One of the greatest gifts we can give to others is to tell them our life story and let them hear about all the things we have experienced and learned from. This is your story - no one else's - and you get to decide what goes in it. This is your chance to tell your side of the story in a way that is easy, comfortable and entirely at your own pace.
Every day, people just like you are writing their life story.
They are not writers, or academics, just people who have discovered how to make those memories come alive
Why - Why Not? Have you ever tried to research your family history and got really frustrated because you got the names and the dates, but not the details that are so fascinating? Have you ever looked at a box of photos or mementos you have inherited and longed to know who those people in the photographs are, and what their relevance is to you? You might have just their names, but not the impact they had, or any insight into their lives.
Facts are cold and dry - what we want is the intimate knowledge of their lives. How they lived, what they ate, places they had been.
That all adds colour and life to your story, and you only get that by leaving a memoir behind that tells them all about you. Not the facts and figures, but the reality of your life and experience.
You can't always get that from your ancestors, as they didn't leave you that kind of record, but you can leave that story for your descendants and future generations to know who you were and all about the life that you lived. There are plenty of reasons why we say we can't write our life story - and I have heard most of them - think about what your main reason is and I will share the most frequently heard ones with you in my next article.
Remember, your story is important and it is not nearly so difficult as you think. Do you know who will benefit most from this? You will, because writing your life story is a unique opportunity to reflect on your life and to acknowledge and celebrate what you have created with it.
From your experience you will be able to see all the twists and turns that have led you to where you are now and to get a glimpse of what you want to pass on to future generations.
Don't let your memories gather dust, bring them out into the light and you will be amazed how quickly you can become absorbed in the process of remembering and reliving your own life story
If you have ever wanted to write your life story, but thought it was too difficult, then let me reassure you that there is a simple and effective way to get started.
