The Power of Storytelling to Slow Down

Life moves fast. Between work, family responsibilities, and the constant scroll of digital life, it’s easy to feel like we’re in a never-ending race. For me, historical fiction offers a much-needed pause. It’s a quiet act of resistance against the noise. It slows time in the best way. When I pick up a well-crafted historical novel, I get to step into a different era, experience another person’s reality, and feel deeply connected to something beyond the present. That’s what self-care means to me: not just rest, but restoration.

We often talk about self-care as bubble baths or spa days (and I love those too), but there’s something unique about the way a good book can care for your mind and soul. Historical fiction, in particular, gives me both a sense of distance and depth. It lets me unplug and fully immerse myself in someone else’s world, a world where I can both learn and feel.

Empathy Across Time

There’s something incredibly moving about reading stories set in another time. Whether it’s a woman navigating the perils of the French Revolution or a family rebuilding after World War II, these characters are shaped by their moment in history, but their emotions, fears, and hopes feel familiar. That’s the magic of historical fiction. It teaches empathy through experience. You see how people loved, suffered, fought, and dreamed under circumstances very different from your own. And you realize just how human they still were.

That kind of connection is healing. It reminds me that we’re all part of a much longer, richer story. It puts my problems in perspective, not in a dismissive way, but in a comforting one. The struggles of today aren’t new. We’ve been surviving hard things for centuries. There’s peace in that reminder.

Reading as a Ritual

I try to keep a book on my nightstand at all times, usually one with rich historical layers. Reading has become a ritual for me, sometimes it’s only ten minutes before bed, sometimes it’s an entire Sunday afternoon. When I open a book, my body and mind settle into a different rhythm. I’m no longer reacting to emails or swiping through endless content. I’m sitting with a story, letting it unfold page by page.

The best historical fiction books feel like time travel without the whiplash. They are grounded in research, but they never forget the emotional core. I love stories that are set in moments of transition or upheaval because they mirror the uncertainty we often feel in our own lives. Whether it’s post-war London or Depression-era America, those settings help me reflect on how people find resilience, hope, and meaning in the face of change.

A Few Favorites That Feed My Soul

If you’re curious about stepping into historical fiction, here are a few titles that have really stuck with me:

• “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah – A story of two sisters in Nazi-occupied France that explores courage, sacrifice, and survival. It’s emotional and beautifully written.
  
• “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi – This novel traces two half-sisters and their descendants from 18th-century Ghana to modern America. It’s sweeping, powerful, and gives you a sense of history’s long shadow.
  
• “The Gilded Hour” by Sara Donati – Set in 19th-century New York, it blends romance, medicine, and social issues in a way that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking.
  
• “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan – Based on a true story, this book follows an Italian teenager helping Jews escape during WWII. It’s fast-paced and deeply moving.
  

These stories are more than just entertainment. They give you something to hold onto, something to think about long after the final page.

When Fiction Feels Like Healing

There have been times when reading historical fiction has helped me process things in my own life: grief, uncertainty, even burnout. Seeing how characters endured the unimaginable with grace and grit gives me a little more strength. It’s not that I want to escape reality entirely, but sometimes stepping into another world helps me return to my own with fresh eyes and a steadier heart.

Historical fiction isn’t always light reading. It deals with loss, war, injustice, and pain. But there’s always a thread of humanity, of hope. And that’s what makes it feel like care. These stories remind me that we’re capable of incredible things, even in the darkest moments. They remind me that healing doesn’t always mean fixing everything. Sometimes it just means sitting with the story and letting it speak to you.

A Book is the Best Kind of Break

So many of us are overextended. We take care of others, manage careers, show up for everything. But who shows up for us? For me, books do. And historical fiction, in particular, feels like an old friend who knows how to listen, how to challenge me, and how to lift me up.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or just disconnected lately, I encourage you to find a quiet spot, pick up a historical novel, and let yourself fall in. Let the world wait a little. Let your mind rest. There is wisdom in those pages. There is comfort. There is care.

That’s why historical fiction is my favorite form of self-care. It’s where I go to find myself again.