Second Cup: Make a memory this week

Make this week stand out

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to make a memory this week. Special moments

(00:21):
give shape and meaning to our lives, and they keep
us from having no idea where the time actually went.
I know lots of Before Breakfast listeners lead full lives.
We like to get things done, and that is great.
So here is one more thing to add to the
list this week, something that will make this week stand

(00:44):
out in your memory. What could you do this week
so that at least a month in the future you
might still be able to recall it? How about a
year from now? Is there anything you could do this
week that you might be able to recall a year
from now, at least with a little help. This can

(01:05):
be a tricky assignment. Obviously, if you are on vacation,
that is one thing, But think back to, say, last
year around this time. What did you do a year
ago that you can recall now? The answer for many
of us is probably not that much. We get busy
with our lives and don't necessarily think about what we

(01:28):
are doing that our future selves might be able to
look back upon one day. Of work or one weekend
day is much like any other day, but with a
little thought. My guess is that you could do something
out of the ordinary enough for fun enough that you
might be able to remember it. Memories come from novelty

(01:49):
or intensity. So what could you do this week that
would fit into those categories. Maybe by the end of
the week you could have a family care contest. Bring
in your neighbors if you want additional competitors. I know,
if you have been listening to Before Breakfast regularly, you
heard my tip on having a go to karaoke song.

(02:12):
Maybe you could make that two hour drive this Saturday
and get together with your college roommate for a few hours.
You've been saying you want to do that for the
past year. This is as good a week as any.
Maybe you and your partner could try out that Latin
dance class that your gym is advertising. You might be

(02:32):
terrible at it. That could make quite the memory too,
and I am guessing it would give you guys something
to talk about. Or maybe you could get up before dawn,
drive to that hilltop trail and see the sunrise somewhere amazing.
I don't know what the memory might be for you,
but I can at least explain why I think you

(02:53):
should aim to make a memory this week. Thinking about
making memories prompts us to take the long view and
to consider what will matter in the future. Your inbox
will likely still be there in a month or a year.
You won't remember ninety nine percent of what is in it,

(03:16):
but you will remember that catch up lunch and walk
with your friend who lives two hours away. We can
get caught up in the minutia of our lives. Aiming
to make a memory reminds us to step back and
think and second, the existence of memories is what makes
time feel richer and more full. This wasn't just a

(03:40):
week like any other week. This was the week that
we had that family karaoke contest, or that you took
that trip to visit your college roommate, or that you
tripped all over each other at that Latin dance class.
Now time doesn't disappear so easily into the wash of

(04:00):
the past. So as you are thinking through your upcoming week,
think about how you might consciously create a memory. Spend
a little time thinking about this, look at when it
could happen some night this week on the weekend, what
might be worth doing. What logistics would you need to

(04:24):
take care of. Then, as you are doing this memorable thing,
go ahead and do some work for your future self.
Think about what the scene looks like, Try to remember details.
How would you describe this, Take some pictures, tell someone
else about it. You are rehearsing how you would tell

(04:47):
yourself about it a year from now, and enjoy it.
Savor what you can. All time passes, but sometime stands
out more than other. If you make a memory this week,
then this week isn't really gone. It lives on in

(05:10):
your mind in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening,
and here's to making the most of our time. Thanks
for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas,

(05:32):
or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at Laura
vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia.
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