“Happy memories are essential to our mental health. They strengthen our identity, sense of purpose and relationships.”
Disclaimer: This book was kindly gifted to me by Penguin Random House SA in exchange for an honest review.
Memories are the cornerstones of our identity, shaping who we are, how we act, and how we feel. In his work as a happiness researcher, Meik Wiking has learned that people are happier if they hold a positive, nostalgic view of the past. But how do we make and keep the memories that bring us lasting joy?
The Art of Making Memories examines how mental images are made, stored, and recalled in our brains, as well as the “art of letting go”—why we tend to forget certain moments to make room for deeper, more meaningful ones. Meik uses data, interviews, global surveys, and real-life experiments to explain the nuances of nostalgia and the different ways we form memories around our experiences and recall them—revealing the power that a “first time” has on our recollections, and why a piece of music, a smell, or a taste can unexpectedly conjure a moment from the past. Ultimately, Meik shows how we each can create warm memories that will stay with us for years.
Combining his signature charm with Scandinavian forthrightness, filled with info-graphics, illustrations, and photographs, and featuring “Happy Memory Tips,” The Art of Making Memories is an inspiration meditation and practical handbook filled with ideas to help us make the memories that will bring us joy throughout our lives.
Review
I read this book early January and it was the perfect time for me to read it at that time as I was busy making plans for the year. It really helped me in that process. Meik’s writing is amazing and the structure of this book is perfect to convey the message. In each chapter he prompts you to think a lot about what you can do better in the process of ,making memories. He gives tips throughout the book which I found to be really helpful.
The art of making memories is a visual book, the images used are just perfect for the book (the photographers did an amazing job). Along with the questions posed to the reader, you also find exercises relating to that particular chapter. Examples are also included making the book more relatable.
At the end of the book, there is a section of planning a happy and memorable year, whereby Meik steers the reader on a direction one can use to plan out their year. He describes the theme for that month, provides detailed example on how you can plan for that particular theme. With that he mentions how he planned for that theme in the past and how it panned out.
Overall, its a great book I’d highly recommend to everyone because we all want to make memories. You’ll learn a lot from this book and its a very short and quick read.
Details
Title: The Art of Making Memories: How to Create and remember Happy Moments; Author: Meik Wiking; Released: November 2019; Publisher: Penguin; Genre: Self-help; Pages: 288
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