VENT, DREAM AND SHARE

NOT YOUR AVERAGE BOOK CLUB

Book clubs have become today’s quilting circles of old. Women especially have found a healing place to vent, share, dream and socialize, all while eating yummy food and making lifelong friends. Oh, and reading books, of course! And the mental health benefits are astonishing!

READING IS GOOD FOR YOU!

Reading has been scientifically proven to make us happy. In fact, a European study shows that reading for only six minutes lowered readers’ stress by 68%! Reading outranked taking a walk, having a cup of tea or coffee or even listening to your favorite music. That’s incredibly powerful mental therapy at a fraction of the cost of a counselor! Other studies have also shown that reading:

• improves brain connectivity (may even promote growth of new brain cells)

• aids in sleep readiness, as it’s a great relaxation technique

• reduces stress

• lowers blood pressure and heart rate

• prevents cognitive decline as we age because it increases memory, creativity and knowledge

So, we know reading is good for us. But why do we need to do it with others? So many reasons.

WHAT BOOK CLUBS OFFER

• Book clubs give us a sense of community and belongingness. Even during our pandemic isolation, online book clubs filled a huge void and defeated feelings of isolation, which greatly protects against depression.

• Because you commit, as a member, to reading goals, when you accomplish them, you feel a sense of achievement, which can’t but boost your self-esteem.

• Bonding over a story or its characters with like-minded people offers a safe place to process emotions felt as you continue through the plot.

It’s likely that at least one other member will have similar feelings, which means you and your ideas are validated. Sometimes all we need is to know that we’ve been heard, right? Conversely, another member’s point of view may be opposite of yours, and you’ll be challenged to investigate your POV, motives, filters and assumptions. Either way, it’s a win-win.

• As the pandemic locked us down, it birthed an explosion of online book clubs that suddenly had no physical, cultural, racial or socio-economic boundaries. Members were connected with a global network of peers, which could greatly grow their knowledge and empower their voices.

Imagine sitting in Greenfield, Indiana, discussing a bestseller’s protagonist with someone in India!

As one reader expressed, “In an online community, there’s no such thing as social distancing.” • Book clubs, because of the inherent intimacy in the written and spoken word, offer a cheap form of therapy. Identifying with a circumstance or a character’s emotions or actions inevitably leads a reader to look inward and compare their own actions and beliefs. Hearing other members’ stories shines a light on our personal history and presents opportunities to talk out our mistakes and doubts. “Could I have responded differently?” “What would have been the healthy choice?” “Can I ever let myself off the hook for that decision?” Face it, once established, a blook club can be a free weekly support group for those who need it!

• Other health benefits include a sense of stability and safety in a world that sometimes feels like utter chaos. You meet every week at the same place with the same people at the same time. Also, even if opinions differ, coming together over a common goal is unifying, not divisive, which everyone could use a little more of these days.

You don’t have to be Oprah or Ellen or even Reese Witherspoon to start or join a club. The League of Women Voters in Greenfield is currently running one based on Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. This work was chosen to stimulate community discussion around the black experience in our nation. Timely! The club began in March but will run all year, and you are welcome to join at any time! Whether you create your own club with a group of friends gathered around trays of yummy snacks or go online with people from around the world, you can never go wrong with a good book and an even better discussion. Happy reading!