Marla, Plain and Small: What I Read in 2021 + Not Meeting My Goal

Tuesday, January 04, 2022

What I Read in 2021 + Not Meeting My Goal

At the end of 2020, I set a goal to read 24 books in 2021. I thought it was doable to read two books a month. I had read much more in past years and thought that would be an attainable goal. I forgot what it was like when babies start crawling and stop napping all day. I quickly realized my goal of 24 books would not be met. And I was good with that. I didn't have the time or the mental space to push myself. I read for a few minutes each day in the car line while I waited for my first grader and shushed a fussy baby who didn't want to sit in the car. When I wasn't too tired, I'd read a few minutes before bed. Those minutes slowly added up to completing a few books.

I also didn't go easy on the type of books I read. They needed concentration and sometimes had paragraphs that needed to be reread and contemplated to understand.

Before I list what I read, here's how I'm thinking I'll approach 2022-- no goal. As someone who loves goals and lists, I just don't have the motivation this year to put pressure on myself to reach a certain number. I just want to read when I can and read what I want. I have a stack of theological books to go through, but we'll see what I get to this year. I'm wanting to also add in some books that give me some mental breaks, make me laugh, and help me imagine.

I use Goodreads to track my reading, so come say hi if you use the app!