lens of a friend giving advice to another.  In doing so, the reader is given a clear understanding of how to get out of our valley sooner and stay on our peak longer.  Although it became a bit repetitive towards the end, it was still a good read and one that I can take aspects of and put into practice in my life.  If your life is not perfect and you've wondered how to change its course, then this book may provide some useful insight!  One aspect that I loved was the emphasis on sharing the Peaks and Valleys way of thinking.  It could certainly make a difference in someone's life and I plan to share it with others.  Want to know more?  Read the book!

Next, I am reading an e-book, Stepping Down by Michelle Stimpson. It is Christian fiction, which I only enjoy if there is some "spice'! I will share my thoughts in a later post!

In the meantime,  a few things to think about:

• Are you practicing what you read? 
• How does your reading impact your life?
• If variety is the spice of life, do you vary the purpose of your reading?
• Have you encouraged a young person to read lately?  If not, you should!

Until next time...Happy Reading!