Memory

<h1><strong>Pass the Memories, Please: Preserving Your Family's Food Stories</strong></h1>
<p>Food is more than just the sustenance of life. Food memories can <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/scent-of-a-memory-and-the-proust-effect/" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>transport us back to a specific time and place, evoking emotions and reminding us of special moments</u></a>. Whether it's a family recipe or a favorite restaurant dish, preserving these food memories is important for <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/the-glue-that-binds-a-family-together--building-a-family-legacy" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>passing down traditions</u></a> and creating a sense of connection to our past. </p>
<p>Read on for unique ideas for preserving your food memories!</p>
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<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default"><div id="file-21223" class="file file-image file-image-png">

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<h2><b>Create a Family Recipe Book</b></h2>
<p>Gather recipes from family members, including those passed down from previous generations, and compile them into a <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-create-a-life-stories-book%C2%A0" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>family recipe book</u></a>! </p>
<p>Examples: </p>
<ul>
<li>A <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/7-fun-ways-to-connect-with-family-during-the-holidays-152777" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>holiday meal</u></a> (Grandma’s special Thanksgiving stuffing recipe or key lime pie)</li>
<li>Birthday dinner (That unique cake with gummy bears and chocolate mousse everyone loves)</li>
<li>Family dinner (a party barbeque or your mom’s weekly apricot chicken recipe!)</li>
</ul>
<p>Include photos, <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/5-tips-for-collecting-family-stories-9396" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>stories</u></a>, and personal anecdotes to make it more meaningful. When you record family members telling stories about their favorite meals, this could be done through audio or written stories. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>My Stories Matter</u></a> lets you preserve your family recipes digitally this makes the recipes easily accessible to family members, but it allows for comments and feedback from others who have tried the recipes! </p>
<p>Create a <a href="https://book.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>personalized Life Stories Book</u></a> for this very thing, which you can make copies for each family member so everyone can have their copy to treasure and pass on to the next generation.</p>
<p>You can also opt for preserving your family recipes digitally on My Stories Matter. Not only does this make the recipes easily accessible to family members, but it allows for comments and feedback from others who have tried the recipes! </p>
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<h2><b>Take Cooking Classes Together</b></h2>
<p>Cooking classes are fun for learning new skills, <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/the-importance-of-creating-family-memories%C2%A0" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>creating more memories</u></a>, and bonding as a family. Choose a class focusing on a specific cuisine or cooking technique, and make it a group activity. You will learn new recipes and techniques and create memories that will last a lifetime, especially with <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/4-creative-ways-to-reach-out-to-an-old-family-member-or-friend-153338" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>family members you haven’t talked to in a while</u></a>. </p>
<p>After these classes, try cooking the meal(s) you learned together! Choose a theme or cuisine, and have family members prepare their dishes to <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/sharing-memories--5-unique-ways-you-haven't-thought-of" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>share</u></a>, complete with decorations and music. Research states that a <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/home-cooking-good-for-the-soul/" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>cooking class can benefit the soul</u></a>, like art or <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/tapping-into-memories-with-music" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>music</u></a> therapy! </p>
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<h2><b>Document Your Favorite Restaurant Experiences</b></h2>
<p>Food memories are not just limited to home-cooked meals. Many of us fondly <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-relive-a-memory-16700" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>remember our favorite restaurants</u></a> and the meals we enjoyed there. Was there a local pizza parlor you loved going to growing up or an ice cream shop after a cavity-free dentist appointment? Perhaps you had your sweet sixteen at one of the most popular cafes in town, or remember which restaurant you proposed (or got proposed to).</p>
<p>Document your favorite restaurant experiences by taking photos, writing reviews, or creating a Life Stories Book. This preserves the memories and creates a record of the restaurant scene and food culture in your area.</p>
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<h2><b>Record Your Food Memories on My Stories Matter</b></h2>
<p>Preserving food memories is crucial to connecting with our past and creating a sense of family heritage. There are many ways to preserve and celebrate our food memories by sharing these memories with future generations. Since summer is upon you (a great time to hang out/catch up with family), <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>get started</u></a> today! </p>
<p>“<a href="https://www.dailyinspirationalquotes.in/2016/06/family-loves-good-friends-food-table-roof-head-richer-think/" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>If you hav</u></a><a href="https://www.dailyinspirationalquotes.in/2016/06/family-loves-good-friends-food-table-roof-head-richer-think/" title="Food Stories" type="Food Stories"><u>e a family that loves you, a few good friends, food on your table, and a roof over your head. You are richer than you think</u></a>.” - Unknown</p>
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Pass the Memories, Please: Preserving Your Family's Food Stories

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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-97aee87e-7fff-785c-8e7c-4d825f2f1dd8">My Mind’s Eye is Blind, is Yours?</b></h1>
<p>If someone told you that you have a brother you never knew about your whole life, your reaction might be:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>“Whoa, no way!” </em></li>
<li><em>That’s impossible.” </em></li>
<li><em>“How come I never heard about this before?” </em></li>
<li><em>“Hmm, that explains some things.” </em></li>
<li><em>“Tell me more.”</em></li>
</ul>
<p>That’s how I felt earlier this year when I read Andrea Thorfinson’s post on My Stories Matter about aphantasia. My initial curiosity at this strange word turned to shock when I discovered I was an aphant. Months later, I'm still wrapping my head around this newfound knowledge about myself!</p>
<p>Visual imagery enables us to ‘see’ things in our heads. It plays a role in memory, daydreaming, and learning.</p>
<p>Having aphantasia means that my <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-the-minds-eye-is-blind1/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">mind’s eye is blind</a>. Ask me to picture an apple, or a face, or a mountain, and I just can’t. When I ask my friends the same thing, some will say they see a green apple, while others see a delicious red apple with a green leaf on its stem. All I see is inky blackness.</p>
<p>Are you also a member of this exclusive club? <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/aphantasia-overview-4178710#:~:text=Aphantasia%20is%20a%20phenomenon%20in,minds%2C%20people%20with%20aphantasia%20cannot." title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">Aphantasia</a> is a unique cognitive phenomenon that <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/19/three-percent-of-people-in-the-world-have-aphantasia-heres-what-to-know.html#:~:text=one%20of%20them-,3%25%20of%20people%20can't%20create%20a%20mental%20picture%20in,you're%20one%20of%20them&amp;text=Most%20people%20can%20visualize%20a,phenomenon%20is%20known%20as%20aphantasia." title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">affects 3-4% of the population</a>. It was discovered in 1880 by <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-the-minds-eye-is-blind1/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">Francis Galton</a> but was little studied until 2015 when <a href="https://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/eyesmind/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">neurologist Dr. Adam Zeman</a> coined the term.</p>
<p>You may not <strong>know</strong> the word ‘aphantasia,’ but you probably <strong>know</strong> the classic Disney animation movie. “Fantasia”. The word ‘aphantasia’ is derived from the ancient Greek word ‘phantasia,’ which means ‘imagination,’ and the prefix ‘a-,’ which means ‘without’ (as in ‘apolitical’). </p>
<h2><b>Simple Tests for Aphantasia</b> </h2>
<p>Aphantasia presents across a spectrum, from partial to total. The <a href="https://davidfmarks.net/vividness-of-visual-imagery-questionnaire-2/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire</a>, created by British psychologist David Marks is widely used to assess individual differences. </p>
<p>Here are some simpler tests to see (pardon the pun) if you or someone you know has aphantasia: </p>
<p><b>Test 1</b>: Close your eyes and try to visualize something you know well, such as an apple, your mother’s face, or your room. If you can’t see any image in your mind's eye, even after trying for several seconds, you have aphantasia.</p>
<p><b>Test 2</b>: Have someone describe their mental image in detail. The chart below shows where someone fits on the aphantasia spectrum. </p>
<p>It doesn’t matter what the subject is; all I see is pitch black (#5). I could stare at my laptop for five minutes, but the instant I close my eyes, no effort can coax it to reappear out of the darkness. </p>
<p>I can accept this fact, but I find it disheartening that I’m unable to visualize my Mum’s face now that 96% of people can easily do this with their loved ones.</p>
<p>These tests have become my latest ‘party trick.’ My friends are always amazed, just as I was, to discover the existence of aphantasia. And they learned something about me that they didn’t know before. (My other party trick is asking them to guess my blood type - hint: less than 4% of the population has it). </p>
<p>So far, I’ve found one friend who also has aphantasia - he was shocked. I also discovered that my youngest son is a member of this selective club. Research shows a <a href="https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/bitstream/handle/10871/120508/Phantasia%20Cortex%20revision%2031.3.20%20for%20submission.pdf?sequence=2" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">genetic component</a> to aphantasia, and there is a 21% chance your first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) will also have it. </p>
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<h2><b>Aphantasia and Memory </b></h2>
<p>One of the critical ways that aphantasia can impact a person’s life is through its effects on memory. Memory is a complex process involving encoding, storing, and retrieving information. There are several types of memory, including:</p>
<p><a href="https://memory.ucsf.edu/symptoms/memory#:~:text=Episodic%3A%20Episodic%20memories%20are%20what,with%20a%20friend%20last%20month." title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia"><b>Semantic Memory</b></a><b> - </b>our knowledge of facts such as your spouse’s birthday, how to use a phone, recognizing the names of colors, and knowing what a dog is.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/episodic-memory" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia"><b>Episodic memory</b></a> - our recollection of events in our past. Examples could be a memory about playing with a toy phone as a child, reminiscing about a family vacation, or remembering where you were when you heard the news about 9/11.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/autobiographical-memory#:~:text=Autobiographical%20memory%20refers%20to%20memory%20for%20one's%20personal%20history%20(Robinson,as%20where%20we%20were%20born." title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia"><b>Autobiographical memory</b></a><b> - </b>one’s personal history, a combination of semantic and episodic memory.</p>
<p>Episodic memory relies heavily on forming mental images often used as cues to retrieve information. Because people with aphantasia can’t create mental images, they have difficulty recalling past events and experiences. Aphantasia can also affect a person’s ability to <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/aphantasia-makes-it-harder-to-visualize-the-future-and-the-past-study-shows" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">imagine future events</a> and <a href="https://news.uchicago.edu/story/cant-draw-mental-picture-aphantasia-causes-blind-spots-minds-eye" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">remember faces</a>, making social situations more challenging.</p>
<h2><b>Aphantasia and My Stories Matter </b></h2>
<p>Looking back, I believe my aphantasia subconsciously inspired me to create My Stories Matter. To help me recall my life's autobiographical memories, I included various features such as Prompts, Cues, Timeline, and Collaboration. I hope other users find these features helpful, regardless of whether or not they experience aphantasia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Aphantasia and Learning</b></p>
<p>Rehearsal imagery is a learning technique often used by sportspeople to train. They simulate an experience by visually imagining kicking a goal or shooting a 3-pointer. Does that mean an aphant who cannot simulate an experience by visualizing it has a learning disadvantage?</p>
<p>Short-term memory task tests show that people with aphantasia still perform very well even though they don’t use visual imagery. They use different memory strategies to learn.</p>
<p>If you have aphantasia, you may need to experiment with different memory strategies, such as using photos, illustrations, or other visualization tools to fill the void. No wonder the Memory Palace technique never worked for me!</p>
<p>Somewhat surprisingly, aphantasia doesn’t interfere with creativity. People with aphantasia <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2044-8295.1979.tb02142.x" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">perform on par with people who can visualize images</a> in many tasks involving visual information. A 2003 study showed that the benefit of mental imagery is surprisingly small regarding <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315808795_Mental_imagery_and_creativity_A_meta-Analytic_review_study" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">creative thinking</a>. It certainly didn’t hinder Ed Catcall, the co-founder of Pixar.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"> </h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-a592562d-7fff-d1ee-078e-eeeb05bc5b7f">Thinking in Concepts, Not in Images</b></h2>
<p>Aphantasia is often described as a visual condition, but it's <a href="https://aphantasia.com/video/mental-imagery/" mental-imagery="" title="">multi-sensory</a>. Approximately 25% of aphants are like me. Not only is my mind’s eye blind, but my mind’s ear is deaf! Nor can I imagine the smell or flavor of coffee. </p>
<p>It’s difficult to explain how I experience the world. I can describe things but can’t ‘see’ or ‘hear’ them inside my head. I think in terms of concepts. </p>
<p>I just know what an apple looks like. I just know what my Mum sounded like (she spoke English with a Hungarian accent), even though I can’t hear her voice in my head.</p>
<p>That doesn’t sound scientific, but <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071355/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">studies</a> using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the brains of people with aphantasia have shown differences in brain activity compared to people without aphantasia.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/aphantasia-overview-4178710#:~:text=Aphantasia%20is%20a%20phenomenon%20in,minds%2C%20people%20with%20aphantasia%20cannot." title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">Another study</a> at the University of New South Wales investigated whether people with aphantasia could not form mental images or simply recall images poorly. Using a technique called ‘<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010945217303581" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">binocular rivalry</a>,’ they found that it’s not that people with aphantasia have poor recall—they have no such visual imaginings, to begin with.</p>
<h2><b>Living with Aphantasia</b></h2>
<p>Aphantasia is not a disease, so there is no ‘cure.’ It’s how our brains are wired and another example of human neurodiversity. </p>
<p>It may seem odd that I went decades before realizing I had aphantasia. I had assumed everyone was like me. When someone said, “Picture an apple in your head,” I took that as a figure of speech. I never imagined that other people could see something in their heads.</p>
<p>Also, people with aphantasia may not realize they have it because they’ve developed shortcuts and different strategies for processing the world. </p>
<p>Aphantasia has caused me some trouble over the years. My wife will sometimes bring up something I said many years before. To hammer home her point, she might mention the clothes I was wearing then. Because she can see such detail in her mind’s eye, she thinks I’m being recalcitrant when I profess my ignorance. I hope she’s more inclined to believe me now that I can’t remember.</p>
<p>Although my mind’s eye is blind, ironically, I have very <a href="https://aphantasia.com/video/mental-imagery/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">vivid dreams</a>. They are often in color and movie-like in quality. I’d be happy to see a grainy black-and-white image in my mind’s eye when I’m awake. Instead, I have an excellent working color TV in my head when I’m asleep and a wholly broken TV when I’m awake. </p>
<p>From what I’ve read, this might be explained by the different brain mechanisms employed for involuntary imaging (aka dreaming) rather than voluntary imaging.</p>
<p>Some people with aphantasia report having a heightened sense of other sensory experiences, such as hearing, touch, and taste. I can’t say I’m one of them, though. </p>
<p> </p>
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<h2><b>Benefits of Having Aphantasia</b></h2>
<p>While I would prefer not to have aphantasia, there are some <a href="https://ideapod.com/not-having-a-minds-eye/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">benefits</a>: </p>
<ol>
<li>Less likely to be troubled by negative memories or disturbing flashbacks</li>
<li>Less likely to develop anxiety after experiencing trauma or suffer from PTSD</li>
<li>Not having unwanted images, sounds, or music in one’s head</li>
<li>Less likely to be overwhelmed by grief</li>
<li>Good at processing information analytically and logically, which can be an asset in careers such as engineering or science</li>
<li>Easier to be present and in the moment</li>
<li>Higher ability to <a href="https://www.profjoelpearson.com/intuition" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">retain information</a> in the face of distraction</li>
<li>Less prone to daydreaming and, therefore, a better ability to focus on tasks requiring mental concentration</li>
<li>People with aphantasia tend to have a higher average IQ (115 scores compared to 110 for the general population)</li>
<li>Less affected by scary stories since they can’t be visualized</li>
<li>Lower sensory processing sensitivity; weaker reactions to loud noises, bright lights, and strong smells. (High sensory processing sensitivity may be related to some<a href="https://childmind.org/article/sensory-processing-issues-explained/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia"> </a><a href="https://childmind.org/article/sensory-processing-issues-explained/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">mental health issues</a>)</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Some Mysteries Solved</b></p>
<p>Not all the supposed benefits ring true for me, but some do. </p>
<p>In my youth, I backpacked around the world and had the poor timing to end up in Iran days before the start of the revolution. I’ve always felt good about myself for remaining relatively calm and rational during a particularly fierce battle at the Air Force base, where I taught English. The situation was so dire that several of the military personnel protecting us broke down crying. That was not reassuring!  </p>
<p>Perhaps my aphantasia helped me to logically analyze the situation despite the noise and chaos of bullets, grenades, tanks, and a helicopter gunship strafing the building I was in. Although it did take me a few years to decompress fully, my aphantasia also probably helped me deal with the trauma.</p>
<p>Knowing I have aphantasia has helped me understand why I’m a visual learner. </p>
<p>I often ask my staff to present drawings or prototypes to help me comprehend their ideas better. </p>
<p>During a backyard renovation project a few years back, I insisted that the designer show me 3D drawings instead of 2D ones. I even had her create a physical mockup for a large (and expensive) water feature. I must have seemed very demanding. In the future, I can explain why that extra work helps me.</p>
<p>I’m still discovering other ways that aphantasia may have affected my life. It just dawned on me that my peers could visualize the questions and possible answers when I was sitting exams in my school days. That would have been handy!</p>
<p>I read “The Lord of the Rings” as a teenager. In a conversation with a friend about aphantasia, I was stunned to hear she visualizes the fictional worlds created in books. </p>
<p>While trekking through Nepal's vast mountains and misty valleys during my round-the-world backpacking trip, I remember thinking, “This is what Middle-earth must look like.” Unlike her, I had to see something tangible to visualize what most people can do effortlessly.</p>
<p>Counting sheep can supposedly help you fall asleep. When I tried, I couldn’t visualize sheep, so I assumed this was a figure of speech. I still find it hard to believe that some people can picture sheep. I’m sure I will discover other things in the days ahead.</p>
<p>I’ve lived for many decades in blissful ignorance that I have aphantasia. I don't feel it’s impeded my life. However, I have to confess I’m pretty envious that most people can see and hear a loved one in their head. I wish I could do that with my Mum.</p>
<p>Try the above tests on people you know. Prepare to blow their mind - or yours!</p>
<h2>Remember with My Stories Matter</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">My Stories Matter</a> enables you to preserve your memories safely digitally. You can share them with others and even create a Life Stories Book as a keepsake or gift.</p>
<p>We are our memories. I hope that fellow aphants will find the many unique features of My Stories Matter helpful in overcoming the challenges posed by our condition. And, even if you don’t have aphantasia, I hope you will enjoy using our application.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Aphantasia" type="Aphantasia">Sign up</a> today for free.</p>
<p>And let me know if you’re also a member of the club!</p>
<p dir="ltr"></p>


My Mind’s Eye is Blind, is Yours?

Aphantasia: Simple Test, What to Do, and Surprising Benefits

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    <img title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="1" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202023-03-10T091315.553.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409361&amp;Signature=GdkSa8sjMdKxDkQ7lCl8qY94HqnPdZPVOaRvdgskW0d0F%2Fs9NBZOwgjs0bmAxaZp4ZkzaFx65WeVPpyoEGzlpwCz9zFJKPg%2BN%2BpaMnMUWFRyZvVyshMSQAVoHaYHHWIqnaW3%2BcN26%2Ben2Ld1pRG3E%2FbgKbkicqtc%2FEDQ60g1HuHm0XSLLEAjGWqUVrYFETTqsUMqlvsrIuRECFfcSbqMadNOTTLjcQrsv1LxHwZ%2BkTYuKQEz0FBOAUU47eVehfF%2FrkndosR13xZu3do8NCe%2B%2Bhv7Bih76No4QO%2Fd6ETG4Cf5t3g2Hn57mCcL4uIQVooGd38wHu2j7KqdZDy21IuvBw%3D%3D" alt="a newspaper full of sunflowers" />  </div>

  
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<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Losing a loved one can be a challenging and emotional experience. So <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/8-creative-ways-keep-memory-loved-one-alive" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">preserving their memories</a> and cherishing your moments with them is essential!</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">One way to do this is by creating a Celebration of Life Stories Book, which captures the life and legacy of your deceased loved one. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Keep reading to discover the benefits of a Celebrating a Life Stories Book and what to include in one!</b></p>
<p> </p>
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    <img title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="2" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202023-03-10T090206.940.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409361&amp;Signature=TW4d4Mx5%2BwzobkbfetJiHESyRZgAVjqVuuBq2fKHSJ0XXGxPsQCJjqlpLfeHJMKVkr1gy%2B4qPcv4Rf6nrZuQIzNbborY7Nd6VvvOMy0om3XzPfaaXmw8R%2BtvGoJyb1ILh6iRsuS4FWaVTTEetuFUn1uSzGzVBPv2pidQNtk1tg4q%2F%2BKk5AoEYUQ%2FW0s%2F1Nmtfy0iHiEPVkfRdiyhigrvj1w7yDbcM03aQcDiBzJNGEJ4Vq0z8xYdE5czHcMwRhw8MuLkbaPFTXn%2FnGgYMlT6cpBpo%2BbiFYKoFdVk%2BEZPG7oZKBKWbTMe%2F3V1v4uHFki4%2FBUcaGTQhdG3IPQ%2B1VnDUg%3D%3D" alt="person's shadow dancing in field" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"> </h1>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Benefits of a Celebration of Life Stories Book</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">A Celebration of Life Stories Book offers numerous benefits for honoring a deceased loved one, including helping with the grieving process, as <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301745124_Scrapbooking_as_an_Intervention_to_Enhance_Coping_in_Individuals_Experiencing_Grief_and_Loss" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">research</a> suggests. It allows you to express emotions creatively, reminisce on cherished memories, and create a meaningful tribute to your loved one's life.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Making scrapbooks using personal, symbolic artifacts has become <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301745124_Scrapbooking_as_an_Intervention_to_Enhance_Coping_in_Individuals_Experiencing_Grief_and_Loss" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">popular for people dealing with loss</a>. This ritual allows people to collect memories, providing comfort and a sense of closure. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Scrapbooks are also a great way to <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301745124_Scrapbooking_as_an_Intervention_to_Enhance_Coping_in_Individuals_Experiencing_Grief_and_Loss" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">connect with family and peers</a>. <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/sharing-memories--5-unique-ways-you-haven't-thought-of/" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">Sharing</a> your scrapbook creations can spark conversations and deepen relationships with your loved ones.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Scrapbooks can be an excellent substitute if you struggle with words. You can use images, colors, souvenirs, etc., to showcase their life or communicate how much they meant to you. Plenty of people use visuals to express themselves. Why are we still drawn to the Mona Lisa and Starry Night? After all, visuals <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1288746.pdf" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">stimulate memory</a>. </b></p>
<p> </p>
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    <img title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="3" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202023-03-10T090349.093.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409361&amp;Signature=fftABwSULENvzMUmJoa7nSvDpj%2FgaY15mRHjJ%2Bu5ecyaZmo8LKpslb5Y64Mh8ZCkZcU%2FSoOdtoH7sP2lqzXbS8%2Bne4vd%2BhEkESS12iHj0ZXM8L%2BqVDZauQqtE0bT4DNI%2BnNdeUTL9zIe%2FKI6jaXSiSc86hgkwytri5xd60YPdbikrTc%2BXG6jDSE%2BXRlqCACVYIz6jfA9LAfHFNYudJY19fPUddixuMTd7oCm0muNpx7x2y96hducKWyAvBgB7AnwhU47NJZ6w3NJe9tohrFM0joWOB0mfreImbMB2jEAnc2oltMCng5z5qNzpXTmW8dKGlmOsU7sKvbUhVmzc5sY1w%3D%3D" alt="an open scrapbook" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">What to Include in a Celebration of Life Stories Book</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">A Celebration of Life Stories Book can contain various items and information about your loved one. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">These include but are not limited to:</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Photos</b><b>: Include photos that capture your loved one's life. This could be pictures of them at different stages of their life, with family and friends, and doing activities they enjoyed.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Stories: Share stories about your loved one's life, such as memories you have of them or stories that others have shared with you.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Letters: Include letters that your loved one wrote or received from others—examples: letters of love, encouragement, or support.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Quotes: If your loved one had a favorite quote or saying, put it in the Life Stories Book!</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Artifacts: Include any necessary items for your loved one from their hobbies, collections, or personal belongings.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Genealogy: If your loved one was interested in genealogy, insert a family tree and any information about their ancestors.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Obituary: Have a copy of the obituary published in the newspaper or online.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Tributes: Ask family and friends to contribute to the book by writing tributes or memories of your loved one. These could be separate pages integrated into the book.</b></p>
<p> </p>
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    <img title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="4" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202023-03-10T090901.013.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409361&amp;Signature=IckzthwoxPs6FVXzcv89G6qU6KWt2n4jT4r19dR6L8f%2BdeU0AOFA5sUDdDzim13rXrsGku4Q4sn5etbg6FG6mC%2BlKR%2BZvh6KkgnZLMDPVzZBO4O1F95LSQq7USBO5JGUzf5vD4JjlJ%2FYMXmASOyAjTfFKb1R8lJR20CfoTKJoPFoMtWDgPt0wLiUOqaAJ%2F29iH8NcTyrnEBil84Q%2FHCA26GFTbXdVOKJONW2%2BRA6QndyLlYNaI3CgjFoANWuYevevwvmelxajAdurdawTf4xsOqpbChYhkS7q2WXg%2BfWbFVeRfKqR7vrLt4T4vbpNnnDMMYrqlRKKKA%2FJhUUsnWhKQ%3D%3D" alt="a bouquet of colorful flowers" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Make a Celebration of Life Stories Book on My Stories Matter</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Losing a loved one is a difficult time for everyone, and creating a Celebration of Life Stories Book can be a cathartic way to honor and cherish their memories. However, <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-create-a-life-stories-book%C2%A0/" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">making a Celebration of Life Stories Book</a> can be daunting. That's where <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">My Stories Matter</a> comes in!</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">My Stories Matter helps you create a digital or a physical Celebration of Life Stories Book. The digital option is perfect if you need more time or want a more professional-looking book. It allows you to collaborate with family and friends to add photos, audio recordings, and text, making the process more interactive and personalized.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">For those who prefer a tangible memento, My Stories Matter offers a professionally designed and formatted physical book. Printed copies can be ordered so everyone can have a copy of the book as a keepsake.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">With My Stories Matter, you can customize the book to reflect your loved one's personality and style. You can choose a design that honors their passions, hobbies, or favorite color. By doing so, you create a unique and meaningful tribute that celebrates their life. See an example of what your book might <a href="https://issuu.com/mystoriesmatter/docs/sample-book-issuu" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">look like</a>! </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-dac5102e-7fff-795b-3efb-d19e8a302814">Creating a Celebration of Life Stories Book is a beautiful way to <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-relive-a-memory/" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">remember</a> and honor the life of someone you love. My Stories Matter provides an easy and stress-free way to create a personalized book that will become a timeless family heirloom. <a href="https://book.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Celebration of Life Memory Book" type="Celebration of Life Memory Book">Get started</a> today!</b></p>


A Celebration of Life Stories Book

<p> </p>

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    <img title="family memories" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="2" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202023-01-30T123604.596.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409361&amp;Signature=fqewQbGKhkmZNO9Ep2O0uIkBBIuHn8F1YFN9jiM%2Bhc%2BhXl5H%2Fm%2Bm%2BjcilQpD3B9K2MF%2FwYdQq0ipaWo2ESAfEGiJZPWPoxawotQpTHOLlNJjEnRv%2F6vYaNWocHhX24NI3o7tFsYMO5li2LMHGF%2FD5%2Bo2nhT3AaGGsudynsA6beQ0LVyEKND5KuCy0a11QKe%2BE6OtK225Tv97wxoD%2BVzWQUlJhEWJvKEDGA1V2mfE2nLgugqkfoa2aCU%2F0YM28Ge67JYkfS1Mwdqm9p1%2Bot3cL%2BGw5JdBMvrVUTUsCmWIJ9CWPBSm4RvoUpd0wBQ%2Bh9XW7dcSYO1dmCQHa6ZDo06o5A%3D%3D" alt="family flying a kite" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">Family memories are some of the most precious things we have in life. They are the <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/5-tips-for-collecting-family-stories/" title="family memories">stories</a>, moments, and experiences that bring us together, remind us of our origins, and shape who we are. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">What better way to preserve these memories than by <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/4-reasons-to-record-your-life/" title="family memories">recording</a> them with My Stories Matter? My Stories Matter’s vast collection of prompts and easy-to-use interface makes it easy for the whole family to get involved. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">Here are the key reasons why creating family memories today is so important! Get ready to sit down with <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/preserve-your-grandparents%E2%80%99-memories-on-my-stories-matter%C2%A0/" title="family memories">grandparents</a> and <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/the-importance-of-recording-your-parent's-life-stories--how-my-stories-matter-can-help/" title="family memories">parents</a>, ask them about their past and life experiences, and piece together your family history puzzle. </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">Discover Your Roots </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">You'll learn more about your family and your place in the family. Recording and <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-relive-a-memory/" title="family memories">reliving memories</a> are integral to the process. At My Stories Matter, we design our platform to be supportive and empowering. <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/sharing-memories--5-unique-ways-you-haven't-thought-of/" title="family memories">Sharing your family memories</a> can be a powerful way to <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/7-fun-ways-to-connect-with-family-during-the-holidays/" title="family memories">connect with others</a> and inspire them to explore their family's past. </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">Keep a Personalized Family Life Stories Book </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">My Stories Matter's design service will make your <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-create-a-life-stories-book%C2%A0/" title="family memories">family Life Stories Book</a> look stunning. Our experienced writers and designers will work with you to create a beautiful, <a href="https://book.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="family memories">personal family Life Stories Book</a> that you can treasure for years. Once your family Life Stories Book is complete, you can share it with loved ones or even make it public. You can also print a physical copy of your family memories, where you can flip through the pages whenever you want and even pass it down to <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-write-your-legacy-story/" title="family memories">future generations</a>. </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">Preserve Your Family Memories on My Stories Matter </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">Recording family memories with My Stories Matter is not only easy, but it's also a ton of fun. For example, when your grandma tells you how she met your grandpa for the first time or when your family recounts a family vacation. These moments can live in the pages of your family Life Stories Book.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f9b7fb2c-7fff-106b-f111-ef69ba93c22d">What are you waiting for? Don't let your family memories <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/6-ways-to-prevent-memory-loss-(and-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-age)/" title="family memories">fade away</a>. Gather the family, <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="family memories">fire up</a> the My Stories Matter platform, and start recording them today! Trust us; your future self will thank you.</b></p>


The Importance of Creating Family Memories 

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<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">We all have special memories, whether when we went on our first date, the day we graduated from college, or when we held our new baby for the first time. These memories can bring us joy, comfort, and a sense of nostalgia. But often, these memories can fade and become less vivid as time passes. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Fortunately, there are three key ways to bring our memories back to life and keep them fresh in our minds, even if it’s the <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/8-creative-ways-to-keep-the-memory-of-a-loved-one-alive/" title="bring a memory to life">memory of a deceased loved one</a>. </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Write It Down </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">One of the best ways to keep a memory alive is to <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/7-must-have-tips-on-journaling%C2%A0/" title="bring a memory to life">put it into words</a>. Writing down the details of your memory can help you remember better and make it more vivid. If you need more confidence, write down as much as you can remember, even if it's just a few sentences!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Science even proves that writing down helps you <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614524581" title="bring a memory to life">retain information better</a>, such as <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sleep-helps-learning-memory-201202154265" title="bring a memory to life">before sleep</a>. So jot that memory down on your nightstand, journal, or sticky note, and let <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="bring a memory to life">My Stories Matter’s</a> expert memory platform do the rest! </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Share With Others </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Our memories are fragile and can fade over time. Another way to keep a memory alive is to <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/sharing-memories--5-unique-ways-you-haven't-thought-of/" title="bring a memory to life">share it with others</a>. Telling a friend or family member about a special memory can help you remember it better and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00220221211072809" title="bring a memory to life">bring you closer</a>. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Sharing a memory can also be a great way to connect with others with similar experiences and inspire them to share their memories. When we share a memory with someone, we share a part of ourselves with them, a therapeutic and enlightening process. </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Record It</b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">If you want to keep a memory alive for the long term, consider <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/4-reasons-to-record-your-life" title="bring a memory to life">recording it</a>. Writing or speaking about that memory can help organize and structure the information, making it easier to recall later. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">This can be a written journal, a voice recording, or a video, which you can reference later and is helpful for memories that may be difficult to recall, such as those from childhood. Recording memories preserve them for future generations. </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Bring Your Memory to Life on My Stories Matter </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6"><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="bring a memory to life">My Stories Matter</a> is the place to go! My Stories Matter allows you to document and preserve your personal stories, sharing them with family, friends, or the public. You can record your memories, thoughts, and experiences in a structured and organized way.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">My Stories Matter creates a timeline of events, allowing you to see your life progression and reflect on how you’ve changed over time. You can add photos and videos to your timeline and categorize your stories by theme and tag keywords. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc2a588e-7fff-d674-3fea-e470d034e7b6">Don’t waste any more time! <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="bring a memory to life">Bring your memory to life</a> today. </b></p>


How to Bring a Memory to Life


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<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">As our grandparent's age, it's essential to ensure their memories are preserved for future generations. Our grandparents have a wealth of knowledge and experiences, and their memories can give us a unique glimpse into the past. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">But as time passes, these memories can fade and be lost forever. Fortunately, here are a few tips on preserving your grandparents’ memories. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">Let’s go! </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">Ask Questions</b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">One of the best ways to preserve a grandparent's memories is to ask about their childhood, experiences during major historical events, or daily life. Asking questions can help jog our grandparent's memory and allow them to share their experiences with us.</b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">Record Their Stories </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">Another way to preserve a grandparent's memories is to record them. This can be a written journal, voice recording, or video. Recording their stories allows us to capture their memories and enjoy them.</b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">Share Their Stories</b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">In addition to recording their stories, it's also important to share them with others. Sharing a grandparent's memories with friends and family can help keep those memories alive and allow others to learn from and appreciate them. It can also be a great way to connect with others with similar experiences and foster a sense of community.</b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">Preserve your Grandparents’ Memories on My Stories Matter </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd"><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="grandparents' memories ">My Stories Matter</a> is an excellent resource for protecting a grandparent's memories. With its easy-to-use tools and secure platform, My Stories Matter makes it simple to record and share a grandparent's memories and stories.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-ed5965c7-7fff-c2d2-856e-f35fd9367bdd">By asking questions, recording their stories, and sharing them with others, we can ensure our grandparents' memories are preserved for years to come. And with the help of a platform like My Stories Matter, preserving these memories can be fun and easy!</b></p>


Preserve your Grandparents’ Memories on My Stories Matter 

<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">It’s that time of year again to reconnect and reminisce with family and friends! But are you tired of the same old routine? Are you trying to avoid those tense political debates between family members? </b></p>

<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">To create happy family memories, avoid strife and focus on similarities rather than differences. The end of the year is also a time of reflection and an occasion to reminisce about loved ones who are sadly no longer with us.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>We’ve compiled a list of creative ways to enjoy the holiday season with <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/5-tips-for-collecting-family-stories/" title="holidays">family</a> and <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/5-best-tips-for-capturing-life-stories/" title="holidays ">friends</a> while making more memories!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Have a Game or Movie Night</b></h1>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Want to switch up the usual football game ritual after Christmas dinner? </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Do something interactive for fun with the family. If you don’t have any board games, try charades. Any initial groans will turn into laughter in short order. Watch a holiday movie with popcorn and cocoa if no one's up for games! </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">A scavenger hunt or flag football are great outdoor options if the weather is nice.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc"> </b></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-19191" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Host a Bonfire</b></h1>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">A campfire in the backyard is a beautiful way to spend time with loved ones and make s’mores - washed down with eggnog, cider, or hot chocolate!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">This is an excellent opportunity to catch up with each other, and the warmth of the fire will create a cozy atmosphere.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc"> </b></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-19193" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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<h1 dir="ltr"> </h1>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Write Thank You Cards to Each Other</b></h1>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Thanksgiving might be over, but it’s always time to be thankful for family and friends. Have everyone write their reasons for being grateful this year on index cards, then distribute them. The host gathers the cards, saves them in a jar of appreciation, and reads them aloud again next year! </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">This makes it easier for everyone to see their personal growth over the past year, like an annual time capsule. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">  </b></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-19198" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="4" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-12-15T113105.570.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=QcnpT5r94ir3IUFgdHuo9hXl1od8Dp8o1tqFmPxGG3ySeAWJTvzlNl4Wj4wc5vkQwfHKL7RRTGwaPxAGIK5Br56Ot%2FQ%2FwhzrdPXbU14S%2Fu%2Fg9o1PE%2BfUpn8MuUymLtgvTu0h%2F4sWDAU0VPCWx%2BY%2FCwP%2FFtoGTUY%2FiDUpW%2BOSPN%2FWhZQqP8N6g4Hc82LtbMFzzbtbJwbHUarZ1AN0l9y3F7KHz0ilEb%2FSFVNvvVvvTw3X6oLr4lfXnF5vKvBJ9SNAecqkw%2Bpo%2FLlnSkUgE2oFlrUmAO%2BMo4NS%2BD4kBjiyJrPUktsdG6rW8ejYHFphkQweYH%2FuQPWpQ61ewlIZO62Kkw%3D%3D" alt="Family preparing food in the kitchen" />  </div>

  
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<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Cook Together</b></h1>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">What is better than preparing a holiday meal together? Bring out Grandma's old cookbooks and show the kids how to cook those heirloom recipes! As a motivator, provide an irresistible prize - such as a dessert! </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Or hold a friendly baking contest, an ideal approach to persuade your guests to pitch in and bring a sweet treat. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">  </b></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-19199" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="5" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-12-15T114443.978.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=M6ateiJwXxcrgkB9i1SaKPiPuh9zICi6%2BU41jz%2BCEfcj1qJxzQ7SOkgF9IybVIW3s5N1MnBpzM9GMUc8C98DhFV8%2FURsF%2FzmH8Fw%2Btv52U2DnRQSDeSbBLVDyT9rGs3szFO6hN5KGqBRUY%2FHufJRkMZtdTfF%2Fub%2FWVPAyMJ30loyzI49HjQXghXsIiLWQRaYqoO%2F9uzfb509sxd3lM%2BWCr5ckIyObnZOG%2FQnAfgVJbCiebw5vzY6tQmQFF3K%2F2cJ6V8ylDiTKriMfBSIBwegDhNZBaMazdNeZMh14x5OEY%2BJiaSK55%2FW0o1teVJEfO%2Bvudr0JML5DBnfk%2BXoNKyWHg%3D%3D" alt="A quilt" />  </div>

  
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<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Make a Memory Quilt</b></h1>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">While watching holiday-themed movies with caramel popcorn, create a family memory quilt.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Turn old clothes from your loved ones into a patchwork quilt as a daily reminder of the warmth they bring to your heart. Even if a family member has passed, using pieces of clothing from them will help<a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/8-creative-ways-to-keep-the-memory-of-a-loved-one-alive/" title="family and friends "> keep their memory alive</a>.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Not only will you be creating something beautiful, but you’ll also be preserving your family’s history for future generations.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">  </b></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-19200" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="6" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-12-15T114707.175.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=g7bryYP2WNnKEiFgaxW8aFRKM5h3MBAtPkIGUkH4OdMRipWCqc1SgZqhAFsj8tV94ADuSr%2BIB0Zgjk2IBXeYsSHYJCNIsw5TQGsKa5SUIQiiaPElbCJmJzdOu7y2M59EwQ6xANOr73I%2F4rlT0tvHSqc7YKevlfds%2FhbqhFViwWcgMvmOu7we3wp0jUdgmfW0BUQ6lmxeFb8f2UcjA0gCVLnoyA4JwI0FT5gJm6kErMzrIgC0RsGJoSflPfNiZZRzmQT%2BO0aihEE4iIw0k85oiUkXk%2BYIQyBORAjwh5GMaXI7Xl3%2F6sqclkdp7qJ6lFhrERDUKKm%2FQipBkCyJuUE4vg%3D%3D" alt="Person holding a journal" />  </div>

  
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<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Share a Journal</b></h1>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">With My Stories Matter, you and your family can collaborate to preserve memories of shared experiences. Create a journal about family vacations, birthdays, or other milestone events.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Use the collaboration feature to fill in the missing gaps of each person’s recollection or to capture different perspectives of the shared experience. You may find it enlightening to view family vacations through your children’s eyes!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">  </b></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-19201" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="7" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-12-15T114917.750.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=EHWnNG5F7e8Uffz8Hq5hnehH7wlowIudwz0rPIKPSmKj5GMoEAK9ErNz7SKAxERgCH3EKTCvUIrnq0LwXvOoDr95TRDNvrK3GqppYCcJA2%2FBYlQtthQLjFQpw3HdQAM5ZIcQj9zJrirHHTdpItFcwWCJ4dWA1JJZz95WHvPOGUOdXv5uv%2BMEDPxBxYh7ViXxBE7sUsLsTLqDtDkeZjHIrcYMETLSlWbwB8p2c2rf4EZAYA%2BYf2loEejXvSW6hWIMLWVSFzEhEuCZwPJ%2FSumsftF5urU6AIz8N8iMonceYTyrez3Ka6Izy6T%2Bhs4dclr4Wr6EI4IQlHIU2lh83cm7RA%3D%3D" alt="Old photos in a brown box" />  </div>

  
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<p dir="ltr"> </p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Start Making Memories Today </b></h1>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">There is no better platform to reminisce and share memories with the family than <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="family and friends ">My Stories Matter</a>!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Invite and collaborate with your parent, grandparent, or long-lost friend by sharing precious moments from the past. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">There are many ways to preserve family memories during this holiday season. For example:  </b></p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Ask family members to share their stories of a loved one on My Stories Matter. Then create a <a href="https://issuu.com/mystoriesmatter/docs/sample-book-issuu" title="Family and friends">Life Stories Book</a> and present it to them as a keepsake.</b></p>
</li>
<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Only you know the stories of your children’s early years. Preserve them before they are forgotten. Create a book of their childhood for them to enjoy and pass on to their children.</b></p>
</li>
<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Assist a loved one in remembering special moments from their past. Use the power of storytelling to bridge the generations and bring your entire family together. Ask them to tell you the stories behind their photos. Help grandparents (or anybody else) remember the past, reflect on their lives, and share their wisdom and stories.</b></p>
</li>
<li aria-level="1" dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">Document the history of your own family! You can do this by jotting down memories, capturing audio, uploading photos, or scanning your children’s artwork.</b></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-75d802b1-7fff-55fe-2aab-b92498ad14bc">We wish everyone happy holidays! </b></p>


7 Fun Ways to Connect with Family During the Holidays


<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Do you have many special memories you don’t want to forget, but nowhere to keep them? </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Whether it's a collection of photos and mementos from a trip or a catalog of your childhood memories, a Life Stories Book is a fun and creative way to keep those memories alive. There are <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/4-reasons-to-record-your-life/" title="memory book ">so many mental and physical health benefits</a> to logging your life. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">We’ve compiled seven essential steps that you can follow to create your very own Life Stories Book. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Let’s dive in!</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-771e110c-7fff-2164-4507-391d5c83e01c"><img alt="family memories" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/lt0wbsT8deHUHxrvO0VcIioljZw9zuASicwO7BsFsGIWUFPb0_y25AtBtgbOrVaxRF4RI38CVB51XGjUCzBzE-7Bt97Q8nyLu2qrTaOOUUTKmE4wIYK9lC70Bu1F57-MhBph1YF77D97U7ze7xWenKHHYy1WBilKid9huunIYBVYVGD-fqS3vRKccBPzJQ" /></b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">1. Gather Your Materials </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">First, you'll need to gather all the materials you'll need to create your Life Stories Book. This will include a scrapbook or photo album, scissors, glue or adhesive, and any other decorative items you'd like to use (such as stickers, ribbons, or glitter). You'll also need photos and other mementos that you want to include.</b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">2. Choose a Theme </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Before you start putting your Life Stories Book together, choosing a theme for your book can be helpful. This could be lessons you learned in life, annual family vacations, or the type of relationships or hobbies you’ve had. Choosing a theme will help you organize your book and make it more cohesive.</b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">3. Organize Your Photos and Mementos</b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Once you have all your materials, it's time to organize them. Try to sort your pictures and mementos chronologically so your book tells the story of your journey or event in order. Or, you could assemble it by theme, focusing on a different memory or topic. For example, a book about family vacations can be organized by destination. If you’re looking for a place to do both, join <a href="http://mystoriesmatter.com" title="Memory book ">My Stories Matter</a> for free. On My Stories Matter, we automatically collect your memories into a timeline and help you group your memories.</b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">4. Start Putting Your Life Stories Book Together! </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Begin laying out your photos and mementos on a flat surface, and arrange them to appear in your book. If you're using a scrapbook, you can use adhesive to attach your photos and mementos to the pages. You can slip your images into photo sleeves or slots provided using a photo album. </b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">5. Add Captions and Other Details </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">As you arrange your photos and mementos in your Life Stories Book, add captions and other details to help tell the story of your memories. Include the date and location of each image and any interesting stories or information on the memory you want to share. For example, add what you felt or what happened right before and after the photo was taken. This will help bring your memories to life and make your memory book more interesting. If you have black and white photos and want them colorized for free, upload them to memory on <a href="http://mystoriesmatter.com" title="Memory book ">My Stories Matter</a>.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-5f2a801c-7fff-0f6a-d5bd-3c49075161f1"><img alt="Boy in photograph " src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/qPD3zAr1RQSXjNkgFy4dnPmO94wLrBSCc-3iz_GyeYPaS0qvcCtnkujgi-hVZ4qXG8Ds9OaN46IEUm6SPHWzH464pUG31j5GsSb8Z43q5d38AF2WsCIgB6dMxH_WsC5aO222XjuSGlA3l0tLji4NKxC33baRQ0fo3hhYr4lrC2RBZ6iR7Qc0n4twCB9tJw" /></b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">6. Review and Make any Necessary Changes </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Now, take some time to review and make any necessary changes. This could include rearranging your photos and mementos, adding or removing any elements, or making other changes that will help improve your book. Once satisfied, you can consider it complete and ready to share with others.</b></p>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">Create a Life Stories Book on My Stories Matter </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">By following these steps, you can create a beautiful and personal Life Stories Book that you'll be proud to share with others. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab">But the best place to do this is in <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Memory book ">My Stories Matter</a>, where you can record your memories and life stories for free and get a beautiful Life Stories Book designed. Once you publish memories on My Stories Matter, you can submit your memories to be made into a book. Our team designs the book and coordinates details with you via email. You’ll get to choose between cover options, hardcover vs. softcover, paper quality, etc., to fit any budget range. You only pay once you approve it, and we’ll send it to one of our partner print publishers. You don’t have to do anything but record your memories, submit them, and we take care of the rest! <a href="https://issuu.com/mystoriesmatter/docs/sample-book-issuu" title="Memory book ">See</a> a sample of what yours could look like!</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1451199a-7fff-195d-e7d9-1babf28636ab"><a href="https://book.mystoriesmatter.com" title="Memory book ">Start creating</a> your Life Stories Book today! </b></p>


How to Create a Life Stories Book 

<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18674" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="1" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2892%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=mx%2FfYjiMk5qE6OOlfrX1y7%2FiLL1P6gOpHTdC98gzOJ%2FVaUCcWSvuJDlmM5Kbg2o7Ljd4k82Owq3JWqnXOpptDCd1LjroIvy2Lpwfi0QWpV0lvgdM0Qw8hrl5GKtj9UZhy2d9aFlHtPoV6adwPIzrlhRmalI3MbzzL6%2F%2Br45HDOJ6DAER9PityxK%2BFYQsJAwmuPyQcYD76NkEoHVQiVV1PuYWzOUTzGTWONDlO%2Fhea5HGC2%2FNSNWXgz2jOCjnEZCa0PBGDAxYXQZD%2FTWzBlV%2FV94AQM2%2Fd2Qp7uzuZFL9CXP%2FN17VtxUzKK40pUpuQw23nKcBroTeeNJMAyGiKSxC4Q%3D%3D" alt="Opened white book" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">When you get together with friends or family, do their stories make you laugh, smile, or cry? </b></p>

<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Stories bind us together and make life enjoyable. Albert Einstein <a href="https://www.kumon.co.uk/blog/if-you-want-your-children-to-be-intelligent-read-them-fairy-tales-if-you-want-them-to-be-more-intelligent-read-them-more-fairy-tales-albert-einstein/#:~:text=If%20you%20want%20them%20to,fairy%20tales.%22%20%2D%20Albert%20Einstein" title="storytelling">said</a>, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales.”</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">What do political campaigns, podcasts, and advertising all have in common? All of them leverage the power of storytelling. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Here are four interesting facts about storytelling: humanity’s most incredible and powerful tool. </b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="2" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2893%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=E7baclbeTuhjWrVAINvdWbBy17Pj%2B%2BYGmPa01DhFkRnIDIGmVZAnJaEyu6FALK2iJNFnI27K%2FMVSYALzTXAghnSKzFGInBzA8%2FyUjb8W%2Ff%2BJ%2FjWh9DuEkU2RrhbgUhObJ0ePIzhmH5w7A8tUGoQxNSX3hz48QAtX3%2Fpn6F7txVWO4nFNasP0%2BPcec%2FI9myEM9kdJuIfC9OIAj8QvIQirLQhC%2B9OU5q6gf9xpW8gTUPQ5A%2FJIIge%2FvOcQI3jKH1BgjeseCS1kW7xOtHh1yKV7G6KsSrznT1mqMQxJZCox7IXiUrMCOBX9%2FNgyoBH6BuPtL50QNVmKwTx8cMHmi1iHbQ%3D%3D" alt="Young woman with flowers in basket near fence" />  </div>

  
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</div></h2>
<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">1. Stories cause your brain to release positive neurochemicals</b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Storytelling is an excellent way to forge relationships. A group of UK researchers discovered that listening to stories caused <a href="https://hbr.org/2014/10/why-your-brain-loves-good-storytelling" title="storytelling ">people to produce oxytocin</a>, a neurochemical linked to feelings of love and empathy. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">The quickest way to connect with a stranger is to share a personal story. The more oxytocin is released, the more we internalize that story. When we listen to someone else's experience, we also live it. Why else do we treat our favorite fictional characters like real people?</b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="4" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2896%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=DWo2hb0LEL%2FtUSjdo3XZzOHC3a3b5II7pDosqjKEa9JrxuO4uIR1zeMa2o3iZ2kmEzyT3o1POT7fzDoGzvOaNRKawb86aK6bEgEv%2Fc%2Bbv3%2FL5xpVHDuK4uWaF%2B7iy7QkeeUWmATR9pbJKClSf%2F8jeVaNCa6pGsG9JrubaXZf%2FiMyByFsJWc%2FGCk2WsaCUmAm7LlQERPT%2Fix8l8YDNIxNOGmc%2FsgQ12qujPNLs3WPMe%2Bz07v4GxVbS0TKQwwvJ0VXqXYgTC%2FcDNJKDQU%2FwvbRyLwcFHN8DwF4kAATpiFGe%2BJeisiZ7cvai5gli7wrLBzHqF7f0fAa9NHgzihEQMEiFg%3D%3D" alt="Girl in Pink Long Sleeve Shirt Holding White Book" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">2. All of us are storytellers</b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Storytelling is in humanity’s DNA and found in every culture. The delivery mechanisms have changed over the millennia, from the Epic of Gilgamesh etched onto clay tablets to the oral traditions of the ancient Greeks, the printed word, and digital technology. However, our desire to tell our stories and to connect with others has remained constant.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">What did you and your friend talk about today? Storytelling accounts for<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-secrets-of-storytelling/" title="storytelling "> 65% of our daily conversations</a>. Most of your discussions involve a fun gym experience, interaction with coworkers, and vacations. Our minds tell stories even at night when dreaming. </b></p>
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">3. The majority of Hollywood films have the same basic plot </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">The "hero's journey" is a narrative structure in most popular movies. Scientists believe this <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain" title="storytelling ">story form is profoundly ingrained in our collective consciousness and may have been a tool for our forebears to foster morality and trust</a>. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey" title="storytelling ">The hero's journey</a> is a popular narrative archetype or story template. The protagonist embarks on an adventure, learns a lesson, triumphs with that knowledge, and ultimately transforms before returning home.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">This can directly be applied to real life, as well. You are the hero in your journey through life. What stories can you share about the challenges you have overcome and how you have grown, such as the lessons you have learned, where your journey has taken you, etc.?  </b></p>
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">4. Storytelling is timeless </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Storytelling predates human language. The earliest humans shared information and made sense of their world via storytelling. You may find instances of this old-fashioned method of communication in the Lascaux caves. The early Homo sapiens who lived there used murals to tell stories.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>The earliest story </b><b id="docs-internal-guid-64803229-7fff-1d93-8253-d4e19427c08d"><a href="https://www.getty.edu/news/where-did-writing-come-from/" title="storytelling ">ever recorded</a> </b><b>was penned in 3,400 BCE! The "</b><b id="docs-internal-guid-10eee2a8-7fff-72e5-8dba-3905331b08eb"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Gilgamesh" title="storytelling ">Epic of Gilgamesh</a>,"</b><b> an adventure-filled narrative about a monarch named Gilgamesh, described as a one-third man and two-thirds deity, is the oldest known work of literature. As told throughout twelve clay tablets, he embarks on a conventional hero's journey, killing monsters, mingling with the gods, and looking for the secret of immortality. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Gilgamesh mentions a great flood that is considered to be the antecedent of the story of Noah’s Ark. Similar stories exist in Indian and Aztec cultures.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Even variations of the Cinderella story have been <a href="https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/resources/multicultural" title="storytelling ">retold hundreds of times throughout history</a>!</b></p>
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Storytelling on My Stories Matter</b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Experience these four facts of storytelling by writing your own! Share the stories of your hero's journey through life on My Stories Matter, or be inspired by the stories from your family, friends, and other members!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Relive your time spent traveling abroad or visiting your grandparents. Share your reflections about a foreign culture or a life lesson you learned. My Stories Matter keeps all your cherished memories safe and accessible.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">What memories and wisdom do you want to pass on to future generations? Relive your time spent traveling abroad or visiting your grandparents. Share your reflections about a foreign culture or a life lesson you learned. My Stories Matter keeps all your cherished memories safe and accessible.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Share your stories with the meaningful people in your life. Use our unique collaboration feature to co-write a shared memory and capture their perspectives or fill in any missing gaps. The storytelling never ends! </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-82ed3f29-7fff-db18-14ab-702d84cfc661">Preserve the stories of the people, events, and experiences that shaped who you are. By revisiting the past, you can discover more about yourself.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-ec6cd453-7fff-ec80-123a-04a7e6d58bbc"><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="storytelling ">Sign up</a></b><b> for free today and start storytelling! </b></p>


4 Surprising Facts about Storytelling

<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18659" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="1" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2878%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=o1NKM9joyCkeTLhoNarZhSYbgmdSpCyQsUZeX3Cn087A0MuIsaxKxSv4ryEy6wchc5PnEOMMkVVhqAPmLb8DWN0fJFP4uNYbucM0rqja0aaNomBcGERcvRsp%2BVNdJli5wxuEI5EG6egP%2FI%2Fj%2BzYn%2B9FgSqwOPHhab3KmODJVC2yI3fTSmioWWIve8bbi6weEsBeRfaEAq0BmOZyhhNRVEDWpDYzFKkY%2FPJ%2Fqiu%2BnxbkZQX0CJuA9ry7aHC7RYvd48z034fOYhdK8cR6%2BUVJjUGyVRsnORJ%2B%2BtkSZEwFrkf8tyBa6xxZ6enyUHF5VdsCBmnXkYzNohpE4v1dK%2FE0UXQ%3D%3D" alt="person holding baby pictures" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Are there just some memories you don't want to forget? </b></p>

<p><b>We’ve all been there. While remembering everything isn’t possible, there are activities you can do to help prevent memory loss. That summer ice cream cone in the park, that family reunion in the mountains, your first kiss doesn’t have to fade into oblivion. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Keep your mind fresh with these six foolproof, easy actions!</b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="2" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2879%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=eujfKu6BXJ7izwD5Xs9a%2FtEvwEdgtqgpxzXUMQ%2F1jAmiV2RuKIIQVrTSosgGiR9bDihrzyj1qUeH0jckw1xskgS37DPCMS6tW2h4TX869oh5fpN%2F1tmz10wHYtARNgMm9%2FYe3YTGknLNfGVVcKSKdQUNBSgPDcifALVVtIRR3T5t%2FfxyV0LeXkWiy73fBrRIqoK4FipcnUsBKgfaB9lvEye0rCr2iglXBZz9t%2FN5%2BsAhzrKnNjodDUUbNK%2BYk2%2FMaNp3CZRt3fPbFqMKQFCzLHvWdMM6jjfqtkfKOnuW1%2BImHCikYA7ugZcY2ihWx6Is6bcw2bLx168iL6KDbzm7Uw%3D%3D" alt="Man running on beach" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Exercise </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Exercise keeps blood flowing through your brain, not just your body, keeping your memory sharp. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic exercise, such as jogging, spread throughout the week.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">If you don't have time for a full workout, squeeze in a few 10-minute walks a day! Exercise apps are a great motivator to track how much you work out.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Numerous studies have demonstrated that exercise may<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5091051/" title="memory loss"> boost the release of neuroprotective proteins and enhance the growth and development of neurons</a>, both of which contribute to better brain health—a lower risk of dementia linked<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32342466/" title="memory loss"> to regular exercise in midlife</a>. </b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="3" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2878%29_0.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=KJSooUN0DWNP%2B9wHeUakzQOmTu3OdFPeUqCiwv%2FQt7RlT1OGSqqXcWaMqph4D%2FdEz%2BmCDYMaKlSttMN5a82bYmtVW7%2BvMBFBFE11HI8KsNCAVjZHZzxF7F89r5RfBvIfYVyU4PtZ0Br6%2BlNhEMrwqlw9LdzkQiWy9EZJLoPxxNdXHFBetYaII%2FyxXdFui2NArlRj63smMUixzJdSTL2WCl9Q%2FqiLj91EjsCKTibacnzN7hygZ96f%2BBUFByUUetJP5AgGZ%2FCML7gPPMFerxFXEB8QwqRrZuoJcWwQ9hWVA%2BdFjyDSfupygakxvIKNPveKfP1%2Fe9W6%2BNZoufX0fY%2BYmg%3D%3D" alt="student taking exam" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Challenge your Brain </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Similar to physical exercise, mental exercise is just as important! Mental stimulation keeps your brain engaged and healthy, keeping memory loss at bay. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Try something you’ve never done before! Whether it’s crossword puzzles, playing chess, cards, scrabble, musical instruments, learning a new language, reading a new book, joining a book club, or doing charity work. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">For example, research involving 42 people with moderate cognitive impairment discovered that spending 8 hours per week for four weeks playing games on a brain-training app <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5569993/" title="memory loss">improved performance on memory tests</a>. </b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="4" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2880%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=AiyEy%2FqnVl1urlACCBGdAzu3CnAN2HprTT1NcAMp7%2BKno1y9o5SonIm5eCJi4UuIRxkTe%2BN8ifOgytexE6zFQqFyMfDIMBxQ%2F4sVMvP%2B23bqAWGg4%2F9ZBO9nv0pY4lJRj18lArfykVDH9lLz4ymAjI8eNPWOQpYCmy0b6y2BUqvr4cubDf%2BHvGQUuIEY3ZSbPsHtZ%2FTxb%2FK095RzgVKX7MpqjTlIhMzif9ufoiBFvjDrEF%2FLUx4AM2iCELZ0oKeCfZsbVKnuCsxdfwvbGJcBSgUg4C7LX8pB7Lgn1cciNy9NuI7Icuu1nO190QonvfBRm0teu6T43sVIXBq7IJl%2Fkg%3D%3D" alt="Student taking exam" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Socialize </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Social interaction helps ward off depression and stress, contributing to memory loss. Those stimulating conversations with friends and family keep our minds engaged and challenged. Therefore, look for opportunities to get together with loved ones, especially if you live alone. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a"><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="memory loss">My Stories Matter</a> is a great place to collaborate with friends and family! However, hanging out with friends or family is not always possible due to the current times. As time goes by, details might get blurry. Work with family or friends to fill in the blanks or ask about their memories of a shared event.</b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="5" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2881%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=nfdyd6uKsuwYesVfI5OYGKsIh0VO%2Bjl5FCCxNfz5gRwSStX410z7oDVkgfWNu6SNzwEhXx3w%2Bh46x9dhnyA0HwNSFjpem%2FnVlHNhU5VO%2BQgJZaaa2%2Byi%2Fi8WP4npa4UopLopPD%2BEAFY5SBoLHZbG5Bp6RX6IA38LHRC8kLIJiAdOPvFKV%2BLFEilzY0WmL02%2B0IOb7PESTSXYwO26shHN%2BeU37dXPOIzvRKZfK4WhRkcvtR%2Bz95L%2FjmWfCJunBkeVwGtrCJLMZk9nR3XAf1mUCamRn2ot5W4kwJin7Y0T%2F0gfGzwLlcYK%2Fmih8vpRl0rufus4VIKJzTC5aa3DKSMSqw%3D%3D" alt="sleeping man" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Sleep Right</b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Memory consolidation, the process through which short-term memories are turned into long-lasting memories, critically depends on sleep. Adults typically require <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4434546/" title="memory loss">seven to nine hours</a> of sleep every night. Inadequate sleep causes memory loss.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">A study examined the impact of sleep on 40 kids between 10 and 14. One had training for memory tests in the evening, followed by testing the next morning. The memory tests showed a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3413705/" title="memory loss">20% improvement in performance</a>. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">In addition, nurses who worked the night shift had <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3413705/" title="memory loss">higher rates of arithmetic mistakes and worse memory test scores (68% lower) </a>than those who worked the day shift. Your brain can analyze the day's events and create memories as you sleep. </b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="6" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2882%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=lRbeMAISwUXT28wSYDngCqhirmd7CBgr7mz%2FxEH6r0mNolHjRERUwmu8%2BXQEB2aG8%2FSJbQ8V4%2B7i9XX3FsJ%2F8Y5sN4xp4pQ9kPE2vvCWEJz779LqpbAeFnJogwtNyx%2F4HDf4fR1%2BrLKM9KJMMTdgyZsUzKo33ORbtw3ln0dQv2BRYdnAc0PI9uBhTiIYx%2FA%2F6PqAbS%2FMPSM5bFKjYW79Dx%2FQ6VYwjHVet7BO5gOcrFxB2jJ0elNE%2Bx%2Fbz64V1eQS4CZz6KkQPRAMBt%2BFWHIj71EcsruphYmHQu6p0dpMnGCG93x3pPMo6CRClbaiiGE9aZOKa0QfNaM6nFR2D5AXDQ%3D%3D" alt="woman meditating" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Meditate </b></h2>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Your health will benefit in a variety of ways through meditation. Research has shown that it <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4895748/" title="memory loss">may lower blood pressure, lessen tension and discomfort, and even help with memory</a>. People’s short-term memory <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24571182/" title="memory loss">may be improved by meditation and relaxation approaches</a>. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">For instance, one study found that Taiwanese college students who practiced mindfulness and other forms of meditation had <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4657094/" title="memory loss">significantly better spatial working memory than those who did not</a>. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Mindful Meditation is associated with an overall <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5289973/" title="memory loss">improvement in psychological well-being and a decreased risk of age-related cognitive decline</a>. </b></p>
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="7" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2883%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=nd2ULnY0c7fSNAOfbPHKhrGGjn4JIlQiN7qFoIVoM5sKIy5fqKYE9Drr9SN6tvbHt56Tdrg%2F3dR2URTcJ%2BoFU5L7aswn7reL%2Fu4NeNKDpoVyIKNOBx1JxxBADUmaS0%2FKhRPKW%2BRsa8AgOZaT4smstV0c%2BQZcOP28Y3o6jE7%2BAutNVHq25BeYIBAslAKXQE%2FraKuc5ijJIgtyg3i3GKdYjM5l9M10RCSVqQbJyEe%2FKIKtGXR2%2FG3Y5JQ%2BALN0yLn1oEjKwa3Tc83Ki5AmQvvR2V7d3rJCMBCfrOV4LpkjMQgx9JMXdeQoVX1wkC%2BGviu399ZgHc4S%2FwLUpDL%2B9RMvZA%3D%3D" alt="cooking veggies" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Eat Healthy </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Although you might only associate healthy food with benefits to your heart and waistline, your brain also benefits greatly. Obesity can alter the brain's genes connected to memory, which has a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4728728/" title="memory loss">detrimental impact on memory</a>. Inflammation and insulin resistance, which can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5317178/" title="memory loss">damage the brain</a>, are further consequences of obesity.</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">What you eat influences your memory. For example, according to a new analysis of nine research involving more than 31,000 participants, people who eat more fruits and vegetables had <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5293796/" title="memory loss">lower odds of cognitive decline and dementia</a> than those who eat fewer healthy foods. </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Reducing your sugar intake benefits both your memory and general wellness. A diet high in sugar links to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26970578/" title="memory loss">lower brain volume and memory problems</a>, especially in the portion of the brain that maintains short-term memory. More than 4,000 participants in another study discovered that those who consumed more sugary drinks like soda had, on average, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28274718/" title="memory loss">smaller overall brain sizes and worse memory</a> than those who consumed less sugar. </b><br />
	 </p>
<p dir="ltr"></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18666" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="8" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2884%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=kCD5y9i1%2BqXAG78UVJmSJMWnKFKhEp9cbJlzPE2eqVFjSewnDtUAHeT4kEv%2FvWENS%2Ba96i64pP5xGsgbLdhBvBfjZ4ztWlnm37nbhF2HYlSATjYw2CUibYkdyB9%2B96Y5yZZqupIOacWjZzt0ifZ9s3SZNutpTdqhO6Srv62kBwWpbZDudBY5264zzkiDmsb3RM7buiyUlUOAhkA0T1KG435tWp6RY44roiMAOdZkeTVanDDnEQNI%2FxtLh8GfZdMScsIwLeE3GPZuEwphc0DJvftd8c4txOpVQOPuFpwdV7TOPU76CWBWV5Ft6UV45N%2BmTxdsQDWpyazmP0dAxCGtBw%3D%3D" alt="girls sitting in a tree" />  </div>

  
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<h2 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">My Stories Matter Here to the Rescue </b></h2>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a">Try incorporating these scientifically proven strategies into your daily routine to improve your memory today!  </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-466152ce-7fff-335d-0f11-300ef7d0ec7a"><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="memory loss">My Stories Matter</a> is custom-built to help with memory loss. Remember to capture memories while they are still vivid; your future self will appreciate them. <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="memory loss">Sign up</a> for free today! </b></p>


6 Ways to Prevent Memory Loss (and It Has Nothing to do With Age)

<h1>Sharing Memories: 5 Unique Ways You Haven't Thought of </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-16399" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="1" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2850%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=oJ3OLh6Ej4y1g%2BkczvLHoXZAvop5Dlka%2BUCtLdgcKzAEVf2lsIezFT9TB37RaAb3igU8AhI%2F%2BM4q8gwYhhcKEj%2B5MRf1UVY%2FLL2LubR%2FfD5cTFyHgmiH1YoJOIjz0sjpNKvBXnJ%2FEVGaOYb2F7iX6ovOAKFb0t1KGR9dQns9sbXCQrls0%2F5ko5lMh8R7VAS%2BzRoYO%2BxOePwDZgojl8MspBrvO7Om4QTlWD2kAUasCM8YfV2XOZ%2Fi22u7ZBGfWFRQ47lgNXUlqCLjzoN0R1GqRAJox8QvTPWOJtzLEJYiHVzJoreeMUrMZSHqepEMX0FHF8e7Kv%2BYVk1m%2Bzn5Evb1%2FQ%3D%3D" alt="Photos" />  </div>

  
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	In need of some fresh, exciting ways to share memories? 
<p>Perhaps you want to keep specific memories alive in your family or friend group, and just talking about them or scrapbooking isn’t enough. </p>
<p>You’ve come to the right place. </p>
<p>After all, research shows that sharing specific autobiographical memories leads to more <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00220221211072809" title="Sharing memories">closeness within relationships</a>. </p>
<p>Without further ado, here are five unique ways to share memories with friends or loved ones. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Recreate Childhood Photos </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-16400" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="2" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2851%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=BzCNCrPi5sjXvCUUNzDs9LtNzRo4fp4Qo22Ih7ZLFZiyVIyIjLA67JeW0CqRXlkjp8Ow2dRPLAzmv1ou4oVQGbw7fLRy%2BxRZOXWnS%2BIxyHoHV5c0HGXyHSY41BTIJG7ax3Icauc0nBmnYWrtPr6H0KIbzqOAIKvHU5q6PN0Tgiyx1FMt5OhW1JAi6eYaQrq6a3fh1aTCXd8KftP3YEEUjxlE8trvnnOqIAxuinf3Hwyh9dE165qCMLfOsXsPtlAPVpoN2Jb1HDNAwMSHkz8M5n4BHA8VjvW96zhbZfIUigiW4AxpTLKOE4y0dLq8tu5PU9PUkUI397dAixseqJeHtQ%3D%3D" alt="old photograph" />  </div>

  
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<p>Gather your family together to take the same picture in the poses you did in your old favorite photograph. As the kids recreate the same pose, you’ll see how much they’ve grown. The difference will be wild! </p>
<p>You can also turn this photograph into personalized home decor, decorative pillows, a blanket, a gallery wall, canvas print, <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/8-creative-ways-to-keep-the-memory-of-a-loved-one-alive/" title="sharing memories">a photo book</a>, etc., so you’ll be constantly reminded. </p>
<p>Alternatively, you can share photos with your family and friends on <a href="https://mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Sharing memories">My Stories Matter</a> and tell the story behind them.</p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Journal </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-16401" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="3" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2852%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=cYuolXTBYnh2Qm1IcqQJjWEC0Fqqri7Utiil2ZAXkRPxiGCgE%2BnKiXrBTINoCe3Zn1rM%2Fqsvz4MZ6FGwx3AFrYw3vbwbU%2FKbIJEQmJBrF8A4QjlYHZBXy3OEGs3fG5WryqH2SYDTvcjqROHDa9LVRlT9dplB4Zke2xXg%2FKrrZlY2An2dw0q8DnS7jOqd%2BaOqaW5zX7KM%2Bh%2FhXSBWlcQ0HDbEVBOWuAyLxzOuFhxBWG7kNMwgePBvOKa5sKjesayhUnmTRsijT4pv2f1eqO%2Bh234V9yyIWE0HHYDgh0OxGM1r6TPETJuSLOaIaSxwgqphLuRPNVwmX2rfV1tM27eyTA%3D%3D" alt="a journal" />  </div>

  
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<p>There are many <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/8-creative-ways-to-keep-the-memory-of-a-loved-one-alive/" title="sharing memories">cognitive benefits to journaling</a>. Write about various events you’re most fond of in a <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-relive-a-memory/" title="sharing memories">diary</a>, including the biggest adventures and challenges. Then share these memories with your family or friends on <a href="https://mystoriesmatter.com/" title="sharing memories">My Stories Matter</a>. </p>
<p>You’ll never have to worry about writer’s block either! <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="sharing memories">My Stories Matter</a> has prompts designed to trigger any forgotten memory. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Make a Time Capsule </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-16402" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="4" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2853%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=JgQ1DPSamzOpLjc%2BcjbH6qSacVHmfPlubBw2eXMiDyAjY3iJwpCxUYauIr%2BgVMvuC7I6Xc3FUN7UXWNldNkSBfj11XeF93iRons121UCV4DnUc7wB%2By5dJzq88D0Ptxf3XtKoAIx%2Btcg1c04hSozVNYUJuXqk0wn1OiL9yeoRUoYATQDAFtaP6MQTzaE7E%2F6JjXTVIpcIcsknVD5CFFkJb9BSAt1zKa211fh8J5Yr8mvkaTC1sXjKKl%2FxJrPaudc17ZeGeGvD39HRfKDirUwru3WoEZ2WILZDx3DotE0D%2FlowS0vo3kIeYx51%2Bb%2BpgSPFNcVPajlYlCJh4vI7pydIQ%3D%3D" alt="souvenirs" />  </div>

  
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<p>Mementos help <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-relive-a-memory/" title="sharing memories">bring back lost memories</a>. Create a family time capsule with special items related to that memory, such as letters, pictures, newspaper clippings, jewelry, CDs, etc. It could be anything at all. </p>
<p>Have everyone throw their favorite item in the time capsule, bury it and revisit it once a year or every five years to relive that exact moment in time. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Re-make Recipes </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-16403" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="5" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2854%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=aQeSTCChw2kPIKSkK4uC87KWKeK3upYeYA25SuH98kSRxEuQ2tzAFYyPCap5rOzxKL5AiDJXLDaQ%2FVCtg7Kd7innhz6UDN30f5duTYKd67VLqu%2FkTcC6A6V8FEbFSk3aU7BuBNDuuUWJqUMn03HZpmnPoF%2FwLxdM%2FxzrAvWEwgS1l0arlw3rJtOFE8ZsQFgbEJ58vwqnnm0Jh2%2Fs%2BOreiZp5MK%2BE48bM0mPX0aRn9eBfm%2FZDSWeqXjPFvR6QuaS9oZw%2BG35YyV13ZdDS%2BN9uBhss1eis%2FD1E%2FV8Pw5n3IM6UWvIm4MzvKyjmggMwAfNW3WDpBxqbyZV1mwNjum1p9Q%3D%3D" alt="cooking eggs" />  </div>

  
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<p>Was there a favorite family Thanksgiving dish? Or perhaps it was a blackberry pie you enjoyed baking with your best friend on a warm spring afternoon. Cook the recipe again with that special someone! </p>
<p>Afterward, take a photograph of the dish and share the memory with them on <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="sharing memories">My Stories Matter</a>, where you can both talk about how it felt cooking again, how the <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/scent-of-a-memory-and-the-proust-effect/" title="sharing memories">scents took you both back</a>, etc.</p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Play or Listen to Music </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-16404" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="6" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2855%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=PUFUFOEoH07nxcF8M1OlPlHTGfuFWy2jN5l1FLgfXpNsV%2BIrd7T3CzxSxI%2FnmzXVMchYnr%2F5qI4RIEgKV2Jo4EaaQPykaeHndcBlrFQRPMcm5rgHAEHW3XIiCNl5mVfMDu7vsbYTCMGp4tocsW7En3KFv%2BsvZ7hnbV4W227Ik0QyOvtwNCBdmys8WbzA7AVlXXcVGKHYeDkvwScOmmf5o%2FH0p6k8%2B4ioA85kbvaXsK65tFBIorKBzxg2HcCmk22ijBQdjH82ELDC6ahGzHycB2V%2FZRjnScQC6bvBjY8cJMzHpeUugWbASeb4c791GZhfEMqq64bgxiVZC3t3nOi5sw%3D%3D" alt="vinyls" />  </div>

  
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<p>Was there a song associated with a particular memory involving someone else? Cue that same song to <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/tapping-into-memories-with-music/" title="sharing memories">transport them back to the past</a>. </p>
<p>There’s a lot of research on <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/how-to-relive-a-memory/" title="sharing memories">music’s powerful influence on memory</a>. Listening evokes memories. If you’re a musician, play a childhood song to the family. <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="sharing memories">My Stories Matter</a> provides contextual music or ways to upload that song to your memory page. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Share Memories on My Stories Matter</h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-16405" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="7" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2856%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=P6efjm6BFPGrxLutB13KFy5JrR5W7EzQQdLHm6brhXU2h9fVFqsDSJOsLuMNFw6pfZqxSCgiCcT7KK1NjElMnoUGKgYc23l6qQ2aWrxBWlLw%2FFKOkj2SdkmInP8nv84Xr%2BtmghRXYoeESIcqzIIxZGoKsbOxikntxWqiFJswObhf0VK8Tq3kCS5sKi07Mrq0pUeoClQsWnR%2FYUu2FsDrgfNFg98Nkg5yec7EaoXjMXLFXO0mvA8ej%2F%2BOR057rZhZBSlZZyief2LspT0u5EN5RiZimK%2F3Vt11t0ZfptBes5KEKNTIE4Zdfs1T8Q8xdIj5V5kuXMtnLLuirP82inATLQ%3D%3D" alt="a photograph" />  </div>

  
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<p><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="sharing memories">My Stories Matter</a> lets you share memories with your loved ones through our collaboration feature. </p>
<p>This feature allows you to invite anyone you want, so it’s just the two of you reminiscing about that memory, unlike other social media platforms which broadcast and sometimes steal your fondest stories.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="sharing memories">Start sharing</a> memories today!</p>


Sharing Memories: 5 Unique Ways You Haven't Thought of

Updated 01/20/2023

How to Relive a Memory

<h1>8 Creative Ways to Keep the Memory of a Loved One Alive </h1>
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    <img style="height: 384px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="1" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2814%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=LY0LCpqFLD2j2dumdl3Z8GydgvZVQjP8st8XmFavuECsGOHzO33BbAhMkuzwWCfeUcr1HmNqxctGUqvlnt4g55rXEOH4w5UiitQEeieNQTtFSB%2B3%2B2Il9KbmOuaJswHhsfPhdfq%2BYzDkVPOh7c8rC6unI3gc23RD1WtknNB%2B79c4UEqPXRv2rnkZIMedoqMmChAbK3my%2B10U%2BK%2BKmDBGahzarA5BfcvgAauncCa3rTNJ895WweRiZLrzB%2FvtdRTVzOP2M6HXHOeiIRvgp3mS5hXIXbxzasbk8XKdsiXRnFl%2BZ2%2BZXg4OZrbJ%2BnQKeeRCRm9RGU2%2BfqaD2J6l4u1Pog%3D%3D" alt="Old house" />  </div>

  
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<p>Contrary to what you might think, grieving is not a linear or even a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5375020/" title="Grieving is not a five stage process">5 stage process</a>. There is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0030222816673489" title="No timetable for grief ">no timetable </a>for grief because not everyone copes with tragic events the <a href="https://www.public.asu.edu/~iacmao/PGS191/Resilience%20Reading%20%231A.pdf" title="No one mourns the same way">same way</a>. You deserve to find your unique way of grieving beyond the traditional funeral.</p>
<p>One study found that one-third of people most directly affected by a profound loss will <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1112778/#B2" title="People suffer over the memory of a loved one">suffer physically and mentally</a>. But despite this, loss can still <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1112778/" title="Loss can still foster maturity and growth">foster maturity and personal growth</a>. </p>
<p>For example, it’s essential to find ways to focus on the love and warmth your loved one’s presence brought to your life instead of the sadness their loss may cause. There are fewer painful ways to keep the memory of a loved one alive than visiting their resting place or flipping through old photos. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Have a Memorial Release </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15351" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="2" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/allison-louise-xABgmlX4ABE-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=hsG9JeWgptOLZkanYFl4nanVOJuq%2FGeWSleCLhUjS3tmmSQNb54%2B8vBeXqclKs0vkUn9KRCmTQcV82l3ZafxkU5wdFcsXR8Xf7g0HKzpedpcM9A1oRAD%2BhdvKZwgdcOBZv9aAuqxvEwPo%2BWUp%2F8WpaCb2sGd%2B3Ym%2BmAG4uLeqJhrWXf3oOJ2qCSNXUalqhl08X8kzdoPiAdg8s4WIvfthSUh11ibobTOE%2FAnh7nVa3FwuuCvxVWERnWgLf9RsquD2YI92fyG8tW4CA5BqlQkb8Y6oqotNufLb0BUU9aIXhUrnXXrQAxqYf3ZYWmeQeAO8mb1GC8VRT0icOZqBfnqeA%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1600" alt="Hot air balloons" />  </div>

  
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<p>Release balloons, kites, butterflies, or doves in memory of a loved one. You can also blow bubbles in the wind or float flowers down a stream.</p>
<p>Physically releasing their souls is a symbolic gesture of not letting go but releasing your grief. Research suggests <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5030286/" title="Acting coping mechanism helps grief">active coping mechanisms </a>are most effective when dealing with grief-induced stress. Disengaged coping, such as avoiding your suffering, lessens your sense of control and psychological well-being. In other words, dynamically confronting your grief gives you more control and improved psychological well-being. </p>
<p>So light lanterns down a river, or host a nighttime vigil honoring their memory. Confronting your pain and then releasing it is crucial to preserving the memory of a loved one and finding your healing. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Plant a Garden in Their Memory </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15352" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="3" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/ray-hennessy-HlJ7U9WHRR8-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=A2dEwD7%2FuGByp4SWhogs0NHn6u0%2B7Ty5xG1c8zZ3q%2FADLYRy48wn%2BnK5p5sra%2B%2FRbredW5dT97s8yvuBUIm8tWxyAX6IWs0Awj6Tby%2FDIgHAuwzpxibixp1%2FON3y38Jl5SyhVyYp1jqHvALuh%2ByUCgugkJljW0ynEoCzN3VFmbSiay2p4WX%2BZOL7AUt8A5mSO8JhRfIrego0AZzau9GBx0%2BkvGCcnicdy8dHgs%2FBXme5LHGC%2FonWrsogmE5rqFAzbtNcq35RGsE%2FKZlcKumeu3P5X3%2B4NIe8bHRF6BrOvB6S8x53FjawHN8Z%2B1dy7E1SgrO35poFchBtTob6JHtvEw%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1597" alt="Pink flowers" />  </div>

  
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<p>Creating a garden plot, whether wildflowers, daisies, or lilies, is an excellent way to honor the memory of a loved one. As author <a href="https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/james_m_barrie_106712" title="J.M. Barrie quote on memory">J.M. Barrie had said</a>: “God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.” </p>
<p>Even if you’re not a gardener, having a botanic, hidden world is one of the best ways to live in your loved one’s memory. Gardening is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29858428/" title="Gardening improves physical and mental health">beneficial to your physical and mental health</a>, especially during grief. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Create Something Special from Their Ashes </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15353" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="4" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2819%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=B5oYNe1NHA1VcRbTSN%2FgKYjMAlS3pIkoPIMXmGKLwWImXSW0jFA4b7Am8Br1rstJZJLgeV6rCJNsRM1%2FRnsUQht32j8N8ntfzcqBXRlKP%2B9QxAs%2FbHnXf7YD7VDPVXXcPZmwPYbPRkumacUwjlXZnUVHA3hwSradydyaHdBZhIbUzu8cjQnmu3s0afRF3EPRoRv8U3iB%2B%2BZBas9oON1I%2FXBmzsXiXC%2BSudFza7Qd1YnyiIlbII2HeoyhIcPOewmgwk19bjExgza2fIBMYC8MW0xFGvImBiH6xzlrjS8ZoqP8OnHZv7jb8N2AfORDdUTgKmk%2B7aRQhOXjJhin4aMMSw%3D%3D" alt="Big tree" />  </div>

  
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<p>If your loved one was cremated, you could create something unique. It doesn’t have to be the traditional urn on the mantelpiece. You could plant a tree urn with your loved one’s ashes so when they grow into a sugar maple, weeping willow, or American elm, you can sit underneath them. Allow their memory to live on in nature.</p>
<p>Alternatively, turn their ashes into a cremation diamond, a ring, or a necklace. French artist <a href="https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/auguste_renoir_110211" title="Pierre Auguste Renoir on pain">Pierre Auguste Renoir said</a>: “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.” So it’s vital to choose anything that brings you more joy than sadness.</p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Keep an Heirloom with You</h1>
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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="5" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/lucas-santos-n5cPXeQoTE0-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=mbRGuWUHpp4MSVYFLlo%2BZ9HM93BxxwbJuosFsM0DGzF2B2gPguuNIpbthQF34dK%2Bl2iFkeohR2KZd1UmHeu5zoJpmv7%2Fwzc1Eqc5XVrvlFS0LyUpGRG4EHUE8vbSGOZPFJjlZXqGUOmA1l4m0UXPJMP2tQi8tjFs%2BFIskxocWjmAdZd%2BzHcR7mMOI%2BorvpiCK6seyx8OsRrUxnE2KYjpI5Zj9XPS1V3tYWik4oRgSJbC8fMz4gBAnBZC%2FcxZiNAVmC1dh8tKEv7zYtjaagjsSw3OIR7cpoLEtxOlcFQ8yr7gioB%2BuUB3XgunnFkbEHEXtvkw2fhJzCrARbWF7pKLhw%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1600" alt="A gold pocket watch" />  </div>

  
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	To preserve the memory of a loved one, turn their favorite coat into a blanket or pillows, or wear their wedding ring around your neck. That way, they’ll always be on your person. 
<p>Consider creating a keepsake (such as a locket of the two of you), or try upcycling, the process of “old” products being modified and transformed into “new” products. Examples are: </p>
<p>• Use their old cassette case to hold gift cards </p>
<p>• Turn an old briefcase into a bathroom cabinet </p>
<p>• Arrange vintage brooches into a bouquet</p>
<p>• Repurpose a bike wheel into a clock. </p>
<p>The ideas are endless. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Make a Charitable Donation in Your Loved One's Memory</h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15355" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="6" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2821%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=B%2FFZCNv4nAYGyrDGB6CZqh5mNf%2Bs6EnNT8ro5n2qpMKI%2B4JtoeBi3JwWD9qcyLj0QuBKcxLvyExpP%2BZxNICJncUROd2Kqu2rwHerfopYc23KQcaUPKCjYugf5ZXIND5xNokaXbhQIn564kF0VS8O4veLCTXZUD2TQeppHWmbKa1ukdMVwhLaHn%2FeSEtjSdD%2BQTlYYfFHpN%2FJOZF7Zz4N3NRpWFcNPUwKiyQ8h5lO%2F4idR0iHIXAQ4BfdhQeRMeUMb5ShXqW2nUArQUmymCbk72HpiVr5dc%2Bj6ABkRKvHzXjysika7Fc8zEXGqNTWm%2FH7p%2FH3fJKSut%2FpC3GDDn089g%3D%3D" alt="People carrying boxes" />  </div>

  
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<p>Were they passionate about a cause? Donate a little to the charity or create a new one in memory of a loved one. </p>
<p>Giving can <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-020-00242-8" title="Giving boosts your mental and physical health">boost your mental and physical health</a>; much needed after a loss.  One study even found that people randomly assigned to spend money on others <a href="https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/Norton_Michael_Spending%20money%20on%20others%20promotes%20happiness_ddd17e6e-fc21-438f-811e-62561cc97a18.pdf" title="People who gave had greater happiness">experienced greater happiness</a> than those who spent money on themselves. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Celebrate Their Birthday </h1>
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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="7" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2822%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=EBqP%2Frqo7iGznossLBUSN%2BSg%2BYx8iCLZDJcqzw%2FqO8lv1DbT%2F0HoJ%2Fkr5QsXwuzMtXgWxiICI9fPIhpemS39BDQ5TCpX4%2BZIPxE9XuOYcqFqapzyWa0lNAWm4CUZxbOqqMuHphn5lgmzTorb0aD75flJ%2FjHmqKM6%2BETmSTvty7cDEDXzhsi%2FN6%2Bc8xxsIoELYjalNE%2FpexHVzJq6A5WdeF50yTnOyVHtAnD8e55ML0yDbUCV5Mk%2B8slFo6jr9V8nW%2BaLAPvHRGPB56XSasmIalIwoxrOOZ0YNPa%2FeXfYc9Y6hvTllDJZ0mwovm3aE%2F6FTQKLvYu1YR2Cbp5%2FRPdLsA%3D%3D" alt="Colorful cupcakes" />  </div>

  
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	Whether that's cooking their favorite dish or eating their favorite kind of cake, or doing the things they enjoyed doing, continuing this once-a-year tradition keeps the memory of a loved one alive like they never left. 
<p>The first birthday after they pass will be painful. To combat this, make it the joyous occasion it once was, complete with presents and balloons. Buy their favorite flowers, sprinkle the petals where their ashes or memories live, or post a loving tribute to them on <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Honor memory of a loved one on My Stories Matter">My Stories Matter</a>. Describe the experiences you used to have on their birthdays and the future ideas to continue those traditions.</p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Write Them a Letter, Poem, or Song </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15357" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img style="height: 346px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="8" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/debby-hudson-DR31squbFoA-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=D9D7ej8UKZt19fGpn%2BecnL3JJ8eLaUSQwiHvJqpv6KJd8BhlcGFEG0FAo%2FWpisTJU0%2BWO8DRr4DiwPup53GvoSkABY4PKORFiXs9yJ%2F9iASXK7As5YmFYHqgPCLTHmSNXpL5B35Vf%2BlsIOOA0sz5NveYq%2Fy3%2BkANxzB4rcTXSvR6f1fqB0ZQEuMu41O1HcmXKAPDR2CdMWAbn%2BR0HZL799E7NL%2BmBjue83VQdecpwEvv8sKaeAWUBXCFu%2FP1O8oUbaoZhEs2Z6k%2BSOQX6coZmIClm9ezprbrCLcfb8KOrFDIJI0k%2Bu414sg6HUs09hnrCfZOo4Kcj7f02Fr9b7JN4Q%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1620" alt="A letter" />  </div>

  
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<p>Is there anything you wished you had said to them before they passed? Is there anything on your mind currently? Update them on your day. </p>
<p>Even if you’re not a writer, poet or musician, express your thoughts to the person you love. For example, some people: </p>
<p>• Send text messages to their partner’s phone. </p>
<p>• Write a letter with their loved one’s favorite stationery.</p>
<p>• Write a postcard during their next vacation. </p>
<p>Journaling also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0197455605000699?via%3Dihub" title="Journaling decreases psychological symptoms ">decreases psychological symptoms</a> such as anxiety and depression. You keep the memory of a loved alive, but you also inwardly move on because everything is off your chest. </p>
<p>Not sure where to write your thoughts? We created <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog" title="Honor the memory of a loved one on My Stories Matter">My Stories Matter</a> for you to write down everything. Your letters will be kept safe and personalized.  </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Create a Life Stories Book </h1>
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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="9" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/freestocks-LBxuHUZGhQU-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=lxMrPZGq870jIWBVkFif7J%2BHihB3n%2FdwS4gansL7e3KZJPbtx6DuSAQ3aQ%2FJoSfjeqkcgHluzeQOb7pMm0mUSN1GY%2BUbY6SOXUyuA9z0EuNl9n2S86rQlpJPbKY%2BlSiv1QgVx4uOzSh%2FMy1Od9s2BWmvk8OHR3wU4J%2F5oSoqhndZ8PN%2BtY6EOsD2fKFq4hncZi9fifI4D0ZNUZyFbk5mIxye7qo5G6qy9xD4lQT%2B5wmDmp1tcQZc%2Fs8y8XFqY0GihHM00qK4F%2Bmp2a3jEvFU5Une5oHxnSIAvKFi8rg%2Fzu7W5Qc2jIvpph01j3Ti0V64sGlR3Sj5hB055ybBhaLiww%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1600" alt="White notebook" />  </div>

  
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<p>Creating a Life Stories Book is one of the best ways to keep the memory of a loved one alive because, thanks to you, their legacy will endure.</p>
<p>Write down details about their lives, such as their personalities, histories, and preferences. This keeps their memory alive for your children or grandchildren, so they will learn where they came from when they grow older.  Or write about the impact a good friend had on your life, how their life inspired and shaped you into the person you are today. </p>
<p>With <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog" title="Honor the memory of a loved one on My Stories Matter">My Stories Matter</a>, preserve the memory of a loved one with the appropriate photos, videos, news clips, and even their voice. You can also invite family and friends to add their contributions.</p>
<p>Grieving is not a straightforward, linear process. Keeping the memory of a loved one alive will look different for everyone, so find what speaks most to you and best represents the relationship you two had.</p>


8 Creative Ways to Keep the Memory of a Loved One Alive

<h1>5 Tips for Collecting Family Stories </h1>
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    <img style="height: 640px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="6" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/benigno-hoyuela-AqX_786_G0g-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=mvL7KPVq2gbD9waV0iGW%2B7jHaAIxGJyoFBHSOTXTbOTwKspOR%2Fg8LkCPEcP2nA2yMy58YOpbo9i32tOTdX4dX%2FE4srtz91O1gz22Y%2BVNCuprsgjBGQceQZ8davugDqGxcQTjKbHc6fPe%2FHS7H4HcvbrnMQh2P6NbrWgfgy%2B%2FZVqlIKupXlLx3D1Uz93hWq4a9ctVKhZ4q26Hyuh9YuBCF1eJIKYvvFzs87UvEyn1PNZHbPO8LqsgZSimpgFqh5UeSSIJjs7F1R9Rb6TTBk8ZqbfCBLAKH86XDY2cX5afBUlALvz17LJC9o9fDOYIsRI5%2B2njfMsSlMs2I5Sd8OiBcg%3D%3D" width="2400" height="3000" alt="Open books" />  </div>

  
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<p>The pandemic has taken an emotional toll on families. Since March of 2020, 27% of parents <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/146/4/e2020016824/79686/Well-being-of-Parents-and-Children-During-the" title="Parents reported worsening mental health">reported worsening mental health</a>, and 14% <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/146/4/e2020016824/79686/Well-being-of-Parents-and-Children-During-the" title="Parents reported worsening behavior health">reported worsening behavioral health</a> of their children. It's important to reconnect and rekindle our family bonds now more than ever. </p>
<p>Children who are told family stories have <a href="https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/04/esc_covid_19_family_stories/campus.html" title="Children told family stories have better self-esteem ">better self-esteem</a>, <a href="https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/04/esc_covid_19_family_stories/campus.html" title="Children told family stories have higher levels of social competence">higher levels of social competence</a>, <a href="https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/04/esc_covid_19_family_stories/campus.html" title="Children told family stories have more quality friendships ">quality friendships</a>, <a href="https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/04/esc_covid_19_family_stories/campus.html" title="Children told family stories have less anxiety and stress">less anxiety, stress</a>, and <a href="https://news.emory.edu/stories/2020/04/esc_covid_19_family_stories/campus.html" title="Children told family stories have fewer behavioral problems">behavioral problems</a>. Unfortunately, many family stories get lost through the generations. One should not forget activities like decorating the Christmas tree, camping, watching a favorite movie, or playing charades.</p>
<p>So how do we keep these bonds and traditions alive? Here are some tips for collecting family stories.  </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Find Inspiration from Story Prompts </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15366" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/library-congress-sakwgp9usqu-unsplashjpg">library-of-congress-SakwGP9USQU-unsplash.jpg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img style="height: 349px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="7" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/library-of-congress-SakwGP9USQU-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=VBI%2BMyuW3JLLFjnCXFLsXn7kuc%2FVEGOIZb9F922QNl24BiNILDAziE3db6qffaf7MbohJU6OzuPUTe1%2FvMukESMSuHGI%2FGgTDirl%2BJBxAJbVXexBo6leGZRP4GSNXIZ9kJcd3XrfFAGFUuJYEfxtFd2UantidAM9R2iAygqnahXh9MaQqQAhhg0Gzekz3gWLlSakLHcYgXoozR97KmLKBq3aCnLlRVnOJcrdxAS77DrOHYFIBX160hrmMWb%2FwrPkX22udjPKDsElTX7%2BIkFRGzqsslYl0fj62rHH37uunjnXtKvGZLHV9fTmmonCCSCzirvv%2BjD3LKlWusKkgITc5A%3D%3D" width="8380" height="5704" alt="Three military men" />  </div>

  
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<p>Grandma and Grandpa may have a lot of wisdom to share but may not know which stories to tell first. Our prompts feature helps you or your grandparents begin telling stories by asking specific questions, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/intense-emotions-and-strong-feelings/201711/being-triggered-how-emotional-memories-affect-us" title="Questions trigger memories">triggering</a> memories. These memories can be about childhood, time in the military, or their first time abroad. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Make Your Family Stories Private</p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15368" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/resized-image-promo-28jpeg-0">resized-image-Promo (28).jpeg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="9" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%2828%29_0.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=eNLyKE9%2FadYxZbdxcC5cfZFRF6kW8p74QMb1zdZM9rGRwdX2pQUQWIC4GnCXHk81cjLkrQ5rcirNkznU34mJGRoN0fBG7iXco877Hpf7jJW7oGnuYgWJbW20ta9fiyIckQRfuuwxwFWGhgwAgY9GEot09VPEDuE22mUeVilmRz%2BqJM88I14EovgRrvsf46Vp3CXh12bu9xmT0KrU0oo24BXiGk2hEtGCIZ%2BsaadoJq9kY7oPTgAiuMMDtaH9ECwCwNpGuBYqGnDFqWnx7X%2FIU0NkhRx5U1%2BwdzdLjpSGXqJNPh2lt05B9K9zMLTfNNsdljd6cBaBb24358RU3KtQRg%3D%3D" alt="A lock" />  </div>

  
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	We created <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Write your family stories on My Stories Matter">My Stories Matter</a> to go against the trend of every social media platform selling your data. <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/millions-facebook-user-records-exposed-amazon-cloud-server/" title="Social media apps under criminal investigation ">Unlike the social media apps under federal criminal investigation for data breaches</a>, we protect your information. Only you can choose who sees your family stories when you add a memory.
<p> </p>
<h1>Collaborate with Your Family </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15369" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="10" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/john-schnobrich-2FPjlAyMQTA-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=HHy6VbnX0PFtElYw7EnSfuDxzw6zqd50XJ60lQcsIE31gZ8DqyLR8reV1OfcAPgPs%2Fr36uVJwxXBlayZlbhgeFIEHbypvi%2BppKZ%2BfXIS2drejojrPkcCsofGdIXig5ag0txzeGtNoRts8kGLT%2BFJKmW866HcfXitw82JfoIAMpUJJGWbgQcx1JRpL4B0lXjcNKKncW8KCsoBj%2FQUlvsGamGrou5IzZQ55acOXIBupyeQZ%2BVl9zIFoX9NAoGXxTUQkzaf42GF14K3wrxY2bxXmG7z9KxHGC0aRAtQnk5jVaNRlWzPMqv163%2B%2BbDZXgZdGvIh9%2FpPSxrCjMv4QIig5xA%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1600" alt="An open computer" />  </div>

  
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	Whether grandma is sitting next to you or just a short drive away, everybody can share stories with our collaboration feature! They can contribute photos, audio clips, or videos to help complete that memory. By inviting your family to collaborate, that particular moment in time becomes whole. 
<p> </p>
<h1>Organize Your Family Stories</h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15370" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="11" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/kelly-sikkema-jr61kHaWKek-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=iqqWNosZRszdeIaQgnUhZpt0G8GmaEa0%2FP%2F1jdJo%2BH203MscbMzAUlXUjiOI0flBvwR%2Bp0oPi005EDtcWaj2AakhDkP6Xw2VH7hQEJFhq8%2FPRlfDeFxGrwqgLa2gCZ2WoEGdBQR2iKILrU4uGMlVIqnBec1LK94sYZzc79g8oZTlw%2Bflt6q5YdBaIy9nQp3l8RR6Q9xOkY0BQZtllOD4eg4EOh%2FIrHC2BTiaVg7q%2BywUl%2Ba4bsojAhu1qgN%2B0b1HgwRfSn3HaKlUdgtDT4sQ7dSNgzmefdGqh2wACCaYwaF0bj4h9uKm8K8OITIbuyZn9%2B%2F7eiTotspGQxxwHSBc4w%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1600" alt="Sticky notes" />  </div>

  
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<p>We remember only a limited amount of things from our lives but research indicates that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0079742108605162" title="Staying organized helps retain memories">staying organized</a> is critical to retaining memories. <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Write your family stories on My Stories Matter">My Stories Matter</a>, for example, allows you to post your family stories in chronological order in your timeline. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>Categorize Your Family Stories </h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15371" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/maksym-kaharlytskyi-q9y3lruuxmg-unsplashjpg">maksym-kaharlytskyi-Q9y3LRuuxmg-unsplash.jpg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img style="height: 341px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="12" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/maksym-kaharlytskyi-Q9y3LRuuxmg-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=nPueoWzL1Ajm8DonUBMt9tliMYkYmHR%2BJygKK4t1auEk7gcpZtGoHX7dTJ1xlE%2FY%2B4wxfWyo14FLjRIDRmecZMeV4rrrIvm8iIy9AsD3VLUkI2rO9gPBvae%2Bf5jfYR5jJejtSTEaaO2C0hRLOXeN3cge6ChvEOmBzxEb2NofosmMA8%2Fb5sq4ElH03wQPOUZduJHzfpmrCny3wzkGHovj2f45UGWJEQJncvy7jIjfYjQt8p4jeaDXhebesuRQxDtfsr16Hg5%2FUEg2EkegzvwUJdkSbar3fiGkOZ1JxvWSq9FAVEnBbisAMSwuloLW40Pis%2FbCtNEM89Fgf3eb%2FBklIw%3D%3D" width="2400" height="1597" alt="An open file cabinet" />  </div>

  
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<p>Categorization is essential because it allows you to group family stories. Otherwise, it takes time to navigate everything. Unlike “organization,” “categorization” identifies or divides into classes, labeling. <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Write your family stories on My Stories Matter">My Stories Matter</a>’s Collections feature categorizes for you by labeling specific family stories into their respective folders. </p>
<p> </p>
<h1>In a Rush Jotting Down a Memory?</h1>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-15372" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/kelly-sikkema-zu3huzvakj0-unsplashjpg">kelly-sikkema-zU3HUZvAKJ0-unsplash.jpg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img style="height: 768px; width: 512px;" class="media-element file-default" data-delta="13" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/kelly-sikkema-zU3HUZvAKJ0-unsplash.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409362&amp;Signature=cufUuMQfpS3PETmBvAm6EoACUi5S7GUTw%2BvPoXC%2F7KU4B6P6uld8Tm29Y%2Bmk8Ot%2Bofl9%2F6pMuc7ykgObRk4vOXTJuWWks2mr78hJtoO%2B5iLDqGD4aLc09Qn%2FloHk4DBOEmnJPSwSCOxp7xs9sCDbeIfwswJM26J6OmQ5eC825p2XOsXk2ygDYSi%2FOpvB9fz5DdByuU2qhNs5dMhTp7HuKQZW43U3LuPD7uYhV5r5oe3ubIFmA49Cq70Gqf2kdDL3enQ8qiAy2SxD9lQm7GLLDHgruKkIx0x6ib7bAiuZhuKM9Zach3mz63z2Fry60Y%2BnlWNEeF9DEEKnJUh7TUAtCA%3D%3D" width="2400" height="3600" alt="A recorder" />  </div>

  
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<p>Hearing yourself speaking out loud <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171201090940.htm" title="Speaking aloud improves your memory">improves your memory</a>. With the voice recording function in our mobile app, you can record on the go, so you don’t lose your train of thought. Once your voice records, people can hear you tell your family stories. You can also capture the stories of family members who have difficulties typing. </p>
<p>	 </p>
<p>Questions? We have more information about how you can record your family stories on <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="Write your family stories on My Stories Matter">My Stories Matter</a>.</p>


Updated 03/30/2022

5 Tips For Collecting Family Stories

<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18689" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="4" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-11-03T224555.021.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=F3TqQJHlFocldLDu57%2FZk%2FJwTlqCTyLBmQZxvhHfkpeH9F8NQnuTbpzXN0rPZPSxXPRtJGagsX8pw7%2BRWC3OFDI%2BGnP1PrNg%2FCajZ6ffvdIxtEvRR7awyt8yK2gdfPdmu0kLojxjgZIv%2Fnk1R4GJv5Oa%2FfKLgUafNlzNsfd5nYkVUnwi6NVLBsQzJfZAe3eT4%2BDwK2Fdn9CJ11ebD1Qcgrl4xLJH0RN2fUJACmBc0d1x8wgYGcwEDqjMB5Z7sYfhoEOzpa6a1T9RylF4cdi38x2BJKFFD8P9RZfPw8I0HDfo18I5YEZkQsoUCGSzsfmJ2%2BChxJ2FkpT0Wpn3u8ToeQ%3D%3D" alt="Printed musical note page" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>

<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-6f08ca32-7fff-50ea-5a1e-9e2655b0c8b9">You have a dream vacation coming up. You want to enjoy and remember it as much as possible. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-6f08ca32-7fff-50ea-5a1e-9e2655b0c8b9">Photos, of course, are obligatory. They serve as beautiful external reminders of enjoyable times you had. But sometimes, capturing images is at the expense of living in the moment and fully immersed in what’s happening.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-6f08ca32-7fff-50ea-5a1e-9e2655b0c8b9">Fortunately, we carry deeper, internal reminders with us 24/7: our memories. But our memories are only sometimes as readily available as we might like, especially as we get older. But there’s a tool we can deploy to help us—music.</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18690" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/resized-image-promo-2022-11-03t224734339jpeg">resized-image-Promo - 2022-11-03T224734.339.jpeg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="5" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-11-03T224734.339.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=J6RJm8yofIBVV1DJ3u1gnQUncrtSRcpm5zulsN%2BpLkRJtX9eTywGjCtRSPaM7%2Bfh4d2z1JUPPpFpxBVSuvcbqNs7iluTkAfjl%2BMaKgMk6SYTzNEq5lY12sMWp%2FcojHSXXOP1dV%2FGAlKzardH64eY01l8aRWDsUsGbQNneYX21Ie78er%2F%2FUhsMWcJtMZ%2FpCT3uP247GgKRfX0LObZabZR6QdcPDfAOuE731JRQV0t1cQ4FcQjoIoAiJO2XZyp2sj4Oj2SNoEkm1TuEu9IY3lfqRdq%2FNwxtpLC7IWsJpgexuuNWXrx4LCMmn2VKw021DIN8gdMGavtKkmIgEJt8NhMEQ%3D%3D" alt="Boy listening to headphones" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>

<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-9fcf8d3f-7fff-27b8-b91e-bb98abc71c64">Memory Cues: What the Science Says</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-9fcf8d3f-7fff-27b8-b91e-bb98abc71c64">Strong evidence suggests that nearly everything we experience is stored in our long-term memory in some form. But those memories aren’t lost forever; they’re just inaccessible. We can use cues to trigger dormant memories.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-9fcf8d3f-7fff-27b8-b91e-bb98abc71c64">Memory cues are any stimulus that prompts our minds to recall a memory. A song. A scent. The feel of a treasured memento in one’s hands. In addition to stimulating mental and emotional responses, memory cues can trigger physiological changes in our bodies. These associations are built from past experiences and help us interpret our current ones. Music is also a type of memory cue. It gets interesting when we consciously use memory cues in the present to help us remember in the future.</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18691" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/resized-image-promo-2022-11-03t224946520jpeg">resized-image-Promo - 2022-11-03T224946.520.jpeg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="6" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-11-03T224946.520.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=HAMYA2swSsgQ9Mzi0%2BwBx68ZJDK1%2BUj3hAAFabv7NmXmI%2BDvM26Bm3WHp9sTIRiL03JRLaeUWM%2FTOeLuGSuElMZ7%2FJES6nqFijN7FbJFhS5tnacdvfMlS5%2Fh8UbJwP68Kk8glu3ueG2TIW3PiA6U8koKo0E2lewv4dfKvOOj%2FBWPRJPBE8EQUZZ9pxkUm4V4tyqcu1Oya9X9H5X3a8u9MzRqxvncLLTf%2FfazDgnAbXjBni5NHE39DbIBhxOdQFWHbhleLF6%2FtV%2F5lCFWMCZeJOHiXKvA3%2FznMYJhSRGq1zZaT5HgYoT2%2FMK3rOy%2BVj4mN%2BRfZhLqZ8GTW7N7LpGNNA%3D%3D" alt="Woman playing the violin" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-d2f7f6b3-7fff-f586-4c51-bce2f08c150b">The Connection Between Songs and Memories</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-d2f7f6b3-7fff-f586-4c51-bce2f08c150b">We all have a particular song that immediately transports us back to a place, time, person, or event with special meaning. It isn’t just one or two songs that can trigger memories. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-d2f7f6b3-7fff-f586-4c51-bce2f08c150b">In a <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/study-finds-brain-hub-links-music-memory-and-emotion/" title="music">2009 study</a>, Dr. Janata from UC Davis played random songs from the Top 100 charts when his subjects were 8 to 18 years old. More than 75% of the songs were associated with a specific memory. This effect occurs through the medial prefrontal cortex, retrieving memories and linking music, memory, and emotion.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-d2f7f6b3-7fff-f586-4c51-bce2f08c150b">Using music as a memory cue helps <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25725917/" title="music">us reconnect with our past</a>.</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18692" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="7" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-11-03T225115.287.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=Zw%2B14qbgcF8ACZo3CLWAwpZ4v%2F0z40WG2PFs1t%2Ft9g2mW5dsUtwkXAHpjhXuZirYGzHR8UVY%2F5wqO8uFMLQ6BOlMfSZ%2BomBeTmHoP8TJTcjFtWePrOyx%2FNzb1qZb4E6VI8OAA4nMI01KwBnuq9MvBwfzpHurAPJOnsV9aIiyiH6mVD8wqUr5iSRAFMtHpGhRlyR5%2FgdV5zDfaoumr5bU0hxhpv2O5x%2FKBv4vZmYb5DFgNDZ68oD8jwIBLcNNKdhBOupQcJhNIZRW%2F0sQIvro%2B5ejKbMjxUdDbtXEgG9SfdnTgl4mSylNAY7BX559n8low5ZYrpcTWJ8s3A4U%2Fj%2BGtw%3D%3D" alt="Disco light" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-57de9942-7fff-2c33-0f20-d60d794e91ab">Now, the Good Bit</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-57de9942-7fff-2c33-0f20-d60d794e91ab">We can use music daily to enhance our ability to remember and enjoy our experiences. Subconsciously, your brain will build associations between the music and your experiences. You can try this simple technique by taking a new album and listening to it repeatedly during your next trip.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-57de9942-7fff-2c33-0f20-d60d794e91ab">This technique doesn’t have to be limited to vacations---you can do it at any time, whether you’re trying to remember a special moment or attempting to retain important information you just learned. Be mindful about creating future memories by selecting the music you play daily as an ambient background to whatever you do.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-57de9942-7fff-2c33-0f20-d60d794e91ab">Try this yourself! Log into <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="music ">My Stories Matter</a> free and capture the memories that resurface when you try our music memory cues!</b></p>


Using music as memory cues to improve recollection

Tapping into Memories with Music

<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-13992" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/lemon-scent-candle">Lemon Scent Candle</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="1" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/lemon-candle-6668364_640.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=O6nXDrE0gBQd4OarkQaorBwfaubEmcpRArN9nUWqZ0dNoECC9k8Npr7Mi9UGdq990XGTCxVIYRW2AaK3Vy%2FxJIj3qMwoo4Ux2hzrjHNPlJcAHhh36f2UAxs61be2PSTT3L7b55%2BReMqwhTn6k93WiG8YCDNYEgwMbK6P0nk7BLZyzLB%2BEKaCGTBWmXyDesGGstwpi%2BPbVvXASb9yIYl6vuvMjd2xiFY%2BVMe27AxvN0Z78AT1Y4f4Y25p7jqMGfseypfc8kGGmdIzfbfJgKpHY5ORuIYSFZMhoPU5F3fhShmoLdQBjvpx5wJfJ%2FltHWErRwQ%2Boz6MLXv05%2BL1QI9gsw%3D%3D" width="427" height="640" alt="Scent triggers memorable memories, like this lemon candle" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-7f27c50f-7fff-aca9-80f5-e5e248f0b0bd">Some smells trigger memories from a particular time in your life. For instance, does the aroma of freshly baked brownies always bring back memories of your best friend’s mom’s cooking? Or when you walk by the local pool and smell the chlorinated water, do childhood summer memories flash through your mind? </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7f27c50f-7fff-aca9-80f5-e5e248f0b0bd">How can we remember vivid memories when we smell something we consider nostalgic? This phenomenon is called the  “<a href="https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199685875.001.0001/acprof-9780199685875" title="proust effect">Proust Effect</a>” — after the novelist Marcel Proust wrote about childhood memories triggered by the aroma of freshly baked madeleine cakes — this process was once thought of as purely involuntary.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-7f27c50f-7fff-aca9-80f5-e5e248f0b0bd">But this memory process doesn’t have to be involuntary. We can hack the process of memory formation to our advantage. By proactively using scent daily in our lives, we can intensify experiences and fortify memory formation, helping to make life a richer and more enjoyable experience.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-7f27c50f-7fff-aca9-80f5-e5e248f0b0bd">Memorable moments make us who we are. Our mind’s interpretation of events shapes our world experience, and present-day stimuli act as doorways to our past. They connect us to all we cherish and the people we hold dear. Unfortunately, time and age can rob us of our ability to recall those memories.</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-13999" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/post-it-note-0">post it note</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="5" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/post-it-notes-2836842_640_1.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=cbSrD5cSQfT%2B4eAG2c830OlCMX7dDAnUfjGI0G2mkuZZRXvVvDRySeXXZuLXAcuAzn%2B1Z8MuIAhCSnuwqrxmGnxgcsUp%2FUec9oWEx59OIUZCQnS6fdhnPuRpZMeEn%2FDOOv4n4Rw3dZ07gMCxyGFDfOKCNWu6FzV9uCEa9uhHGHJggn4D1U5Z7WyDtYwd0kmU%2BIQM6f%2F0Ut2p2G38fPGrynoVI7Nny8GKay84sBDFZ8lnhNJbKDLUh06%2F7tuXXrLHm2PoDjwgeU%2FRXb%2FnWhf0hluR2L8xuIs6YGh%2FePfwVeeN9EMGGoOjhiFn67vLC2fhobNILdLKvRMMZqSRM5lnow%3D%3D" width="640" height="426" alt="Writing it down can help with memorable memories" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-7873ce5e-7fff-5f92-76ec-c1732ad9ec3b">The Science of Memory Cues</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-7873ce5e-7fff-5f92-76ec-c1732ad9ec3b">Whenever we experience something, our brain (specifically, the hippocampus) encodes sensory details (such as sounds) as part of memory formation. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14670575/" title="Proust effect">These sensory details are wired into our brains as memory cues</a>. When you re-encounter a cue, it triggers the associated memory — along with the thoughts, feelings, and emotions you initially experienced.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-7873ce5e-7fff-5f92-76ec-c1732ad9ec3b">We can use our understanding of this process to purposefully manage memory formation to benefit ourselves in the future and easily recall our memorable memories when we want to look back.</b></p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18682" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/resized-image-promo-100jpeg">resized-image-Promo (100).jpeg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="7" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20%28100%29.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=WzEBuqNykuend9NFS4SzCGtz%2F9vjay%2FFvlxv1u0nXd%2FrNw3HofKa4KrwKFB%2FVdNwB6M3Gw103Y5y9JnKS7eGuCOocONvAAJ4bPD8XGX11WfCeecF3isnAL67lzhhRK5AcOmBFnxQLiZmzDmAH57V8bruLwSRXGp0GA5HepFh5%2Bjwcs5neBi5yjYzI58TvK8ufRYo%2FUfGpTiot18NfYu8gGdC98EOD5X9vxJy6js81uBbSpPfkZP356tiuNuOI7bXFFvmAM7FaTo5xa%2Bwx6OCpG%2Bo0RaMfXRc322MpJVCugevlGa7gUWlCc2vC3GHucIhTTeVMhPJkgAarYDGfo9AUA%3D%3D" alt="woman holding bottles of flowers" />  </div>

  
</div>
</div></h1>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-56c8cbce-7fff-d563-bd70-4d0b0994b5b9">How Scent is Different from Other Sensory Cues</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-56c8cbce-7fff-d563-bd70-4d0b0994b5b9">We all know what it’s like to hear a song that triggers feelings and memories. However, scent is unique in its ability to trigger <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028393212004617" title="proust effect">particularly vivid memories</a>. Why?</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-56c8cbce-7fff-d563-bd70-4d0b0994b5b9">For most of our senses, information processing starts at the sensing organ (such as our eyes), then moves to the brain’s ‘relay station,’ the thalamus, which in turn sends each signal to the relevant sense-processing area (for example, the visual cortex in the case of sight).</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-56c8cbce-7fff-d563-bd70-4d0b0994b5b9">Scent signals bypass the relay station and go directly to the olfactory bulb's processor site. This means that, unlike our other senses, there is no intermediate activity between sensing and processing. Scent-based experiences are enhanced and more enriched.</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-14000" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/christmas-scented-candle-1">Christmas scented candle</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="6" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/candle-5960786_640_2.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=XIVEKlfF2fBzo14mhVQDq64szjliVtTTz0USB4pChRprqtOhk8PsE6VCmTrBEiZ8ZjKQu%2BeevTlQxvFfDlIci8GwH63icCjYhNA2qU9Gt7CLTu8Xr7ziWaVD5Ts7lI9zMOdEtUzzkq2PyXWgorwwpB9oIpNzNX%2BmphstS5tiY7M3Gb4xeRgpfCO31XrnpuxGul5BZrPP0RLAGE3Pu%2FgEhMoFpRLRaR46z7zhPKs%2BDBoyETUAK8WZVvAfuilMwmJeKAUNuhz9aYpd%2B0vrmvWIhbIWpn7BQB0L9p6ODoFV%2FO%2BGVDukB%2Fn3niGNv85BziZRCwioZXlY6E9SNmi7Qpt9wg%3D%3D" width="480" height="640" alt="Maybe Christmas scented candles give you memorable memories from christmas" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-c7b8bc91-7fff-15df-8550-b080d269533b">The Special Connection Between Scent and Memories</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-c7b8bc91-7fff-15df-8550-b080d269533b">Scent’s ability to trigger vivid and emotional memories is partly due to the close connection between the scent processing center (the olfactory bulb) and the parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory — the amygdala and hippocampus, respectively.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-c7b8bc91-7fff-15df-8550-b080d269533b"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05131-6" title="proust effect">According to Afif J. Aqrabawi and Jun Chul Kim</a>, “The olfactory cortex in particular shares exclusive anatomical connections with the hippocampus due to their common evolutionary history.” </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-c7b8bc91-7fff-15df-8550-b080d269533b">There may be more to aromatherapy than many of us think! Evolution has made the scent a high priority. Only 3% of our genes are involved in forming the 1,000 olfactory receptors we possess. In 2004, <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2004/press-release/" title="proust effect">Doctors Buck and Axel won a Nobel Prize for explaining how these receptors enable us to recognize 10,000 different scents</a>.</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-18683" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/resized-image-promo-2022-11-03t221652518jpeg">resized-image-Promo - 2022-11-03T221652.518.jpeg</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="8" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/resized-image-Promo%20-%202022-11-03T221652.518.jpeg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=fvWdlKncyFX21WglyRDNDqfYbfh8p3AuqOrVGqu6NdHWPjf7S9d7%2BSikBF4HT4Lo8oSj%2FBN56i0AcmUlH09Bn2vFA7ln%2FiLf%2Bu3hGB9Cbdq2qgnhk%2FvK3BXJjB6P73Kq%2BAZrKcLBQbx9BUScnXoX8W0QqsUBkBXZwv2wPecyII0d%2FyaoHVqcq2bPyUE4JH9IgNc2MKtkSFnt0X7Cpo5rqzrIUPgMYysLap5C0LQLYANWEX2X4%2BWETEXzcKhfRSBRWTRxkJihtr3k%2FdW5xsIcei5XQNgcVKYd7I8suOgvWtfjueveNr55JW%2F5qZQRxumYDQCGO0%2FEUVs%2F1CCFnNoCJQ%3D%3D" alt="Two Clear Glass Bottles With Liquids" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-0e61ca52-7fff-4491-1eb3-0026b216a834">Richer Memory Formation</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-0e61ca52-7fff-4491-1eb3-0026b216a834">You can use scent to build more memorable memories. The next time you do something you enjoy, think about using scent to ingrain the memory deep in your mind.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-0e61ca52-7fff-4491-1eb3-0026b216a834">Say you’re going on a vacation. Pick a scent — an essential oil, an herb, or a perfume — and designate it as the ‘special scent’ for your adventure. Regularly avail yourself of the scent throughout your travels. Later, sometime after returning home, break out your ‘special scent’ and see what happens. Memories — and the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that went with them — will wash over you, taking you back and helping you to relive the experience. Try this technique with special events, people, and anything else you want to remember. </b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-0e61ca52-7fff-4491-1eb3-0026b216a834">Want to eternalize your memorable memories? Preserve them forever at <a href="https://mystoriesmatter.com/" title="proust effect">My Stories Matter</a> for free.</b></p>


Trigger your memorable memories using scent

Scent of a Memory and the Proust Effect

<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-13983" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/camera-photos">Camera with photos</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="1" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/camera-1130731_640.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=TtAg%2FInSawHcQ%2FTo6Hx3GLCV6wImy1qtZgNR9CU6rH%2Fhk5LeE%2FisGULEps1atmnwRMOqxJhiNWRj2E4tdGVjg9Rfs2L%2Fd90N%2BxKYZ6Xl%2FN%2F8Ae8MfvlDnOo2IOZMQpZCO%2Fg6fdXndK7ohB%2FUy3RqZxw88UaozULj5qjL%2FlwW0FKfJ6JoGlNM2jyL1qIK9UEjcbJo529Hq%2FSN1BrUIud3XR8xIBBLebPxlVvQas36VGhE2JHQuENo5cMTtsCrVB6zS6yGESP9UXcv5o%2BiNIHFvfl6zL0s3t%2BZOnmpjEVeONzBhHzAh9RkjJ1An5EE%2F1MEeb%2Bj0kqXng85d3CYUTUOFQ%3D%3D" width="640" height="480" alt="Reminiscing about life photos" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc82c0b8-7fff-8d37-d087-732e47ad9bfe">There’s no better feeling than reminiscing about life in the good ole days. You know, before mobile phones, the internet, and microwaves. When there were no text messages to interrupt your day, no instant “likes” to make you feel good, and no 2-day shipping with a 100% return and refund policy.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc82c0b8-7fff-8d37-d087-732e47ad9bfe">We are told we live in the safest and healthiest time in human history — so Harvard Psychology Professor Steven Pinker tells us. The “good old days” were less secure and beneficial than we may assume while fondly reminiscing about life in the past.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc82c0b8-7fff-8d37-d087-732e47ad9bfe">Yet researchers know that when we reminisce about life, our memories — and the feelings and emotions they evoke — tend to skew positive.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-fc82c0b8-7fff-8d37-d087-732e47ad9bfe">If life was objectively more difficult in the past, why does our reminiscing tend to do this? Why do we view our history through the rose-colored lens?</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-13986" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/scale-question-marks">Scale with question marks</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="2" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/scale-2635397_640_0.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=h%2F8EBQtyq0%2FasVAXuv%2Brd7mhCsHeBu5LU4hUaOve3Myfd%2BICjfnCIBt3QTopsCudY%2F95%2B5xLfS%2B1i3NtENPE2z1mwgtcGvFxtnp5AYmjYQ3LhOsGmel%2BIT2S73P94xf14JXJgR6ny5yUxB6XlE5ZV2MQjDpIWjUlc1zJO2sxpTPttlnMbGQNvMH0JnDAEoNDGUzmkrP%2FQoIZME9gZQskUthdECiu7L9GlhMaZzDpW5CNoJ1%2BN5JixmRhvW1Zh8t66CInEF8ysSeugQaMU0S99kJsg6QQQ05Mt10k2BkitOnHifBVs%2BRnGalter%2Fh2NwpPZtlGcME538Ik4mS2f%2BhBw%3D%3D" width="640" height="355" alt="When reminiscing about life, good memories outweigh the bad" />  </div>

  
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<p> </p>

<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-393053c1-7fff-f862-423b-3999e34c3d4a">Good Feelings Outweigh the Bad</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-393053c1-7fff-f862-423b-3999e34c3d4a">Negative feelings from our memories diminish faster than positive ones. This is known as the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fading_affect_bias#:~:text=The%20fading%20affect%20bias%2C%20more,those%20associated%20with%20positive%20emotions." title="nostaglia goggles ">fading affect bias</a>."</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-393053c1-7fff-f862-423b-3999e34c3d4a">In a study published in the Review of General Psychology, participants recorded memories and rated how they felt about each memory. Three weeks later, participants rated their feelings for those memories. The study shows that we leave more positive feelings overall for our aggregated memories. Negative emotions related to bad memories tended to diminish faster than positive feelings related to good memories.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-393053c1-7fff-f862-423b-3999e34c3d4a">So, why does this happen? Is it because we distort our life events to be more positive when we experience them?</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-393053c1-7fff-f862-423b-3999e34c3d4a">Probably not. In another study, participants recorded events in their life as they occurred and how they felt about them — a diary. At the events, negative feelings were just as strong as positive ones.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-393053c1-7fff-f862-423b-3999e34c3d4a">After some time (3.5 months, one year, and 4.5 years), the participants re-rated how they felt about the life events. As in the previous study, the intensity of negative feelings around bad events faded significantly faster than positive feelings for suitable events. This suggests that your brain prioritizes positive emotions when reminiscing about life.</b></p>
<p></p><div class="media media-element-container media-default media-wysiwyg-align-center"><div id="file-13988" class="file file-image file-image-jpeg">

        <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/blonde-woman-camera">Blonde woman with camera</a></h2>
    
  
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    <img class="media-element file-default" data-delta="3" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://cueback-com.storage.googleapis.com/cueback/blog_editor_media/blonde-629726_640_0.jpg?GoogleAccessId=298180869348-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com&amp;Expires=1772409363&amp;Signature=VfV%2Fz%2FsDQpbwRL4WSkstFLcHym1nmvNi2B5U8V5PafVIeBIPAod3tz7JCJs16L5HLbfj1oROg%2FPsYewhHpio3naabQuVcPqhNUIYUDXeKi7kpbb4H2h7%2B%2BVolhvQa32do91KG0u4sYmzCSq%2BHCJqfyoAZCdzE79iEpjqc3yWzD%2BKrEvWd%2F7H0hlWSv%2B0Z9Qjd7vmOuyJUWI0N9yBtkhz9cJpz8Tl1sqeFJAHgPNRT%2BZPUZ9mOT5DR9SbSEh3c0z0DYKLJxO3K1P2oIKDRbfac7jeunllp7U4lo2gG5gLGW3oemj77HrCfQbRTYv5OSADhtNvTRuBBJsMa1%2BNMUfwdA%3D%3D" width="640" height="427" alt="" />  </div>

  
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<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">More Good Memories Than Bad Memories?</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">Participants recalled childhood memories in a study published in Psychological Monographs: General and Applied. They then rated their memories as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. People reported 50% pleasant memories, 30% unpleasant, and 20% neutral.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">Another study re-created this research using a sensory deprivation tank to ensure nothing in the room somehow influenced people's positive emotions. The responses changed. Now participants reported 66% pleasant memories and 33% unpleasant ones. Of the 20% neutral memories, virtually all became positive.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">Interestingly, even for memories that we recall involuntarily — those that randomly pop into our minds throughout the day (what we call “MindPops™”) — positive recollections outnumber negative ones. The data showed that 49% of these involuntarily recalled memories were pleasant, while only 19% were unpleasant.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">Not only do we have more positive memories than negative ones, but the bad feelings from our negative memories also dissipate faster, leaving us with happier feelings for our memories overall.</b></p>
<h1 dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">What does all this mean for you?</b></h1>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">It means that when you're reminiscing about life, you are far more likely to recollect something positive and feel positive. Over time, your perspective of past events will become more positive.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">Furthermore, reminiscing about life in the past is good for your health. A sense of nostalgia can <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-53195-3_5" title="nostaglia ">increase psychological resilience</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29430666/" title="nostaglia ">improve relationships</a>, and <a href="https://health.usnews.com/wellness/mind/articles/2018-12-26/how-nostalgia-can-be-good-for-your-health-and-well-being" title="nostaglia ">boost mood and self-esteem</a>, thereby helping to enhance your overall emotional and psychological well-being.</b></p>
<p><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4">Want to harness your memories as a means to greater well-being? Visit <a href="https://mystoriesmatter.com/" title="nostaglia ">My Stories Matter</a> to start recording your memories for free!</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-1bd36ca2-7fff-9142-100c-3a59b4f375a4"> To learn more about the positive feelings associated with reminiscing, check out this article: <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/blog/post/why-you-get-happier-as-you-age/" title="nostaglia ">Why You Get Happier as You Age</a>.</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Studies Referenced</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Cason, H. (1932). The learning and retention of pleasant and unpleasant activities. Archives of Psychology, 134, 1–96.</li>
<li>Conway, M., &amp; Ross, M. (1984). Getting what you want by revising what you had. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 47, 738–748.</li>
<li>Holmes, D. S. (1970). Differential changes in affective intensity and the forgetting of unpleasant personal experiences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 3, 234–239.</li>
<li>Matlin, M. W., &amp; Stang, D. J. (1978). The Pollyanna principle. Cambridge, MA: Schenkman.</li>
<li>Robinson, J. A. (1980). Affect and retrieval of personal memories. Motivation and Emotion, 4, 149–174.</li>
<li>Ross, M. (1997). Validating memories. In N. K. Stein, P. A. Ornstein, B. Tversky, &amp; C. Brainerd (Eds.), Memory for everyday and emotional events (pp. 49–81). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.</li>
<li>Suedfeld, P., &amp; Eich, E. (1995). Autobiographical memory and affect under conditions of reduced environmental stimulation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15, 321–326.</li>
<li>Thompson, C. P., Skowronski, J. J., Larsen, S., &amp; Betz, A. (1996). Autobiographical memory: Remembering what and remembering when. New York: Erlbaum.</li>
<li>Waldfogel, S. (1948). The frequency and affective character of childhood memories. Psychological Monographs, 62 (Whole №291).</li>
<li>Walker, W.R., Skowronski, J. J., &amp; Thompson, C. P. (2003). Life Is Pleasant — and Memory Helps to Keep It That Way!. Review of General Psychology Vol. 7, №2, 203–210.</li>
<li>Walker, W. R., Vogl, R. J., &amp; Thompson, C. P. (1997). Autobiographical memory: Unpleasantness fades faster than pleasantness over time. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 11, 399–413.</li>
<li>D. T., &amp; Axsom, D. (2000). Focalism: A source of durability bias in affective forecasting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 821–836.</li>
</ul>


Our natural bias towards happy memories over bad ones

What Causes Nostalgia Goggles?

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<h1>Who Is Telling the Truth?</h1>
<p>Scientific studies have proven eyewitness testimonies <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1706891114" title="The roshomon effect">unreliable</a>, with many organizations clamoring <a href="https://innocenceproject.org/dna-exonerations-in-the-united-states/" title="The roshomon effect">against their use in court</a>. However, in many cases, each witness is still telling the truth — or the truth as they perceive it. Although not purposefully deceitful, their stories paint the same event differently. The fact of what occurred can only be found in the combination of all of these perspectives. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as the “Rashomon effect.”</p>
<h1>The Rashomon Effect </h1>
<p>The “Rashomon effect” originates from the 1950 Akira Kurosawa film <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-rashomon-1950" title="The Roshomon effect">Rashomon</a>. In the movie, four witnesses describe a mystery, and although every witness’s testimony is convincing in its own right, each individual’s account contradicts the rest. None of them worked together to form a collective memory. Philosophically, the film never settles on a specific version of “truth,” thus implying that every person’s performance was, in its way, correct.</p>
<p>Even if you haven’t seen <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-rashomon-1950" title="the roshomon effect">Rashomon</a>, you’ve probably heard of some of the media it inspired—from film to music to novels. For example, in the song “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW0DfsCzfq4" title="The roshomon effect">Summer Nights</a>” from the 1978 musical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grease_(musical)" title="the roshomon effect">Grease</a>, Sandy and Danny give their friends wildly contrasting accounts of their summer romance, from Sandy’s clear recollections to Danny’s steamy version of events.</p>
<p>Naturally, every individual will have a slightly different version of the same event, influenced by their subjective emotional state, expectations, and life experiences.</p>
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<h1>Collaboration Trumps Monologue  </h1>
<p>My Stories Matter approaches the memory-recording process from a communal perspective. Rather than quarrel over differences in memory, we can celebrate them! Inviting others to collaborate, where c input is added as color-coded text incorporated into the original memory. As others fill in the gaps, you create a richer, more detailed story. </p>
<p>To quote Akira Kurosawa, “<a href="https://quotefancy.com/quote/1282177/Akira-Kurosawa-It-is-the-power-of-memory-that-gives-rise-to-the-power-of-imagination#:~:text=Akira%20Kurosawa%20Quote%3A%20%E2%80%9CIt%20is,to%20the%20power%20of%20imagination.%E2%80%9D" title="The roshomon effect">memory gives rise to the imagination</a>.” By remembering the stories we share with others, we imagine new possibilities. Who knows where the truth lies? What matters is that we can share our experiences with those we love.</p>
<p>Ready to create a collective memory with your friends and family? <a href="https://www.mystoriesmatter.com/" title="my stories matter">Sign up for free</a> to My Stories Matter Today!</p>
