Comments on: Memories Are Made of This

By: Kevin M

Kevin M — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:21:30 +0000

I’ve been doing this mentally for awhile – thinking of the one best or special thing that happened to me each day. But writing a few down is a great idea. I’m going to start today.

By: reulte

reulte — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:46:41 +0000

I like the idea of writing down each day the things that make me happy and will do that — whether or not I actually spend money.

By: Foxie@CarsxGirl

Foxie@CarsxGirl — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:31:25 +0000

Most of my memories come from the spending of money, on the things that truly make an impact on my life.

Hallett put the biggest smile on my face ever, for $165. We spent about $1,000 on our trip to Myrtle Beach, where I had a blast and made some awesome friends. All of it’s more enjoyable thanks to the $$$’s I’ve put into my car herself.

While these things gave me way more value than the money invested, they wouldn’t have been possible without that money.

By: ann

ann — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:21:27 +0000

We are teaching our 5 yr old dd about gratitude. We are not rich, but we are healthy, safe and (most of the time) can pay all of our bills.

At bedtime, I ask her to tell me a few “fun things” or “good things” that happened today. Of course, most of them are experiences, not purchases. Maybe we all should do this every night.

By: et

et — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:26:54 +0000

assuming of course that you have enough money not to worry about money. If you are secure in your life and know that you will continue to live in your home for as long as you like, if you have enough food not to worry about the next meals, and you family is healthy and secure – then yes more money doesn’t make you happier.

But try appreciating the things you did with a back drop of unemployment, homelessness or illness and you will see it really is about money

By: anne

anne — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:13:15 +0000

#15- paul

those great books were written by people.

so you really are still making connections w/ people!

By: Java Monster

Java Monster — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:33:42 +0000

This is a good post–and thank you to #10 st for mentioning that website. I have it bookmarked now, but I think I’ll probably keep a little book with me so it’s more convenient.

I think I may have my daughter do this, too (she’s 13) so she can compile all the good and awesome things she does. If she doesn’t do it, I may start a list for her, and my son.

By: Bavaria

Bavaria — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:49:55 +0000

Thank you Trent for another wonderful post! It’s interesting to see your results and percentages. I will give it a try and calculate my numbers after a time. Should be revealing. Tracking behavior is generally a good thing. So often we are on ‘autopilot’ and don’t really pay attention to the habits we are forming regarding thoughts and actions. Cognitive therapy–I like it!;)

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:32:37 +0000

I think this is another case where I am an exception to the rule. The best meals I remember are not the dinner parties with friends and family, but the times I would go out to eat alone and could ignore all the table manners and concentrate on shoveling it down. My fondest memory of school is not graduation, but the weekend when I spent 5 days locked in my dorm with the Dreamcast. I’ve made deeper connections with great books than with any people I’ve met. Think of me what you will, but I tell you with all the honesty I can muster that as far as I have considered, the best things in my life are material.

By: Kate

Kate — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:05:31 +0000

Memories…
I grew up in a family where there didn’t seem to be a concious effort to make good memories–everything just ran together. We were not encouraged to talk about good things that happened…in fact, the focus was more on what was wrong or on not being allowed to talk at all. I feel that I did that, to some extent, with my own children (realizing now that what one grew up with is one’s “normality”)–although I think I realized that young children should be allowed to give voice to their fears, frustration, and happiness. I was talking to a young mother one day–she and her family had just gone on a daylong family outing and she said that she felt like it would be a good memory for her children’s “memory banks”. My children are grown so I began to focus on my own “memory bank”. When something good happened, I mentally “banked” it. I have journalled in the past but never thought about making a physical memory bank–right now it is all in my head.
While many of the memories in my bank do come out of spending some money (i.e.–watching a snow fall from my hostel room in London), the majority come from things that happen in daily life (i.e. sitting in the woods with my husband and watching two pileated woodpeckers play “peek-a-boo” around a tree. I have become a more positive person since I have been making a concious effort to “bank” memories and because of that I spend less money. I’ve known all my adult life that money doesn’t buy happiness–but conciously focusing on recognizing what is good, definitely reinforced it.

By: John DeFlumeri Jr

John DeFlumeri Jr — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:09:34 +0000

Antything we buy can be lost of broken. Memories are forever!

By: David

David — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:44:53 +0000

First, great post—I could have told you that the higher percentageof things on your list had nothing to do with money. That’s why the best things in life really are free!!

Second, what a great concept–the writing down of the five best things (for some, hopefully there were FIVE good things that did happen!)

It made me think that for any of tus still deep in debt and on our way out, this particular exercise may prove to be extra helpful. Write down 3 or 4 good “money” things tha thappened to you today. If you’ve gotten yourself on some kid of program or system, then there should be at least this much going on on a daily basis.

The road out of debt is tough–maybe this exercise cpould help keep people on track!

By: KC

KC — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:05:13 +0000

What a great idea. I am going to try this one out starting tomorrow. I am not much of a journal keeper but it’s something I am keen to get into more.

By: st

st — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:52:17 +0000

There’s an app for that. ;-)

Anyone interested in recording 5 memories each day should check out Memiary.com. You can record your thoughts via the website or iPhone app, and then you can generate lists, reports, and even books of your memories I think. It features tags, so you could use it to record, say, diet or exercise things. You can even generate an RSS feed from your memories that others can subscribe to.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:38:36 +0000

I think this is a good idea. I’m going to try this out over the next week and will let you know what I think after 7 days.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:09:19 +0000

To elaborate on what I said earlier: If the very act of spending is what’s enjoyable, that sounds to me like a compulsive shopping problem of some degree. But just because it’s not that doesn’t mean that you’d be just as happy if you stopped spending money. It’s that category of using things that you spent money on – it’s 35% of Trent’s breakdown, and I’ll bet that for some people (like me) it would be much higher than that.

In fact, it seems to me that at least some of the things in Trent’s 61% had some connection to spending money. How did he get to the park? What did he play with in the yard? (How much did he pay for the yard?) Do he and his wife have a comfy bed with nice pillows and sheets that contributed at all to their enjoyment there? Did he travel someplace to have that nice conversation in person? Or did he have it over the phone, or over the computer?

Spending money on nonessentials isn’t everything, and it isn’t even the main thing. But it’s not evil.

By: Patty

Patty — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:28:33 +0000

As I expected from you – you have found the what is truly important in life! Congratulations.

when I read your writting, I know I can still come away with something new or a new slant.

Enjoy.

By: Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food)

Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:49:20 +0000

It’s true what they say – the best things in life are free! Hearing someone laugh with happiness, seeing someone’s face light up when you do something nice for him/her, having a great discussion and learning from another person’s opinion or perspective – those are all such speial and memorable experiences because of the genuine connection you are making with that person. It’s a deeper kind of happiness than just buying an item on sale or buying whatever item catches you eye at the moment.

By: Chelsea

Chelsea — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:43:47 +0000

So true. Heaven for me will involve two activities: playing cards with my parents and brother and singing while my husband plays the guitar.

This post actually comes at a relevant time for me. I moved to a new city and a new job so my husband could get his PhD. I spent most of the last year feeling out of place and like I was in kind of a “life limbo”. However, we had our annual work chili potluck last Wednesday, and it was then that it hit me that I really do enjoy my job and I am very happy with my life here. I’m sure I’ve known it for awhile, but it took an occasion for it to become obvious to me.

By: Cara

Cara — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:37:29 +0000

I think some of my moments of most enjoyment do come from activities that cost some money – for example, few things in the world make me happier than skiing and traveling. Both can be quite expensive. I’m sure in the big picture, though, these would only represent a small percentage of my overall happiness points- because I can’t spend every day on the mountain or on a beach in Thailand!