Can you recall your first memory?
First memories are rather interesting because you are never quite sure just how accurate they are. It’s either because you were very young or you have revisited the memory so many times over the years that it evolves with each revisit. I do have an early memory and when I talked to my mom about it awhile back, she said, “It is impossible that you remember that, you were only a year and a half old!”
My first memory is being strolled by my mom down the street on a nice spring morning. I saw a lady sitting in a green and white garden chair watching people walk below her balcony. She was in all black, from head to toe, including a scarf on her head which covered up her hair. This lady was old with very wrinkled skin and she didn’t have any teeth in her mouth. She smiled at us as we were approaching and my mom stopped below the balcony, they had a few words and then we kept walking. I don’t remember what they said to each other or anything else about that spring day, but I do remember exactly what house it was and how that old lady looked.
When I told my mom, she was surprised that I was able to give her such a detailed explanation of what I remembered from that day. She told me that the old lady was her grandmother and she had died shortly after seeing her that spring morning.
That image has been stuck in my mind and the memory has stayed with me throughout my life. The reason is because at a young age, there was something shocking about what I saw. I believe it was because my great grandmother was so wrinkled and wearing black from head to toe and, up until that time, I had never seen anyone like that before. Looking back, I don’t remember seeing anyone like that again in my small hometown.
The memory wasn’t traumatizing or unhappy which means the memory wasn’t stored in sub-conscience mind because I was traumatized, however the image of my great grandmother was stored in my sub-conscience without being linked to any story or feeling.
My great grandmother died when she was 70 years old. Fast forward to today, I can honestly say that I have never seen another lady with so many wrinkles like her because women today take care of themselves. Our quality of life is not always better, but our life expectancy has certainly increased over the years. I have friends and clients that are far beyond 70 years old and they look astonishing! They are young in soul and attitude, also in how they think and the way that they dress. My mom just turned 70 and she is young, strong and sassy. She takes really good care of herself by eating healthy superfoods, and chooses to always have a great attitude toward life. These are all things that we can each choose to do in our daily lives.
We have to make a lot of choices throughout the day. Why not choose to have a positive mindset all the time and make healthy eating choices? Your mind is stronger when your brain is well fed, and you will feed your brain better foods if you keep a positive mindset and attitude. We can’t have one without the other one.
How to Create the Mindset for Aging Beautifully
So how do we do make that happen? Simply by creating small daily healthy routines and repeating them consistently so they stick with us, just like any other memory. Take one routine at a time and commit to it daily for one week. Once you have consistently repeated it for one week, add a second routine and do the same, repeat consistently for one week. At the end of the second week, add a third and continue this process until you feel you have more healthier routines than unhealthy ones.
Daily Routines for Better Aging:
- Write in a journal 10 things a day you are grateful for
- Read a great book before bed instead of watching tv
- Go for a walk early in the morning without headphones, only with your thoughts
- Wash your body with a warm cloth before bedtime
- Set 4 small goals for the day that will take to your ultimate goal
- Create a ridiculously big goal for your life
- Drink 42 oz of water a day
- Have a great conversation with someone you love
- Hug and kiss your loved ones as much as you can
This list of routines will keep your brain and mind happy and positive, as a result, you will stay younger longer. These activities will also create positive memories for you and will enlarge the memory of you in other people’s minds. This is the meaning of life, to be remembered for who you are for yourself and others.