Why January Is the Perfect Month to Join a Book Club
In the depths of winter it feels more like we should be hunkering down under thick snuggly blankets with giant mugs of hot drinks and a good book for company than trying to tackle big to-do lists of self-improvement and gains.
The season of winter is doing everything it can to slow us down. To do the things we need to do to reset, restore, and rest.
For us, books, stories, reading, are what make a slow January the time to really look inwards. They are the perfect form of self-care.
And an ideal extension of that is being part of a local book club. Of course, we may be a little biased here, but we truly do believe that the community element of a book club really does add that extra element of self-care. Because self-care really can be magnified when combined with good people, great chat, and the joy of a supportive community.
January is a slower month socially
After the hecticness of the festive season, January can be seen as a welcome slower pace. It’s a chance to stop, unwind, and embrace the calm. Surely a great perspective for starting a new year.
There are less social commitments in January, making it a rather lovely time to be joining a book club. It’s a chance to do gentle socialising just once in the month, in a cosy setting.
And if the idea of joining something new makes you feel nervous or uneasy, you’re not alone. Many of our members arrive feeling shy, unsure, or out of practice socially, especially after winter or busy periods of life. A book club can be a comforting middle ground, you don’t have to make small talk, and the book gives you something for conversation to revolve around.
Winter is a cosy season
And of course, winter is the cosiest of seasons. Cosy season plus good stories equals a chance to step out and connect over a cosy beverage in a cosy setting with a group of new friends looking for extra cosy connections.
Book club chats tend to be a more gentle style of socialising. The questions are thoughtful, the responses are about sharing. There’s no right or wrong answers, just your own opinions.
And if you’re not in the mood for too much chat, you are perfectly welcome to join the conversation just to listen. All styles of participation are welcome at book club.
Reading is a less pressurised item on the to-do list
When many of us are inundated with the idea of a New Year’s resolutions or epic to do list, just simply having the task of reading (or listening if you’re an audiobook person) a book is a nice, easy thing to have on the list instead.
And even better, at the Nookery Book Club, you don’t have to finish the book (or even start it) to join us. We are a no-judgement zone. You are always welcome wherever you are at with reading. The most important thing for us is that you find your membership with us fulfilling. And sometimes just turning up and being part of the conversation is fulfilling enough.
Joining a new book club is the perfect small act of carving out ‘me time’. When the world is often filled with noise and overwhelm, we want to create something that makes you feel welcome, included, and connected - even if it’s just once a month.
At The Nookery Book Club, we like to keep things cosy, welcoming, and low-pressure - whether you join us online or in person. You don’t need to be louder, faster, or more confident. You just need to show up, just as you are.