Now, what was I saying?

Posted on by Miriam

Last year I turned 50 but in my mind I still feel 19, at least some days.  I love music, dancing, singing along to the radio in my car and I still feel young at heart.  BUT truth be told, I’m no longer that young, spontaneous and slightly reckless 19 year old.  I’ve grown up, I’ve become wiser (I hope), assumed responsibilities and embraced motherhood.

snoopy getting older

One thing that’s got worse in the last year though is my memory.  Talk about getting forgetful.  I walk to the top of the stairs and forget why I’m there.  I go to the pantry in my kitchen and look in it blankly.

Ask me what I did yesterday and I’ve likely forgotten, ask me what I had for dinner last night and I’ll have to think twice (unless it was chilli).  Ask me where I went last holidays, I might have a chance but what I did last year, forget it!

I guess that’s why photos are so precious to me.

They’re captured moments otherwise lost forever.  While I don’t want to spend my life behind a camera there’s no denying that without photos our brain couldn’t possibly remember every thing we see each day.  And some things we don’t want to miss.

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Like our kids growing up and my mum when she was fit and healthy.
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Like every grain of beauty in our world
Sometimes it pays to just get out and walk
Every spectacular sunset we’ve been privileged to witness
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Camping trips we’ve enjoyed with friends
Kilcunda (January 2012) 313 (800x600)
Happy fun times we’ve shared
November2008 Cohuna 238
Even embarrassing moments, after all if we can’t laugh at ourselves …

Apparently chronic stress is one of the brain’s worst enemies, so knowing that I’m determined to try and keep my levels in check.

So here’s five things on my list to try and improve my memory:

  1. Laugh more.  Life has become so serious.
  2. Continue to write in my daily Gratitude Journal, of things I’d otherwise forget, people I’m grateful for in my life.
  3. Breaking out of my routine and trying new things, they say it establishes new pathways in the brain.  So I need to use it and not lose it.
  4. Physical exercise. For me it’s walking and Zumba, great for the heart and mind.
  5. And perhaps most importantly, living mindfully.  Using all my senses everyday appreciating each day and living each moment to the full.

dory quote

Maybe that’s why I love blogging so much.  When I’m much older I can look back and say “Did I really do that?  So that’s what I was like when I was 50!”

Wishing you all peace, love and happiness as you go about your lives.  Here’s to making precious memories, keeping them alive and keeping our memory banks active.

Memories

104 thoughts on “Now, what was I saying?”

  1. I can certainly relate, Miriam. What did you say your name was? 🙂 Seriously, I do worry sometimes, and these are good pointers you’ve given. I need to get those pathways working on some Polish language and I’m definitely overdue trying something new. Have a happy and stress free week! 🙂

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    1. Thanks Jenny, sorry, I mean Jo. 🙂 Seriously, I worry too but photos definitely help as do lots of other activities keeping the brain healthy. Hope your week is stress free as well! 🙂

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  5. I love this post & the beautiful photos you’ve shared too. The five things to assist memory are so useful … fading memories are something so many of us are faced with and I like the idea of your gratitude journal (and blog) as a means to trigger recollection in the years ahead.

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  6. Great post. Good advice too. Photos can always be relied on to stir the memory. We use them all the time with my elderly mother who has dementia. It’s amazing how powerful images are to prompt her to converse.

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  7. Photos are indeed a snapshot in time made precious by the memories of the subject person or place within. And again, you have inspired my next post!

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  8. Great post Miriam, I loved it and I agree, but I also think that your age is just a number….nothing more, just think if you still feel 19, how much experience you now have and that makes you a fascinating 19 year old……………keep moving forward its a great place to be!

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  9. I can relate. I’m 49 yrs young and I have to pause to remember what I was going to do. I read somewhere not to multitask and repeat out loud what you were going to do. It works for me. Although I may sound like a cuckoo talking to myself. Lol

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  11. I am forgetful and I am not even 40 yet so what hope do I have! I think it is becoming a mum that does something to your memory!!! I tried to keep a gratitude journal but I kept forgetting to write in it!

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  13. Great post! I’m going to be 50 next month and in one hand I can’t quite believe I’m going to be so old but on the other hand I don’t feel old at all!! My mum ‘a young 69’ calls those forgotten moments ‘brain farts’ 🙂

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  14. 😉😉😉😉 at least the chilli is remembered. I’m not yet 30 but I sometimes go to the kitchen and forget why I went there and end up remembering when I get back to the bedroom. 😉😉😉
    I read this post and I was smiling to the end. Keep your memories in pictures, they tell a lot.

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  15. Miriam, this beautiful post made me cry happy tears! By the way, I love Zumba, too! When the weather’s not good for walking outside, I like to use Leslie Sansone’s walking videos. Leslie Sansone Walk Slim: Fast and Firm 4 Really Big Miles is my favorite. Best of luck to you in all that you do.

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  16. What a beautiful post Miriam! I couldn’t stop laughing! Not at you but with you because although I’m only 30, I’m always quite forgetful and can relate to not remembering why I walked into a room! What beautiful pictures, that sunset nothing short of stunning! I love this tips to yourself all great ways to enjoy life and get the most out of each day. I saw the nostalgic photo of your mom and it made me smile. Good night my dear friend or good morning depending on when you read this 😉

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    1. Thank you Niki, I’m happy my post made you smile and also glad that you could relate to my moments of forgetfulness. Have a great day, my Wednesday is just beginning here.

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  18. Thank you for sharing such happy moments with us. That sunset is stunning! You are so right about photos. There was a photo just the other day of a 3 day family get together that I had completely forgotten about….and it was only 2 1/2 years ago. Pictures are the memory’s life saver.

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  21. An excellent post Miriam. I often wonder why my head stopped ageing at 27 …the year my boobs dropped. So right about the photos, they’re the most important thing on my backup drive….along with the blogging notes of course. Have a great day and enjoy the steady soaking rain.

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  22. Nice post Miriam. I find a “Sentence a Day” and a “Photo a Day” are wonderful prompts and reminders. Just a few words or one image take me back and other memories flood in. But what did I have for dinner last night?…..

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  24. That photo of Snoopy is so true !! Believe me, for the last few birthdays I have been asking myself the same 😀 I love your to do list 🙂 Quite a few things to learn for the readers as well. The photos, as usual are awesome and for the last one, kudos to the photographer to have captured it at the right moment 😉 LoL 😀 I love the one in the white sand as well. I have seen it in your previous posts also and have commented on the same, but I guess I simply have to say its amazing one more time 🙂 The background, the view, you.. Everything is jaw-dropping ❤

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    1. Hi Minaxi, just found this message, so sorry about the late reply. As always your words are very kind and I love the fact that you always read my posts and make such wonderful remarks. Now I just have to take some of my own advice! 🙂 Hope you’re well and happy today.

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      1. That is fine Miriam 🙂 I so understand about missed comments 😉 I am glad you found them after all 🙂 It is a pleasure to halt by your blog and my head gets filled with all these wonderful thoughts as I read through your posts and in the end I do justice as much as possible by commenting on your post 🙂 I was happy yes, but healthwise some issues but now all settled 🙂 Hope you are having a wonderful weekend 🙂

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  25. I love photographs, too, and for the same reason! My memory has never been good, and is getting worse by the minute. So I have my photo albums to look through and remind me of all the good times. It’s odd how a single picture can trigger a memory of a whole trip or event! I’m hoping blogging does the same thing, but time will tell. Great post, Miriam!

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  26. Good post Miriam. I used do Sudokus but since I started blogging I say “Who needs Sudokus? Blogging ( the technology aspect ) – has done my head in at times and figure that learning all the new things with it is enough brain gym for me. Don’t worry about memory loss. It is short term – just wait long enoughtfor it to be long term. Ha ha.

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  28. Miriam, this is a wonderful post, and I can relate to it. That memory of mine is also fading some, but the photos will bring them back. I am in the transition phase and look forward to living again – was stuck for awhile – but things are changing. I enjoyed reading this post very much. Happy day to you my friend! 🙂

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  29. I like your list especially #3: trying new things. I encourage all of us to take a new and exciting hobby. I believe new experiences keep us looking forward instead of looking back, keep us young and do open new paths in the brain. Be childlike and you’ll never grow old. 🙂
    Danny

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  33. What a lovely post! Does it ever surprise you the random things that you DO remember? For example, I was walking through the woods one afternoon, and for some reason, that very *particular* softness of the ground, bareness of the trees, and grayness of the sky just stuck in my mind. Dozens, maybe hundreds of other walks all blur together, but that one stands out. I don’t know why. I have lots of odd little memories like that. Why do I remember the exact context of *this* particular cup of coffee and not the thousands of others I’ve consumed? Sometimes, I’ll be going along and think, “I wonder if this is going to be one of those funny, special memories?” Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. Thank you so much for sharing your wise and kind insights. I always love reading your thoughts and looking at the beautiful pictures that you share. Your advice today was poignant and timely!

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    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed my post Lulu. True that some things are more poignant and stay in our memories more, who knows why, maybe it’s our feelings at the time or a connection with something else we’re doing. Our brains are so complex and sometimes our memories are so random, I just appreciate what I have now! Thanks again Lulu.

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  34. Oh I can so relate to that thing about being one age and feeling like another! LOL The song, “18 ‘till I Die” by Bryan Adams goes through my mind a lot!

    The pictures are, as always, lovely! And yay for taking them! We didn’t have a camera for a long time so missed a lot. Journaling helps me remember some things, too. 🙂

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  35. Mentally I still feel like I’m 21, but physically I sometimes feel older than I actually am (joint and back pain, etc) and that’s the part of getting old that does bother me. And I’m only 36!

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  36. Great post. Thanks for sharing. I totally agree with “And perhaps most importantly, living mindfully. Using all my senses everyday appreciating each day and living each moment to the full.” I recently lost my brother who was an artist and a superbly intelligent man. His death made me think about my own mortality. Life is too short and the truth is we need to appreciate every moment to the fullest. Thanks again.

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  37. I love this post. I can certainly relate. I don’t usually feel my age, but my feet do! Thank goodness for comfortable shoes! I followed your blog and look forward to reading more!

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  38. Had to nod and smile all the way through! 50 is just over the horizon, and I’m in total denial…although the way I stagger and lurch out of the tent after a night sleeping on a camping mat soon gives me away. Great post!

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    1. Haha, love it, thanks. I’ve just come back from an overnight camping trip and we did a huge hike up the top of a mountain to see a waterfall yesterday. Today my legs are knees are absolutely buggered!

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  39. So it’s not just me forgetting things Miriam? Phew that’s a relief 🙂

    It’s funny. I have heaps of photos, but very few of myself in them.

    I need to fix that… maybe I need to break out the selfie stick so I can be IN the photos I’m taking of everyone else having a great time.

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    1. Haha, no it’s definitely not just you forgetting things. And yes, start taking some photos of yourself so you can look back and remember how good looking you were when you were younger and how much fun you were having 🙂

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  41. I have the big 5-0 coming next year. I plan to meet it head on by running my first marathon. It’s possible I’ve already lost my mind….

    I like your five things for improving memory. I think I’ve got the third one covered (Jack of All Trades who is easily bored) but I could do with covering the other four as well.

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