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Tell Your Story

You have a lifetime of memories and experiences to share with younger generations


Two women smiling and hugging each other
Wendy Connett/Getty Images

Quick Win

Reminiscing with loved ones can deepen your relationships and boost your mood.

Try This Today

  • Spend 15 or 20 minutes with a pen and paper or a keyboard.
  • Write a story, anecdote or even just a memory from your life. You might try:
    • Best moments
    • Memorable events 
    • Important historical events
    • Daily routines
    • Funny or embarrassing moments
    • Family stories
  • Offer to share the story with a friend or family member. You could also make a collection to give to a loved one as a special gift.

Why

“Patterns of memory sharing begin early in one’s life, informing relationships, one’s history and one’s sense of cultural belonging,” write the authors of an article on intergenerational family stories published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2022. “A burgeoning body of research is showing that intergenerational knowledge of one’s family history is associated with positive mental health and well-being,” they add.

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