5 Commitments For Conscious Readers

My Commitment to Conscious Book Consumption in 2022

Book buying in itself sometimes feels like a separate hobby from reading. Passing a bookstore without stopping in for a peek is criminal. Stopping in without purchasing a book even more so. On a trip to Target, it seems silly to not check out the book aisle. If you check out the book aisle, it’s impossible to leave without a book because Target sells the most popular titles for cheap. 

Before you know it, books are piled around the house collecting dust as they wait to be read. Stroking their spines, you promise they’re next on the TBR list. A few days later when you’re ready for your next book, your mood changes. The book you promised the world to is no longer on your mind, so you shove it back into the dark dusty corner on your way out to buy a new book. Years later, you find that book during spring cleaning. You blow off the dust, revealing the old title. I always meant to read this one.

Bookworms are notorious for buying books as much as they read them. Of all the bad habits and addictions in the world, this one isn’t the worst, but if you read often and quickly it can become a bit concerning. 

I read 54 books last year, most of those brand new physical copies. Reflecting on my reading year also called for a re-evaluation of what books I’m choosing to consume and how I’m consuming them. 

The result? I wanted to make some changes. In 2022, I’m making a commitment to be more conscious of the content I consume and the format in which I read. I’m sharing the 5 commitments I’ve decided on below. Read on to learn more!

Commitment 1: Read What You Own

Sitting across from me is a pile of about 12 unread books. These aren’t the only books I’ve bought that I haven’t read. While it may not seem like a lot, that’s at least 3 months worth of books that I’ve spent money on and then neglected. When I bought them, I planned on reading them immediately. Either my mood changed or I bought another book before I ever got around to reading them, so they went to the pile where they still sit.

By committing to reading what I own, I’m deciding to start reading more than buying. I’m deciding to read the book sitting in the corner, covered in dust before buying the new release I’ve had my eye on. The pile of books isn’t going to disappear until I make the decision to read through them. And it will continue to grow, to become an unmanageable beast, if I keep buying new books at the same rate. 

I tend to drift towards a minimalist lifestyle (just don’t look at my coffee mug collection). Don’t own or buy more than needed or necessary. While I want to have a personal library of books that I can share with the people in my life, I don’t need to own 20-something books that I’m not reading any time soon. That’s the definition of buying more than is necessary. 

Am I going to stop buying books? No. I just plan on reading more books than I buy. In one month, I’m usually able to read 4 books. Maybe I’ll limit myself to 1 new book a month. That way I still get the joy that comes with a new book just without the obnoxious pile of unread books. 

Commitment 2: Be Selective

When I first dove back into reading, I had a hard time knowing where to start. It was at least 7 years since I’d last read for fun, so I didn’t know my reading tastes or the titles of any good books.

Thanks to Goodreads and Bookstagram, I got plenty of recommendations. 

I also easily got sucked into only reading trending or popular books. If everyone talked about a book, I had to read it too. Usually the popular and trending books are new releases, so I also spent a lot of money on new copies. 

Initially, this was a great way to get back into the reading world and figure out my tastes. Some of these books surprised me and expanded my tastes. But I found that others felt like work to get through and they weren’t fulfilling. I was left with a book I didn’t like and a few wasted nights.

To be more conscious of this, I want to be selective of the titles I read. 

It’s hard to know what you’re getting into when you’re buying a book, and it’s almost impossible to know if you’ll like a book until you start reading. The best way I’ve found to approach this is to ask yourself why you’re buying a book. 

Are you buying the book because it’s trending on Bookstagram, or are you genuinely interested in the story or subject? 

Looking back, I’ve bought a lot of books because they were popular. It also happens that a lot of those books left me unfulfilled or they felt like a let down. This doesn’t mean I’m never going to read popular books. It just means that I’m going to be more aware of what I’m buying. Doing so will hopefully lead to more fulfilling reads and will open up space to read based on interests rather than the pressure to read what’s popular. Which is good, because reading should never be a competition.

Commitment 3: Embrace Diversity

Reading is a phenomenal hobby because it’s one of the few that makes us grow, wrestle, laugh, cry, think, question, and forget. Sometimes all of those emotions exist in one sitting. The power of books, the power of words, is incredible. As a conscious reader, I believe there is a certain responsibility to explore diverse genres and topics.

I also think it’s absolutely possible to do that while still reading the genres and topics you love. If you like romance, read a romance novel that features a culture different from your own. Read a mystery that features a main character representing an otherwise underrepresented population. Pick up a historical fiction book that covers an event you don’t usually read about. 

You can stay within the realm of the books you love while also broadening your worldview and simultaneously supporting commonly underrepresented populations of people. 

That being said, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself every once in a while. Grab the book that you think might make you a little uncomfortable. It’s when we’re uncomfortable that we tend to grow the most. Some of my most challenging reads opened me up to new perspectives and have often become my all time favorite reads. 

I don’t read challenging books all the time, but I do make it a mission to diversify my library. That’s something I plan on sticking with this year.

Commitment 4: Be Mindful 

Every time I buy a book I tell myself it could be worse. Or, books aren’t that expensive. 

It’s true. There are worse habits and individually, books aren’t that expensive. 

They add up quickly, though. I haven’t done the math, but if I look at the stack of physical books waiting to be read, it’s obvious I spent quite a bit of unnecessary money last year. My wallet hurts a little bit knowing that. 

To be financially mindful of book purchasing habits, ask the questions: 

1. If I buy this, am I going to read it right away?
2. Do I need to own this book?
3. Where is my money going? Who am I supporting?

Taking the time to think through these can easily help determine if it’s a necessary purchase. If I’m not going to read it right away, I might wait to buy it until next month when I have more time. If it doesn’t seem like a 5 star read, I’ll be ok if I don’t own it. And knowing where my money is going can help determine if I’m spending money in the right place. 

Commitment 5: Reduce Your Footprint

Most of the books I read in 2021 were brand new physical copies. My growing personal library celebrated. The earth groaned.

Sometimes I get overzealous with my goal of having a personal library and end up buying every single book. And some of those books I wouldn’t care to keep or pass on to others.Then I feel guilty for buying it. I spent money on this, and now it’s just taking up space in my house, space in the world.

Think about it. How many books have been printed just to sit, never opened, on a shelf? How many trees have been killed for that book’s useless existence? Probably more than I’d like to know. 

My solutions to the useless-book-existence problem and reducing my footprint: 

1. Read on my Kindle
2. Hit up the library
3. Buy used

My e-reader saves space, money, and paper. Bonus, I can also download library books on my Kindle through Libby. If I really want a physical copy of a book, I always check out used books first in an effort to save paper.

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