Resources

WHERE DO I START?

Have you ever heard of a memory trigger? A memory trigger is a word, phrase, sound, scent, etc. that takes you back to a moment in time, helping you recollect the who, what, where, why, when and how of a specific event. We have compiled a list of memory triggers to assist you in organizing your thoughts. We encourage each author to no only focus on the facts, but the emotions that accompany these specific events. After all, don't you want your life story to be read by your family? Then make it interesting. One way to do this is by telling a story as if you were sitting by your child's bedside, or sitting around the fireplace with your family. Think about how you would tell the story. Now write it down as if you were speaking. Don't worry, the story can be cleaned up later. The main goal is to get it down on paper. That is the hardest step for most authors.

Is there anything unusual about your name or why you were named ____________?

Where and when were you born and why were you living there?

About your parents, their jobs, their personalities?

Were you happy growing up and how did your relationships affect that happiness?

In the order of siblings, where do you fit in?

About your brothers and sisters?

Did you know your grandparents and what part did they play in your life? What were they like?

About your family history and any interesting ancestors and family members

About your first memory and where you were and what you were doing

Can you remember the first house you lived in and other homes after that? Where were they and what were they like?

Where did you go to school and what can you remember about that first year of school?

Were there special teachers you remember and what do you remember about them that made them memorable?

What did you like about school and what didn’t you like and why

What did you do in the summer when school was over?

Are there special friends you remember from that time of your life?

How old were you when you first started dating?

What were your parents’ rules about dating, curfews, places you could go?

Did you go on group dates or always one-on-one dates? Did you go “steady”?

What were some of your painful experiences and what were some of the best experiences?

Did you have many secret crushes and did you ever get your heart broken?

How did you learn the facts of life?

Do you know where your old boy/girl friends are now and what happened to them in their lives?

Did your family go on many vacations and where did you go and what did you do?

Have you traveled a lot in your life and why did you go there and what memories are most vivid in your mind?

Are there places you still want to visit and things you want to see?

Did you attend college or a trade school and where did you go and did you graduate?

How did you decide what to major in or what influenced you to take the classes you did? What did you decide to do with your education?

Was there any particular class or incident or event that influenced your path in education and career?

How did you pay for your education?

Who were your friends in college or school and what special memories do you have concerning them? Have you kept in touch with any of these friends?

What was your dating life like during this time? Were you married during this time or did you stay single?

Did you serve in the Armed Services and in which arm did you serve? When and where?

How did this service influence choices in your life and help you decide what to do with the rest of your life?

What were some of the most interesting experiences you had or places you served?

Did you form lasting friendships during this time? Were there certain people who influenced you and in which way?

What jobs you’ve had in your life and which ones did you like or dislike and for what reasons?

Was there a job you really loved and what did you love about it?

How did you decide what career you wanted to pursue? If you could change your career or work to something else, what would it be and why?

What are some of your best accomplishments in your career or work? What strengths did you discover you had and how did they help you in your working experience?

What is your spouse’s name, when, where and how did you meet?

What was your first date and what were some of the places you went and things you did?

How did you date before getting engaged? How did you get engaged?

When were you married and what was your wedding day like? Who was in your wedding, where was it, and who married you? Did you have a reception and describe the food and decorations? Was there an unusual or sentimental gift you received that you particularly enjoyed or loved?

Did you go on a honeymoon and where?

What were some of the challenges and highlights of the years you’ve been married?

How would you describe that first year of marriage? Were there humorous times? Trying times? Was it hard to adjust living with another person?

How prepared were you for cooking, cleaning, making a home, sharing responsibilities? How did you decide who would do what and were there many adjustments made as life progressed.

Do you remember your first argument and how it was resolved? What was the most common argument you had and have those disagreements changed over the years?

Where was the first home you owned and what did you love about it and what were your feelings moving in? Did you like the neighbors?

What are the names of your children and when were they born?

Where are they now and what are they doing with their lives?

What were the hard challenges of raising your children? What events took place in those years of raising your children that changed your life or the lives of your children?

What have been some of your best memories raising your children?

How do you feel about your grandchildren? Who are they and where do they live? Do you spend a lot of time with them and what are some of your most valued memories so far with them?

What are some of the activities you’ve enjoyed with your grandchildren and what would you like them to remember about you?

What are your most memorable vacations? Have you traveled to unusual places or do you have a favorite spot you love?

What fun adventures have you experienced away from home and what made them memorable?

Where are some of the places you yet want to see and why would you want to go there or have that experience?

What interests do you have in your life? Hobbies? Passions? Collections?

What do you consider to be your talents and how have your shared those talents through the years?

What are the activities you have that give you the most pleasure? The most fun? What things would you like to do if you had endless time on your hands?

Have you belonged to any organizations that have enhanced your life and why?

Are politics important to you and what do you feel strongly about that involves world concerns and issues in your country?

What events have happened in your lifetime that had the most effect on you? What special events do you remember vividly?

What changes have happened in your life that amaze you or concern you?

What impact has world and local events had in your life? Were they life-changing or just of general interest and amazement?

What concerns do you have about the future?

What part, if any, has religion played in your life?

What experiences have left lasting impressions in your memory?

Did you have any special religious training and what did it involve?

What does your religion mean to you and how has it affected your life?

Have there been physical challenges in your life? What happened to you and how did it affect your life and activities

Is exercise important to you? Eating right? Is there anything you’ve done health-wise that you think has contributed to the quality of your life?

Are there allergies, accidents, surgeries, serious illness you’ve experienced?

Have there been any critical financial challenges in your life and, if so, how did you handle them?

Do you have a feeling of financial stability or is this a worry to you and continuing challenge?

Do you feel that your financial status has affected your way of life either in a positive or negative way?

What are some of the experiences in life that have brought you the most happiness or well-being feelings?

Have there been troubled times that have challenged your faith or mental health and how did you overcome those obstacles or trials?

What are some of your very favorite things or people in your life? Music? Colors? Movies? Sports? Ice cream? Spectator sports? Restaurants? Flower? Season? Books?

Have there been defining moments in your life that shaped the direction of your life? What were those moments and how did you cope or benefit from them?

What are some of the more humorous events in your life and what did you learn from them?

What are some of the most important decisions in your life and do you wish you made different ones and changed the outcomes?

In what ways did your life turn out as you imagined or planned? What detours did you take in making your life as planned or what helped you accomplish what you wanted?

What were your greatest disappointments or frustrations? How have you coped with them?

What are your goals for the future and how do you plan to accomplish them.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned so far in your life? What advice would you leave to your family?

If you could leave one important message to your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren or one thing you wanted them to always remember, what would you say to them?

Who are or were your favorite friends at different points in your life? Do you still maintain those friendships and what is it that you value so much in their friendship?

Do you have any heroes in your life and what exactly have they contributed to your life or the life of others that you admire?

Who or what have been the inspiration in your life and how did you benefit from that inspiration?