I like reading. But I also like efficiency. Which is something I value in the mornings as I usually decide I love my bed more than a routine and I snooze the alarm until the very last minute. This whole thing is a paradox to the fact that I like to ease into my mornings.
Checking Twitter first thing in the morning is a hazard to our emotional health. (Twitter, I love you but I also hate you). And no one wants to see the “rise and grind” Facebook pictures of their friends morning workout. So besides social media, I was looking for something that gave me new insights, well thought out ideas, and maybe a new perspective.
I discovered Medium a few months ago because a dear friend shared an article that immediately spoke to me.
I quickly (and by quickly, I mean 0.5 seconds) fell in love with Medium because they have a menagerie of articles that cover every topic. I did get a little frustrated when I wanted to read all the self-help articles but I had to pay for premium. Where’s the self-help article for easily frustrated people? Oh right, probably blocked because I wasn’t paying for premium…
So a few months ago I bit the bullet and was pleasantly surprised and delighted to find that premium is only $6/month.
Also! They post how long it would take to read the article. Confession: I usually stick to five or below because I’m lazy.
I picked what areas I wanted to focus on and they send a hand-picked list of relevant articles straight to my email every morning.
Sometimes I agree with the advice of the writer, other times I just get a new perspective. It’s also really great to know that other people struggle with similar issues. This is a great article on why no one ever really thinks about you and how freeing that is when you realize everyone is so involved with their own lives that they don’t have the mental bandwidth to keep up with you. Unless they’re a stalker…
Seriously though, when I take time to read something that helps me feel motivated or educated first thing in the morning, I have a better day all around. And I know $6 a month can feel like you’re just adding yet another subscription service to your Netflix, Hulu, Amazon…. But I promise, it’ll be more beneficial than that HBO subscription now that Game of Thrones is over.