Driving to a meeting today I was struck by a hand made sign on the road that simply said “Spend Your Time Collecting Memories.”
This sign reminded me of a new habit I am working on establishing called “The Five Moment Memoir.” I saw it in a magazine some time ago, which was the brainchild of (then) unemployed freelance writer Sarah Beauchamp. I loved the idea, clipped it to save, and recently found it in my file so decided to make this a part of my journaling.
Here’s how it works: Instead of writing down five things you are grateful for (which I have done on and off for years), you write snapshots from your day. Simply think of five things that have happened in the last 24 hours—the highlights and the lowlights. The idea is not to sugarcoat, but to identify key moments to recall that represent “A day in the life of…you.”
I love this approach because I tend to not repeat myself as I often do in my gratitude journal (My family, clean sheets, the Great Outdoors, and yummy meals often make that list.) With this Five Moment Memoir I etch in my brain the day, defining for myself what five things make the cut, often savoring something I especially enjoyed.
It’s also good for me because it delineates the day and is really helpful because when I re-read these pages, I can recall with detail these experiences. I highly recommend if you have hit the stage in life (like me) when things start to merge together, i.e., “What film was it we liked so much last month, with that talented actress–you know her name?” An awesome film would make my list and when I write it down and then have it to refer to, it gets to another level of my brain and I seem to remember everyday life better.
This only-takes-a-few-moments-to-do daily memoir can also be therapeutic, as you decompress, ruminate, or appreciate something special. After all, life is rarely neutral, so your subjectivity will show up on these pages and that’s a good thing!
