Multiple perspective-taking– it’s good for your nervous system.

💡 Takeaway

Summer reading isn’t just about escape—it’s also about expansion. Yes to romance novels. Yes to whodunnits (my personal favorite). And also… yes to books that nudge us gently into someone else’s lived experience.

When we engage with stories told in other voices, from other lives, we practice perspective-taking—a psychological skill tied to emotional flexibility, empathy, and reduced reactivity. The act of reading can lower stress, but books that offer multiple points of view can stretch our insight even more.

And the best part? You don’t have to read cover to cover in one sitting. Life is full, especially in summer. Some books are built for dipping in and out.

📖 Recommended Read

Perfect for: beach bags, bathtubs, bleacher bags, and bedtime.

We Can Do Hard Things
by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle

A playful, smart, digestible collection of insights from the hit podcast—filled with multiple perspectives, quick chapters, and quotable gems. A great pick-up-put-down book that feels like talking with a messy, honest, wise friend group.

Themes include:

Identity
Relationships
Self-trust
Courage
Grief and growth
Living outside the binary of “good” or “bad”

🔬 Why It Works (Psychology of Perspective-Taking)

Enhancing cognitive flexibility (aka, the mental version of stretching) helps reduce rumination and black-and-white thinking (Davis et al., 2010).
Reading stories told from others' experiences increases empathy and reduces prejudice (Mar et al., 2006).
Even 6 minutes of focused reading can lower heart rate and cortisol levels (Lewis, 2009).

APA-style citations:

Davis, M. H., et al. (2010). Cognitive and emotional empathy in human behavior. Journal of Social Psychology, 150(3), 294–306. Article
Mar, R. A., et al. (2006). Bookworms versus nerds: Exposure to fiction versus non-fiction and the simulation of social worlds. Journal of Research in Personality, 40(5), 694–712. Article
Lewis, D. (2009). Galaxy Stress Research. Mindlab International, University of Sussex.

📚 Resources for the Curious

🎧 Podcast - We Can Do Hard Things – The book’s companion podcast, with episodes on boundaries, burnout, and bold honesty

📖 Bonus Book - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig – Fiction with perspective-taking magic through alternate lives

📄 Tool - “Perspective Check” Reading Reflection Sheet – Light prompts to notice what a book stirred in you

✨ If You Only Remember One Thing...

Other people’s stories won’t fix your life—but they can help you reframe it.
This summer, pick a book that leaves you changed a little, not just entertained.