Here are some tips on how you can focus on your happy memories:

 ✓ Think happy. Positive thinking – or thinking positive thoughts –

can drive change in your life. With childhood memories the

temptation as you grow older is to view events in a less than

positive light. This may be the result of later life experiences,

such as stressful events.

 But don’t let yourself do this. Instead of feeling sorry for your-

self, think of ways in which an event made you a stronger and

better person. You can also think of reasons why people did

what they did. For example, a friend told me of how she was

bullied at school, but as she got older, she realised what a dif-

ficult life the bully had and she stopped feeling sorry for her-

self and started counting her own blessings.

 ✓ Scrapbooking is no scrappy task. Forgetting what a great

holiday you had is easy, especially as time moves on and

you get more entrenched in the daily grind. But stopping and

remembering what a wonderful time you had is important.

Scrapbooking is a fun and great way to preserve precious

memories. Many different websites give you guidelines and

templates to get you started. Some people save tickets stubs

to events they went to, brochures or postcards of places they

visited, or even a leaf or flower from a park or hike that they

loved. You can add all these mementos to your scrapbook.

You can even buy special books and materials if you’re feeling

a little more creative in your efforts.

 Many scrapbooking groups exist, so why not join one? You’ll

find that sharing your happy memories strengthens them

in your mind, and you’re more likely to remember them. In

Chapter 11, I discuss the added benefits of socialising to keep

your brain healthy.

 ✓ Have a snack. Think back on those lazy, sunny days when

you didn’t go to school and could spend all day at the park.

Food can serve as a fantastic trigger for happy childhood

memories because the taste and smell can remind you of a

specific event. If you’re missing your family and childhood

friends, even thinking about the food you used to enjoy can

boost your mood.