66 Days to Rekindle Your Reading Love

Reading used to be second nature for the author: on planes, in parks, at cafés. But over time — distraction, phones, the pandemic — that habit slipped away. Now she tries a 66-day challenge to bring it back. Here’s how her journey unfolded, and what it teaches us.

First step: forgive yourself

• Don’t shame yourself for losing the habit — life, stress, screens all play a part.
• Instead of treating reading like a task, see it as nourishment for your mind and spirit.

Week 1: It hurts to begin

• She picks a heavy book and settles in, but after just ten pages her brain feels tired, twitchy, distracted.
• That’s normal — our mental “reading muscle” needs exercise again.

Week 2 & 3: Bring in audiobooks

• She switches to audiobooks. Listening while walking, shopping, even before sleep.
• The satisfaction of following a story helps rebuild momentum.

Week 4: Carry a book everywhere

• She grabs a light novel, slips it in her bag, and resists the pull of her phone.
• Idle moments become reading moments.

Week 5: Reading becomes quieter joy

• The pull of social media fades. She reads longer.
• But she resists turning reading into “another goal” or “achievement.” It must feel like pleasure again.

Week 6: Life intrudes, but the habit holds some ground

• She faces loss, deadlines, emotional strain — but still, she finds tiny moments to steal a page or two.
• Reading becomes something she returns to, even amid chaos.

Week 7 & 8: No guilt, just flow

• She drops productivity expectations. Reading becomes kind of sweet — not forced.
• She juggles multiple books, follows mood, lets stories follow her.

Week 9 & final push: It’s coming back

• Reading starts to feel natural again. The friction lessens.
• The relationship with books shifts — less “I should” and more “I want to.”

This experiment shows that love for reading can fade — but also that it can return. What helps:

• Small steps matter. Don’t demand big chunks at first.
• Use apps, audiobooks, light reads.
• Be kind to yourself.
• Don’t make reading another “to do.”
• Consistency over intensity.