1. The next one in a series
Sometimes I finish book #1 in a series and I’m like OHMYGOD YES YES YES AMAZING SO AMAZING I WANT #2 RIGHT NOW!!! *flail*
But book #2 is still 6 months away from being published! How ever will I live? Well, then 6 months arrives and suddenly I’m not running to get the book. Euphoria has left and I have no huge urge to keep reading the series.
Sometimes I finish an AMAZING workout. I feel great and I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow! But then tomorrow comes and I’m like, “Ehhh I don’t waaannaa!!”
2. Goddamn this slump
Reading slumps are where no book sounds good. You’re DNF’ing left and right. Maybe you don’t even WANT to pick up a book.
Exercising has those too. Some days all your workouts suck. You can’t even do one freakin’ push up, let alone 10. You don’t even want to get up and go to the gym.
3. My ass is KICKED
Have you ever been emotionally destroyed by a book? I mean, completely torn apart and left hollow. You just sit there and reflect over everything that happened because you still can’t believe that IT DID IN FACT HAPPEN. WHAT THE FUCK?!
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s had this feeling after a workout. You just want to face plant into the ground (the bed is too far) and SLEEP FOR ALL ETERNITY.
Please don’t make me do any more!
4. The afterglow
Similar to getting your ass kicked, but in a different way…
Finishing an awesome book. You just need to sit there and bask in the amazingness of it because IT WAS SO PERFECT! You could just sit there for hours, reflecting over every single piece of that beautiful book of words. You want to relive every moment.
I never thought I’d say this, but workouts have those moments too. Sometimes I finish a workout and think, “Hot damn! I worked it out like an effing boss!” I’m really proud of what I accomplished and feel like I kicked serious ass!
5. Did I do it right?
Sometimes I finish a book and think, “Did I read that right?” Left and right, my friends are RAVING about this book; they think it’s AMAZEBALLS. But I felt nothing. NOTHING! It’s like I read the book wrong, because I feel none of the things that everyone is gushing about.
You might try a new workout that all your friends love. They might say:
“I felt so great afterwards!”
“It kicked my ass!!”
“I was sore for days!”
“It was so much fun!”
But then you do the same workout and feel NONE OF THOSE THINGS. Maybe you didn’t do it right to get the epic burn?
Fun and accurate comparison! People who don’t like reading probably haven’t found the right book yet. There’s a book for everybody. Bad readers get better with practice. You don’t have to read everyday to benefit from reading, etc. Reading is like exercising in so many ways. I’m a ultra-marathon reader, but a 5k jogger in real life, though.
Those are awesome ones!
Awesome post, Ashley! I’ve never thought of comparing reading to exercise; they have more in common than I ever realized. I tend to see them as polar opposites because I associate reading with my comfy bed. Haha!
For competitive athletes, I can make the comparison that an exciting book brings a sense of adrenalin akin to adrenalin of a game/match/meet/etc. And sometimes, I get so frustrated and angry with certain books or characters, much like my feelings toward some opponents.
Haha yes in PHYSICAL terms they are total opposites. Reading is kind of a lazy activity, but exercising obviously isn’t! But you can find small similarities. 😀
Nice Post, Ashley! I always want to read books, when i start reading book next day i don’t like to read that book, but after reading your post i m feeling excited to read excellent books.
Thanks!!!!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Haha I would think it was a ridiculous compassion, but you explained the similarities very well…
And OMG #1 – that happens to me ALL THE TIME.
Another thing I do both with books and exercising. So I heard something about this new book/workout. I can’t stop talking about it. I look for it everywhere (once it took me 3 months until I found an old exercise dvd that my friend told me it was the best) and then – nothing. It’s sitting on my shelf gathering dust. o:)
This is so true, and you could even replace “working out” with dating and all that accompanies it.
This cracked me up, but you’re so right!! You have opened my eyes haha ☺️ Although I think I get that glow more often from books than from a work out haha.
LMAO. I never realized how close they are, but your are right. You may sit to read a book, but damn can it be exhausting.
I’ve never thought about comparing reading to exercising but it just makes so much sense. I’m a Kindle reader so I usually read when I’m on the elliptical or the exercise bike and I love when there’s like a fast paced part in a book and I want to go faster as I exercise. It’s kind of like an adrenaline boost.
Funny post. I loved the comparison.
The same workout doesn’t always do it for me. I need variety in my workouts and in my reading material. I love so many genres of reading but sometimes only some women’s fiction will do. I love to cross train but sometimes, I just want to RUN!
I deducted a star because of the cursing. I don’t like f-bombs in blogs. 🙁
Haha, I never thought about it this way, but it’s a perfect description of reading. When it comes to working out I’m always between “this felt so good I want to do more!” but it never happens and “this sucks, it’s of no use I will never be fit” haha. I hate the feeling of being disappointed by a book when everyone else tells me it’s so good. Like, did I read something else?
This is a great comparison. Although I would totally choose reading a book over exercising any day. LOL. You do feel all those same emotions. I love/hate when you finish a book and are disappointed because it’s over because you felt like you were right there “in it” with the characters and then you wonder what they are doing now. ( Delusional, I know.) I read mostly fiction but I know that reading a great non-fiction book can be so beneficial. Now THAT I can relate to exercise…knowing it’s “good for me” but taking a while to get around to it and then finishing it. Thanks again for sharing!
This is such a great comparison. I never realized how similar they are!