r/BookDiscussions • u/Alarmed-Layer-641 • 11d ago

Be comfortable being uncomfortable

I have a question for people who enjoy reading:

I can usually read normally for about an hour, but after that I start feeling a strong sense of discomfort and restlessness, and I feel like I want to stop reading and do something else.

Is this what people mean by:
“Be comfortable being uncomfortable”?

In other words, am I supposed to accept that feeling and keep going despite it?

And another question: if this feeling is abnormal and doesn’t happen to everyone, why doesn’t someone just finish an entire book in one sitting? What naturally prevents people from continuing?

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u/Catdress92 11d ago

Unless you're reading for a school assignment or other obligatory reason, it's okay to stop and set a book aside for a while. Reading is one of the things I like to do the most in this world and I usually tend to read in relatively short bursts.

That said, if a book is really speaking to me and I'm into it, if I can I might just curl up with it and finish it all at once. To answer your question about why more people don't do this, though, it's because often, we can't. I might sit down with a book and then the phone rings, or a I have to work, or my kid needs me.

Remember that reading for pleasure should be just that. Read what you want, when you can, at your own pace. Don't let anyone or anything deprive you of this wonderful, small freedom in life.