2022: Read all about it! The one habit I’m carrying into 2023
Hard to believe that the end of the year is upon us!
For my family, 2022 had some great moments:
My oldest son, Luke, started kindergarten. 😅
I made my debut as the head coach of Gabe’s (my 4-year-old) soccer team. He calls me ‘Coach Addie’ on the field, even though I told him he could call me Mom…it’s adorable!
We started a pool renovation that will hopefully be done sometime before swim season in 2023. That which doesn't kill us brings us closer! (Am I right, Eric Laborde?)
What are your top moments of 2022?
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A case for reading books (and how this became my best habit of 2022)
My biggest epiphany of the year: read more books.
I can hear past Addie now: “Who has time for that, though?” I know, but hear me out.
For a long time, I've heard smart people that I admire (I’m looking at you, podcasters: Ezra Klein, Cal Newport, Ernie Svenson, etc.) say that reading books is the best way to learn something new.
““[S]canning and scrolling differ from “deep reading”… it’s not accurate to say that “reading” is just one thing … our brains process information differently when we’re reading on a Kindle or a laptop as opposed to a physical book. [O]ur era of information overload represents a historical inflection point where our ability to read — truly, deeply read, not just scan or scroll — hangs in the balance.””
6 months ago, I just couldn’t get on board. I loved listening to their podcasts, but I’d moved far away from a consistent reading habit. I read so much in law school and in my practice that the last thing I wanted to do when I got home was read some more.
It’s a shame because, as a kid, I loved to read.
In fact, my mom joked that when I started driving, I would never know where anything was because my head had always been buried in a book.
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About 6 months ago, I decided to give reading another chance.
I wanted to learn new things and find other ways to destress that didn’t involve my phone. I started with realistic goals, choosing books that were fun and not work-related. For me, the key is to find something that really interests or resonates with you, and is not necessarily on the New York Times bestseller list.
For example, my youngest son is obsessed with Jurassic Park, which inspired me to read the book. Somewhat surprisingly, it was really good and much creepier than the movie.
I found that I looked forward to my reading time and even came to prioritize it as much as I could in my busy day.
The changes have been noticeable in the 6 months that I’ve started reading more. I’m thinking more clearly, my thoughts feel less jumbled, and I’m able to articulate my thoughts much easier. For me, it turns out that spending 200-300 pages engrossed in a world or idea is way more relaxing than swiping through articles on my phone (- go figure!).
The practice of reading a developed story helps me to make connections between things easier than before.
Yes, maybe I’m reading about dinosaur DNA extracted from amber, but it will remind me of an email I’d like to write to my newsletter subscribers. And, when I’m finished with the minutes of reading I’ve carved out for myself, I feel it was time well spent. A vast improvement from the time warp that is scrolling on my phone.
What do you think?
Can you give yourself 30 minutes, 15 minutes, or even 10 minutes today to pick something up off your shelf and give it a go?
Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
As promised, here are the books I read in 2022:
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
Implementing Value Pricing: A Radical Business Model for Professional Firms by Ronald J. Baker
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing For Business by Paul Jarvis
Indistractable by Nir Eyal
So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
A World Without Email by Cal Newport
A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
The One-Page Financial Plan by Carl Richards
The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Counterfeit by Kristin Chen
Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business
Range by David Epstein
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Stolen Focus by Johann Hair
The Testament by John Grisham
We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Storyworthy by Matthew Dick
Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
(This list doesn’t include the children’s books I read to my kids, although that may be something fun to track in the future!)
Have you read any of these books? What did you think? I want to hear what you’re reading and what’s on your reading list for 2023.
I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and looking forward to 2023 as much as I am!
Take Care,
(Coach) Addie
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FAQ
Q: Which documents will I likely need to create a well-prepared estate plan?
A: It can vary from client to client, but generally, folks looking to make an estate plan can count on needing some, if not all, of the following documents:
Last will and testament
Living trust
Beneficiary designations
Advance healthcare directive/healthcare power of attorney
Financial power of attorney
Insurance policies (health, life, car, home, etc.)
Proof of identity (social security card, prenup agreement, birth/marriage/divorce certificates, etc)
Titles and property deeds (car, home, boat, rental property)
Digital logins and passwords (yes, all of them)
Funerary instructions
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