Abundance of Books
We live in a world that is filled with information and we are constantly bombarded by different things that are meant to grab our attention and hold our attention as long as possible. Where our attention goes often determines how we show up in life. What we focus on becomes true for us, so which information you choose to focus on has a huge impact on the person you are becoming.
What you listen to, watch, and read all has and affect on how you show up each day. Take a moment to really think about the content you consume. Is it uplifting and empowering which raises your vibration? Or is it conflictual and depressing which brings down your vibration?
Are you a reader? If so, what are you reading right now? Is it a book or article designed to help you grow? Or is it designed to hold your attention? There is an abundance of books in the world that even if you spent every minute of every day reading you would never be able to read all of the books that exist or that are being created each and every day. At this time in history, the amount of books you have access to massive, you can read online, you can listen to audible books and you can actually read physical copies of books. The abundance of books sometimes makes it difficult to know which ones to focus on.
There is a saying that “knowledge is power,” however if you really think about it, it is not the knowledge that gives you power it is what you do with that knowledge that gives you power. You could read the most inspirational book in the world. Unless you actually start acting on the information in the book you will be no better off than before you read it. Sometimes you need to read content over and over again before it actually sinks into your mind and starts to change the way you show up in the world.
Bob Proctor talks about developing positive habits in his book, ‘Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life.’ One of the parts of the book I found very interesting and thought provoking was when he talked about re-reading and studying books over and over again. He discusses re-reading books contradicts what is taught in schools. He states, “Developing a positive habit of study goes against another part of our paradigm, whereby you read a book then go on to something different. That’s not the way it is here. You get a book, read it, and read it again and again.” At first I thought this was a bit of a ridiculous idea to read the same book over and over again. Yet over the years I have read many, many books and I often go back to the really empowering books and read parts of them over and over again whenever I need a refresher or boost. If we want to get good at something we practice the same thing over and over again. So reading and re-reading books has the potential to help us master the knowledge that the book holds in a way that reading it once does not. If you only played the piano once you would not be very good at it. Similar fits to understanding the knowledge of a powerful book.
What book have you read that made you really go, wow that book really changed my mind or opened my eyes to new possibilities? For me, one that always sticks out in my mind is, “You Can Heal Your Life,” by Louise Hay. I cannot tell you how many times I have gone back to that book and re-read parts of it or the entire book over again. The first time I picked that book up was over 10 years ago. I bet I have read it at least once a year since then and each time I get something meaningful out of it for what I am currently navigating. It is also the book that really started me on beginning to understand the power of our mindset and how we truly do have the power within ourselves to change our lives.
This week I want you to write down the seven most influential books that you have read in your life. Then, I want you to make a commitment to yourself to read them over again within the next year. As you read take notes and fold pages so that you can come back to the information over and over again when you need it. As you read this week write down one lesson you learn each day from the book you are re-reading and meditate on the power of that lesson for five minutes a day. At the end of the week notice any shifts in your mindset and how you are showing up in the world.
