I Finally Became a Reader (Just Not the Way I Expected)

I'm going to admit something that has always felt a little embarrassing to me.

I've always wanted to be a reader.

You know the kind of person I'm talking about. The woman who curls up with a book and a cup of coffee on a quiet Saturday morning. The person who always has a novel in her bag and somehow manages to finish multiple books a month.

I wanted to be that person.

The problem? My life doesn't exactly lend itself to sitting quietly and reading for hours.

Between work, motherhood, dance classes, laundry, making dinner, driving everyone where they need to be, and trying to keep our household functioning, finding uninterrupted time feels almost impossible.

And if I'm being completely honest, there's another hurdle.

Somewhere along the way, I convinced myself that reading was unproductive.

I know that sounds ridiculous. Reading is objectively good for you. It expands your knowledge, improves vocabulary, reduces stress, and exercises your brain. But when there are dishes in the sink, emails waiting, and a never-ending to-do list running through my head, sitting down with a book often felt like I should be doing something else.

So I rarely read.

Then I discovered audiobooks through the Libby app.

If you're unfamiliar with Libby, it's an app that connects to your local library and lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free. And honestly? It might be one of my favorite things.

Instead of needing an hour of uninterrupted quiet, I can listen while driving to work. I can listen while folding laundry. I can listen while doing repetitive tasks.

Sometimes it's only ten minutes.

Sometimes it's thirty.

Sometimes I listen during my commute and realize I've consumed more of a book in one week than I had in the previous six months.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like a reader.

And according to neuroscience, listening to audiobooks isn't the "cheater" version of reading that some people make it out to be. Research has shown that many of the same language processing and comprehension areas of the brain are activated whether we're reading words on a page or listening to them being spoken.

The goal isn't how the story gets into your brain.

The goal is getting the story into your brain.

Recently I've been listening to The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi, and I can't remember the last time a book made me stop and think this often.

The core idea is incredibly simple:

Be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't.

When I first heard it, it sounded almost obvious.

But then she starts unpacking it, and suddenly it feels revolutionary.

Because so many of us are trying to be excellent at everything.

We want the clean house.

The organized schedule.

The homemade meals.

The Pinterest-worthy holidays.

The successful career.

The perfect parenting moments.

The healthy habits.

The social life.

The hobbies.

The volunteer commitments.

And somehow we're supposed to excel at all of them simultaneously.

No wonder we're exhausted.

What I love about the Lazy Genius philosophy is that it gives permission to choose.

You don't have to care deeply about everything.

You get to decide what matters most to your family, your values, and your current season of life.

Maybe you're a genius about family dinners but lazy about matching socks.

Maybe you're a genius about your kids' activities but lazy about elaborate birthday decorations.

Maybe you're a genius about your health but lazy about having a perfectly organized pantry.

The point isn't what you choose.

The point is choosing intentionally.

As I've listened to this book, I've realized how often I spend energy trying to meet expectations that I never actually chose for myself.

And honestly, the same lesson applies to reading.

For years, I thought being a reader meant sitting quietly with a physical book.

But what if that wasn't the only option?

What if I could be a genius about learning and personal growth while being lazy about the method?

What if listening during my commute counted?

What if ten minutes here and there was enough?

What if the goal wasn't looking like a reader but actually becoming one?

Audiobooks have reminded me that sometimes the biggest thing standing between us and our goals is our own definition of what success is supposed to look like.

Maybe reading doesn't have to happen in a cozy armchair.

Maybe exercise doesn't have to happen in a gym.

Maybe family memories don't have to be Pinterest-perfect.

Maybe good enough really can be good enough.

For now, you'll find me listening to audiobooks on my drive to work, in the pickup line, while folding laundry, and during those little pockets of time that used to disappear into scrolling.

And honestly?

I think I've finally become the reader I always wanted to be.

Just not in the way I expected.

Do you listen to audiobooks, read physical books, or both? And what are you currently reading (or listening to?)