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Defy Aging by Michael Brickey, Ph.D. Board Certified Psychologist

Cultivating Fond Memories


ACTION TO TAKE

Make it a personal goal to have at least twice as many fond memories as painful memories. Enhance the good memories. Let the painful ones wither or see the humor in them. Take stock of what you are grateful for and cultivate your fond memories with family and friends.

Michael Brickey, Ph.D. Board Certified Psychologist

Michael Brickey, Ph.D.

WHY?

Carrying around resentments and bad memories is like carrying around a bowling ball. It weighs you down, slows you down, and is downright stupid. Researcher Belle Boone Beard, who studied thousands of centenarians, found that centenarians have twice as many fond memories as they do negative memories. It isn't that they had an easy life. They experienced the Depression, two world wars, and several other wars. They also dealt with the deaths of many friends and family members.

Despite their adversities, you would have a hard time finding any centenarians who see themselves as victims or carry resentments. Instead they focus on the good things that happen, let the bad memories wither, and cherish the lessons learned from adversity.

Defy Aging Quote:

Resentment is warmed-over anger. Anxiety is warmed-over fear. Self-pity is nothing more than warmed-over grief.
                                -Robert Jean Bryant

Defy Aging Humor:

. . . . .One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed seven-year-old Alex was staring endlessly at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names and had small American flags mounted on each side. "Pastor, what is this?" Alex asked. "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service." Little Alex's voice was barely audible when he asked, "The 9:00 or the 10:30 service?"

. . . . .A Legionnaire visited a bar and lamented to his comrade, "I can't remember why I came here." "Forget it," his comrade said. "That's it," he said, "I came here to forget."

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Michael Brickey, Ph.D. is a life coach and a Board Certified psychologist and serves on the medical staff of several hospitals. He is the author of Defy Aging: Develop the Mental and Emotional Vitality to Live Longer, Healthier, and Happier Than You Ever Imagined. Critically acclaimed by Dr. Bernie Siegel, Betty Friedan, Dr. Ronald Klatz, and four past presidents of the American Psychological Association, it is available at many bookstores and through his web site www.DrBrickey.com. He coaches people and organizations all over the country by phone as part of his mission to help people do things they didn't think they could do. He also speaks on Defying Aging. Please E-mail Dr. Brickey at BeautyWalk@DrBrickey.com.