Mental Monday 001: Reading

For the first installment of our new series #mentalmonday (a space to talk about mental health), I wanted to highlight the importance of reading and stress reduction.

Growing up I loved to read, then I basically stopped in high school because reading was for nErDs, and didn’t pick it up again until after college, as a way to destress after work. I remember one of my professors telling us that reading 10 minutes a day can lower stress levels by 60%, by lowering your blood pressure, and heart rate. Did your boss piss you off at work today? Read. Shot group all over the place? Read. Stressed about not being able to hit a flawless reload like the IG boiz? Read. 

Lately I’ve been reading the High Republic series from Star Wars. HR is set about 200 years before the Skywalker Saga during a time of peace in the Galaxy, before a new enemy appears. The thing I love about HR is the story arc is told across multiple literary forms—adult novels, young adult novels, children’s books, and even comics and manga. HR is well worth the read if you need more Star Wars in your life while we wait for new episodes of Mando to come out.

If fiction isn’t your thing, check out: 

• Thirst (the importance of giving back and supporting a cause bigger than yourself)
• Shoe Dog (Nike’s origin story, motivation for my entrepreneurs)
• Essentialism (how to cut the BS out of your daily routine)

What books are y’all reading? Drop a comment below or on the Mental Monday IG post. I’ll randomly pick someone from the comments to send out a sticker pack to from the upcoming drop.