Days, weeks, months and years can go by so quickly. This is one reason why commemorating special moments is important. If you’ve ever thought about how best to treasure your memories, whether they’re special occasions or just the everyday, you may want to try keeping a memory journal.
Here are 3 tips with some prompts to help you get started.
Cherish Special Moments
Keeping your memory journal current can be easy when you assign certain points throughout the year for updates. Birthdays, vacations, and annual holidays are a great opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months. Whether it’s personal accomplishments or future goals you’d like to set for yourself, over time you will create a journal that’s truly special – imagine how meaningful it will be to flip through the pages in 10 or 20 years!
Improved Memory
When you’re in the midst of a special event it can be difficult to stop and put pen to paper. Taking some time after a special event occasion to document what happened will help your brain to better retain your memories as you relive the moment by engaging with your senses and emotions. Get creative by adding souvenirs, mementos, photos or ticket stubs to the page.
A Tool for Self-Reflection
Your memory journal is a personal space for your thoughts and emotions and is the perfect place for you to be your true self. As you contribute to your memory journal you’ll begin to see what’s important to you. Not only can you use your memory journal to cultivate gratitude as you document cherished moments, but you can use it to reflect on your values and how they guide your decisions and actions.
Memory Journal Prompts
Use these journalling prompts to help you along the way:
- A happy moment from my childhood that still brings a smile to my face is…
- A significant life event that changed my perspective or taught me a valuable lesson is…
- A place that holds special meaning to me (a childhood home, a favourite vacation spot, or a place where I feel at peace) is…
- My favourite activity as a child was…
- When I think about the last 12months, what immediately comes to mind is…
- Five things I am grateful for this year are…
- Unexpected events, for better or worse, that happened this year were…
- Times I stepped out of my comfort zone this year were…
- Areas of my life that I would like to improve by this time next year are…
- The steps toward improvement I can take right now are…
