Feeling overwhelmed (& March TBR) 

Really resonated with this! I had to take a step back from RU-vid/reading etc for a few weeks as I was so unmotivated. Fingers crossed you get your 5 star this month! ⭐ P.S congrats on 1K subbies!!!! 🥳

I’m so sorry to hear you are overwhelmed with reading - I’ve been there for sure!! With 2 kiddos I feel like the little free time I have is consumed with reading sometimes. Breaking up my reading with other hobbies has helped me in the past. Also, don’t put pressure on yourself just to make content - that sucks all the joy out of reading and makes it feel like a 2nd job! If that means less videos, it’s ok! Your loyal audience will remain! Sending ❤️❤️

Oh my goodness. This Spells Love, and The Love Of My Afterlife sound so so good 😊 xoxo

Good for you ❤❤❤ I am so glad you have self awareness of how easily side interests can become obsessions. I love that you read the same books I trend towards, and seem to have the same thoughts on them as I do. I greatly appreciate that and the added bonus is you’re a sub-box subscriber and are willing to share the boxes online. Please, please, please take care of yourself. This cozy little spot in your library on BookTube always brightens my day, but I would rather have your content less often vs not at all. I like to play your older videos when I am working, your voice and cadence puts my mind into a product mode. Take care, friend. Only make videos if you enjoy it. This is a hobby after all. ❤❤

I noticed that I started pressuring myself to keep up with book influencers and people who just spend all their time reading. It made me feel like I wasn't doing enough when I was only reading 30-40 books a year while so many people are in the 100s range. I had to take a step back and tell myself it's okay that I'm going at my own pace. I have other hobbies and I can't/do not want to devote all my time to reading, nor do I need to teach myself to speed read so I can keep up with other people. I enjoy reading at a normal pace. I feel like I can retain the plot better and I also feel like I have more fun because I catch all the little details that help me predict outcomes (like in mystery books) which I love doing. Taking away that pressure has renewed my love for reading.

I love everything you mention here. As a book influencer, it can be so hard to keep the passion going without it becoming all consuming. I attempted RU-vid last year and don’t have the patience for editing. I stick with Instagram, but even that is starting to feel like a challenge at times. I’m also realizing I have to try and take a step back and find more balance for all of my roles.❤📚

Sorry to hear about your reading slump. It sounds like you’re doing the right thing, taking time to step back and enjoy it rather than putting any pressure on yourself. And if you need to completely take a step back for a little while do that before you begin to resent it. My main hobby is knitting and spinning and I have been through a few slumps over the years, and during those times, I’ve not put myself under any pressure, done things at my own pace and even taken complete breaks away from the actual making. My knitting friends have always supported me and when I’m ready have given loads of encouragement to get me back to what I love to do. That’s always worked for me. Always here for a chat if you need one 😀

I'm so sorry to hear you've been feeling overwhelmed recently 💜 I can definitely relate to that feeling, and I've found taking a step back and prioritising other hobbies can be really helpful. I hope you have a relaxing month and manage to find some books you love in March!

I found your channel not that long ago and I already watched every video! I love your calm energy so so much and I am so beyond happy that you almost got your 1k subscribers! You deserve it so much! Lots of love❤

I totally get the feeling of pressure. I used to review books for Netgalley and authors but it became so overwhelming that I stopped doing it and didn't read anything for over 3 years. I now read for my own pleasure and have found my love of reading again. I think once something becomes a chore then it steals the happiness out of it. I hope you have a wonderful reading month 🥰

i’m so sorry you’re overwhelmed! i also had to remind myself this month that reading EVERY day isn’t a requirement. reading as many books as possible isn’t a healthy goal if you’re not having fun 😭 i have to leave myself little notes about this and remind myself about this constantly, because otherwise i feel a lot of self-imposed guilt. i also think once you take a hobby you love and sharing becomes more of a job/work, it immediately sucks a little bit of the joy out of the hobby, and that sucks, frankly. i learned selling my art that i really am not into my hobby being a job 😂 i can tell you as a viewer though, your worth to us is not based on how many books you read in a month, or even WHAT books you choose to read in a month. we simply love your comfy, calm, precious energy, and no matter what books or how many you read in a month, i would definitely stay subscribed to you and watch every video! if you feel any guilt about it, remind yourself people like me in your community will stay with you as long as you are you! and that’s all you have to be! 🥰

Sorry to hear that you’re feeling overwhelmed with your reading. You are doing the right thing i’d say, with cutting tbr down. Hope you find the book love again. Doing amazing and fully deserve your 1k subscriber count. Well done, keep your chin up and enjoy this months books.

I agree! I don’t do videos or instagram or anything but feel the pressure to read everything and buy every new book is immense! Last year I was at the point where I was reading 16 books a month and still ‘falling behind’ with my reading! After a mental health struggle I realised that just because I can read 16 books a month doesn’t mean I should! I aim for 5 books a month/1 book a week now which is much more manageable and gives my time to have more rounded hobbies! So I make time to do diamond painting or a jigsaw a few times a week, go on a few walks a week, do body groove, yoga, and meditation, and spend more time with my pet mice!! I feel much better for it, like I have more balance now! I also work and home educate my kids too lol!

Hi Michelle. Yeah. Book obsessions. Guilty as charged though I admit that I'm not mad/sad about it. I've always read and I've always collected books but with the advent of the internet and RU-vid/Instagram etc I became more aware of the books that were out there and not just the ones that I'd find in the bookstore. Then came Covid. My husband is immune compromised so we had to be extra wary and vigilant in the past few years and we've become more and more home bound so reading became even more important. And then I became aware of the UK publishing world. The books with covers so much more lovelier than anything we get in North America, books that are signed, books that have sprayed edges, stencilled edges .... and so in the past three years I've been obsessed ... I admit it ... with perusing UK bookstores and ordering a lot of my books from there. Do I mind this obsession? No, not at all. It's brightened my days and comforted my brain when it gets overwhelmed. But in the past year, what with one thing or another, my reading numbers have dropped significantly and this year will likely be just as bad but I'm not sweating it. The books will be there when I'm ready for them and I just picked up a book last night for the first time in over two weeks and I'm buzzing through it happily. But remember, nothing kills a pleasurable pastime like turning it into a "must do". So I don't do in-depth book reviews on Goodreads because doing those things gets me stressed. I post on Instagram maybe once a week, maybe not. I don't often comment on RU-vid videos ... present company and one or two others excepted ... because when you feel you HAVE TO do something ... you don't want to. So, I don't know what I'll be reading in March yet because I am a raging mood reader but I'll keep you posted. And yes I've read Vicious and Vengeance. Read both books in 4 days! Couldn't put them down. Good luck with your reading this month Michelle and enjoy!!!

Powerless and Vicious are on my TBR.

Can't tell you how many collecting hobbies I've had and then stepped away from (books to a degree tend to stay with me though haha), I find it super interesting psychologically though. I personally find that social media is the COMPLETE enabler and once I completely cut that out, I'll find myself wondering even a couple wks later why in the world I made certain purchases that I did, etc. It's crazy how you can physically feel those obsessions/addictions leaving your body once you decide to completely cut it out even just for a week. It feels like getting back to your own body and your wishes and desires and you start to get back to you and what YOU want. I never realized before how similar all addiction behavior is in relation to each other. It's something they need to stress more in school. ❤

I completely understand. When I first started watching booktube I put so much pressure on myself to keep up with the latest releases or what my trusted channels were talking about. Suddenly all my other hobbies fell to the wayside. Only this year am I making sure to include my other hobbies. I LOVE Vicious! I have A Feather So Black preordered. Hoping it's a good one. 🤞

So sorry you've been having technical difficulties with your reading, I was feeling similarly last month. This month I've got Sunbringer, Six Crimson Cranes, The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea and So This Is Ever After on the tbr. I also have a couple of volumes of the Witch Hat Atelier Manga to read. I had wanted to read 5 books a month this year but I think having set that goal at all is what was tripping me up. I'm just going to read as I feel like rather than try to make myself read just to read, its supposed to be fun not a chore. I hope this month goes better for you!

Thank you so much for joining me… what are you wanting to prioritise this month?