Which life do you choose to live?

George R.R Martin said: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. A man who never reads lives only one.”

Working in tech can be stressful and it is important to find healthy methods to release the stress. Over the years, I've discovered that what works for me is to have some alone time. I’ve taught myself to enjoy the company of my own thoughts even for a few minutes every day. My favourite activity to dive into in my alone time is reading. I’ve realized that having a book in my hand makes me forget about the troubles of the day or about the problems in my life.

Book after book, page after page I found a way to move through time. With each character I transcend more and more into a world that is very different from mine, ours. 

'Book after book, page after page I found a way to move through time.'

I can go to the past and live the life of our predecessors or I can go to the future and live in imaginative and futuristic worlds. I’ve traveled to countless places: unexplored parts of the world, taken part in different historical events, experienced traditions that are long forgotten and saw the creation of new ones. Even discovered a few new planets. :)

Moreover, moving between the pages of the book allows me not only to travel in time but also to move to different countries that I have never visited before, meet new interesting people and learn from them new customs and culture. It takes me to the perfect place to read their minds and see how great humans have invented our world.

Reading gives me the power to control my moods and feelings, select whatever I want to feel at that moment due to the fact that feelings are built strongly on the type of book I decide to read. I can choose to get involved in a drama and become sympathetic, I can choose to follow the conquers of the strong women of the world and be empowered or I can choose to make jokes with friends and so become more cheerful.

It may sound strange, I know.

In my long relationship with books,I discovered that other domains can be relaxing too even if they don’t seem to be therefore besides reading literature I love to read about science, history, religion, social science and psychology. In every book I come across some ideas that are making me think about facts I did not think of before. I don’t “ discriminate”, if the topic seems interesting, I will read it.

 

I’ve traveled to countless places: unexplored parts of the world, taken part in different historical events, experienced traditions that are long forgotten and saw the creation of new ones. Even discovered a few new planets. :)