{"id":6091,"date":"2022-05-04T19:20:39","date_gmt":"2022-05-04T19:20:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/?p=6091"},"modified":"2022-05-04T19:20:42","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T19:20:42","slug":"books-best-friends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/","title":{"rendered":"8 reasons why books are my best friends"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Books are my best friends. It might seem strange to say that, but if you’re a literature lover, you’ll know what I mean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than going out, often you’re happier curling up with a good book, and even when you are socializing, you must force yourself to partake, countering the urge to retreat to a quiet corner and continue reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequently, you find yourself drawn to second-hand bookshops like a moth to flame, browsing for hours in aisles of dusty books that are piled precariously to the ceiling in a jumbled maze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, this predilection started early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the love of reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was lucky – my mother was an avid reader, and she passed her love of books onto me at an early age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember being absolutely captivated by my first novels, suspended in time, absorbed by the storylines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This early interest blossomed into a passion, and soon I desperately awaited the arrival of new books, pleading with my parents for another installment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partly, that was due to growing up in the country, and not having access to an immediate social group. Like any child without many playmates, I frequently became bored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, books were the perfect escape, transporting me to another world at the turn of a page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It all started with adventure novels and the brave exploits of protagonists’ venturing forth and discovering new lands, a symbolic feeling for a child limited in location and mobility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, I think this early reading was the impetus for my eventual international travel and the urge to explore far-flung destinations, going off-grid and chasing adventure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can books be your best friends?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Often, being bookish is synonymous with introversion, and I feel that even if it’s not causational, there’s a correlation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literature lovers, while able to socialize effectively, often feel drained by the encounter and require solitary time to recharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More often, they might prefer to socialize one-on-one, where attention is undivided and not overly dispersed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s also a certain observational quality in those who enjoy reading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of playing the extrovert at the center of attention, you may prefer being on the edge and looking in, analyzing social interactions and exchanges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such social fatigue is real, and is one reason why many readers prefer spending time with their books to other people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, such tendencies need not be negative. Indeed there are many benefits to regarding books as your best friends. Let’s explore them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 benefits of book friendship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some people might find book friendship to be a slightly odd phenomenon, but there are incredible benefits to welcoming reading into your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Books increase our emotional intelligence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The sensitivity of bibliophiles towards excessive social interaction seems to frequently lend itself to increased empathy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, perhaps literature is the perfect vehicle for developing such emotional intelligence, as readers sympathize with characters of varying backgrounds, dispositions, and motives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the best writing challenges you to adopt a more tolerant mindset, forcing you to understand even its most despicable characters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such sensitivity can’t help but transfer into everyday interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Books help us understand ourselves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Reading widely can help us get to know ourselves better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to your literary preferences and the types of books you enjoy consuming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be cognisant of the characters you resonate with, seeing how their actions might be mirrored in your own life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, authors use literature as a vehicle to impart important life lessons, either inspired by reality or to magnify some of the best and worst traits of humanity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exposing yourself to these themes helps develop your worldview, creating a personal creed, perspective and values to live by, which evolve over time as we age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Books are inspirational<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Good books<\/a> are incredibly inspiring. Depending on your chosen genre, you could either be motivated creatively to pursue arts projects of your own, or driven towards another form of personal development<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve been reading this site for a while, you’ll know that I’m keen on nonfiction and in particular, self-help books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of my favorite reads is a book by David Goggins<\/a>, an ex-Navy SEAL, pull-up world record holder, and ultramarathoner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His message of resilience in the face of adversity is a potent reminder to overcome our personal obstacles and his message continues to motivate readers to strive toward personal growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Books impart knowledge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Books are a repository of human knowledge, distilling the most important lessons for the benefit of our society. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literature, in its long history, has been responsible for transmitting its teachings by expanding on the capacity of the individual brain to process knowledge by storing it in a portable, semi-timeless format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading allows us to travel to distant lands and learn about other cultures, all from the comfort of our living room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this way, hard-won skills and knowledge from previous generations and other societies coalesce and compound, and we as a species, progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This benefit has only magnified in the digital age, where we now have any book we could ever want at our fingertips, downloadable in an instant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you live in a land of opportunity or a developing country, access to literature really is a shortcut to cognitive development and future potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Books improve physical and mental health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Just as we benefit from spending time with flesh and blood friends, reading books has a profound impact<\/a> on our physical and mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, reading from a young age has been shown to assist adolescent development, staving off cognitive decline in later life and helping us live longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research also shows that reading also enhances the quality of our lives, providing a vital antidote to stress and allowing us to sleep more soundly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, while socializing with fellow humans is still vital, reserving time for books is just as crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Books are non-judgemental<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many sensitive people are drawn to books as, unlike humans, they’re non-judgmental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you feel intimidated by the expectations of others and falter in the face of performance pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In such instances, it’s liberating to retreat into the world of literature, where there are no demands and you can simply be yourself, whether you feel sad, lonely, or vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Books are constant companions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Humans are fallible creatures, driven by emotion. One moment, your friends might be happy with you, while the next, they may become angry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One moment you could be in a loving, supportive relationship, while the next minute, your spouse could leave you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One instant, you could have a close family, and the next, you could be struck down by bereavement and loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Books, in contrast, are constant companions, supporting you through thick and thin, providing their own unique form of therapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Books are an escape<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes reality is just too much. Work deadlines, bill payments, family commitments…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minutia of life can grind us down until we feel completely drained. This is one reason why books are our best friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever we’re emotionally overwhelmed, reading offers the perfect respite, allowing us to retreat into a fictional world, relieving all the pressure of our hyperconnected lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, the next time you feel burned out, try relaxing and re-nourishing in the fantastical world of books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Books play a vital role on an individual and societal level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only do they help shape our cultural advancement, but they also provide a vital method of personal development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So my advice? Make friends with books.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Books are my best friends, and I’m not afraid to admit it. <\/p>\n

In this article, I examine why reading is such a vital activity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6100,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[100],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n8 reasons why books are my best friends | Bloomsoup<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Books are my best friends, and I'm not afraid to admit it. In this article, I examine why reading is such a vital activity - see why.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"8 reasons why books are my best friends | Bloomsoup\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Books are my best friends, and I'm not afraid to admit it. In this article, I examine why reading is such a vital activity - see why.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bloomsoup\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bloomsoup\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-05-04T19:20:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-05-04T19:20:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/books-are-my-best-friends.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"854\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@joelface\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thebloomsoup\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joel\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joel\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/person\/540656bb1e42797634f467f16f584da7\"},\"headline\":\"8 reasons why books are my best friends\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-05-04T19:20:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-05-04T19:20:42+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/\"},\"wordCount\":1236,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Personal Development Activities\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/\",\"name\":\"8 reasons why books are my best friends | Bloomsoup\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-05-04T19:20:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-05-04T19:20:42+00:00\",\"description\":\"Books are my best friends, and I'm not afraid to admit it. In this article, I examine why reading is such a vital activity - see why.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Personal Development Activities\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/category\/activities\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"8 reasons why books are my best friends\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/\",\"name\":\"Bloomsoup\",\"description\":\"Re-Imagine Your Reality\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Bloomsoup\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/bloomsoup-logo-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/bloomsoup-logo-1.png\",\"width\":169,\"height\":33,\"caption\":\"Bloomsoup\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bloomsoup\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/thebloomsoup\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bloomsoup\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCO2Dd0fMHv_S7kYcM7QjXww\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/person\/540656bb1e42797634f467f16f584da7\",\"name\":\"Joel\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/316d86b5d67c9e515c4b2037ccd75702?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/316d86b5d67c9e515c4b2037ccd75702?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Joel\"},\"description\":\"Joel's trying to solve universal riddles for the machines that will one day take over, in addition to the greatest question of all; why cheese tastes so good.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joelface\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"8 reasons why books are my best friends | Bloomsoup","description":"Books are my best friends, and I'm not afraid to admit it. In this article, I examine why reading is such a vital activity - see why.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"8 reasons why books are my best friends | Bloomsoup","og_description":"Books are my best friends, and I'm not afraid to admit it. In this article, I examine why reading is such a vital activity - see why.","og_url":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/","og_site_name":"Bloomsoup","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bloomsoup","article_published_time":"2022-05-04T19:20:39+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-05-04T19:20:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":854,"url":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/books-are-my-best-friends.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Joel","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@joelface","twitter_site":"@thebloomsoup","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joel","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/"},"author":{"name":"Joel","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/person\/540656bb1e42797634f467f16f584da7"},"headline":"8 reasons why books are my best friends","datePublished":"2022-05-04T19:20:39+00:00","dateModified":"2022-05-04T19:20:42+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/"},"wordCount":1236,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Personal Development Activities"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/","url":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/","name":"8 reasons why books are my best friends | Bloomsoup","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-05-04T19:20:39+00:00","dateModified":"2022-05-04T19:20:42+00:00","description":"Books are my best friends, and I'm not afraid to admit it. In this article, I examine why reading is such a vital activity - see why.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/books-best-friends\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Personal Development Activities","item":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/category\/activities\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"8 reasons why books are my best friends"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/","name":"Bloomsoup","description":"Re-Imagine Your Reality","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#organization","name":"Bloomsoup","url":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/bloomsoup-logo-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/bloomsoup-logo-1.png","width":169,"height":33,"caption":"Bloomsoup"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bloomsoup","https:\/\/twitter.com\/thebloomsoup","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bloomsoup\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCO2Dd0fMHv_S7kYcM7QjXww"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/person\/540656bb1e42797634f467f16f584da7","name":"Joel","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/316d86b5d67c9e515c4b2037ccd75702?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/316d86b5d67c9e515c4b2037ccd75702?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Joel"},"description":"Joel's trying to solve universal riddles for the machines that will one day take over, in addition to the greatest question of all; why cheese tastes so good.","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/joelface"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6091"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6091"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6102,"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6091\/revisions\/6102"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}