One habit that will change your life this year

Something very strange has happened to me in the last few months…

I’ve lost my desire to watch TV.

If you know me, you know this is totally bizarre, because I typically LOVE TV! I love good characters, I get sucked into plot lines, and I’m a huge fan of both Netflix and Hulu.

But over the last few months, something has changed. I don’t know if it’s the fact that there are so many shows this season that are super dramatic and sad (no thank you, I cannot handle THAT), or if I’m just growing up and realizing that my dad might actually be right when he says “we waste our lives when we have the TV on”.

I simply haven’t wanted to spend my time that way, lately. Do not confuse this for me being disciplined and making a grown up decision to watch less TV – nope. This is something I really believe God is changing in my heart – the way in which I seek rest from a demanding world.

Listen, a lot of days, I feel pretty weary just from life in general. Marriage, motherhood, and grown-up living aren’t quite as easy as I expected them to be, and I’m still coming to terms with that. Most days, at some point, I have poured myself out and worn myself thin and I just need a break.

But I’m realizing there is great value in discerning HOW I use that break. Will I escape into a TV show? Scroll mindlessly through other people’s pictures? Eat a bunch of chocolate? Pour myself a glass of wine?

Or will I do something that actually helps me?

I’m a wife and a mom and a business owner and a real person who has limitations and needs rest. I bear a lot of really good responsibilities, and my job is to figure out what God has truly placed before me (instead of the things I’ve placed before myself), and then learn how to do those things WELL. Not escape them.

What I don’t need these days is an EMPTY break. I need a break that refreshes me and fills me up. 

TV simply doesn’t give me the energy or patience I need to get back in there and mother my kids well. It just distracts me until the kids come calling again.

Social media simply doesn’t fill my mind and heart with the truth or contentment I need to be grateful for what I already have, instead of resentful for what I don’t. It taunts me with everyone else’s not-actually-real lives, and reinforces the idea that the grass just might be greener somewhere else.

But the last few months have taught me that I can choose something different. I can get the rest I need, while actually becoming more of the woman I believe God is calling me to be.

How?

By reading.

It’s so simple, right? Reading! It’s not a new concept, but I really believe it’s the one habit that is going to change my life this year. Maybe yours, too.

The fact of the matter is, there’s so much I want to do! So many stories I want to read, things I want to learn, podcasts I want to listen to! And when I spend my time on THESE things – things that engage my mind, challenge my thinking, and point me to Jesus more – I find myself more peaceful, more motivated, and more focused on what’s important to me.

This is especially true where reading is concerned.

When I choose good books to read (or listen to), I am generally changed for the better by the end of it.

I don’t think this is true ONLY for me – I think it’s true for all of us. So, if you want to make reading a habit this year, I have a super fun way to do it!

You’re invited to join the 2019 Anchored Women Reading Challenge!

I’ve become so excited about reading again, both fun fiction and good non-fiction, that I wanted to create a really simple, fun way for all of us to pick up a few more books this year. Enter: The 2019 AW Reading Challenge!

A SIMPLE way to get back into reading!

When I say simple, I mean simple! The challenge is not complicated.

The goal: Read 20 books by the end of 2019. 10 fiction + 10 non-fiction.

These books can be in ANY category, but they must be chapter books (sorry, picture books don’t count!). Adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s fiction, Christian non-fiction, business non-fiction, wellness non-fiction – whatever! As long as the books have chapters, they count.

You can read them to yourself, read to your kids, or listen to an audiobook – every type of reading counts!

20 books by the end of 2019. That’s less than two books a month. YOU CAN DO THIS.

A FUN way to get back into reading!

What’s a good challenge without some freebies? I’m giving you everything you need to make this challenge happen – except your library card, you’re gonna need to get that set up on your own!

When you sign up for the 2019 AW Reading Challenge, you’ll get:

• A printable checklist to help you plan our your book selections and keep track of your progress throughout the challenge.
• A printable bookmark to keep in all your books.
• A collection of my best tips on how to make time for reading.
• A curated list of books I can’t wait to read in 2019.

All for FREE!!

Let’s do this TOGETHER.

Share what you’re reading, and see what others are reading by using the hashtag #anchoredwomenread on Instagram! Post what books you’re reading, share your thoughts in a review, and tag us in your posts and stories! We’ll be sharing YOUR posts on OUR feed to cheer you on and help others find more books they might enjoy!

I’ll also be using that tag to share what I’m reading, so you can easily find my own book recommendations. (You can also find my 2019 Reading List here.)

Ready? Sign up below!

Sign up below to join the 2019 Anchored Women Reading Challenge, and your FREE Challenge Pack will be delivered to your inbox right away! Look through our 2019 Reading List, order some books from the library, and GET STARTED!

You can do this! And we’ll be doing it right along beside you! Make sure to post your selections with the hashtag #anchoredwomenread on Instagram, and tag me (@anchoredwomen) so I can share them, too!