When was the last time you read a book or even a substantial magazine article? Most daily reading habits now a days center around tweets, Facebook updates, or the directions on the back of your easy-mac.

Growing up, reading was my THING. As a kid, reading is portrayed as a nerdy quality. However, as you get older you realize how much every book you read benefits you in some form or fashion. Things that you read stick with you, more so than a movie you see or a piece of advice you're told. Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information that you never know when you’ll need.

It may sound silly, but I just felt smarter with a book in my hand. Whether it be fiction or non-fiction, there are endless stories that can both broaden your understanding of the world or help you get through a sticking point in your life. There are certain books that i've read that I never thought I would be able to relate to, but as years have gone by i've been faced with the same stories I've read about.

Those who read have been known to have more finely-tuned brains than those who prefer more passive activities, so anyone hoping to improve their mind both psychologically and cognitively might want to think about taking up the habit of regular reading. Our society today is so concerned with social media that the average person spends hours a day just staring at their phone and scrolling. Filling their head with semi-useless information. We care more about how others perceive us, instead of spending our time filling our heads with knowledge and inspiration. Above all else, there’s something about spending time with a book whether it be outside on a nice day or in your bed on a rainy one, that’s so therapeutic.

I once read (hehe) that we should read to "increase our wit and imagination, our sense of intimacy–in short, our entire consciousness–and also to heal our pain. Until you become yourself, what benefit can you be to others.” With the endless amount of perspectives and lives we can read about, books can give us an opportunity to have experiences that we haven’t had the opportunity to, and still allow us to learn the life skills they entail. I’ve read so many books that have completely changed me, and still to this day I’ll re-read them when I need a pick me up. Books are a fast track to creating yourself.

Here’s a bit of food for thought: should you ever find yourself in dire circumstances, remember that although you might lose everything else—your job, your possessions, your money, even your health—knowledge and inspiration can never be taken from you.