I think life is meant to be lived.
At the same time, I treasure certain memories from my life. Sometimes a picture takes me back to a great vacation experience. When I re-read a journal entry, I get to re-experience a specific time in my life.
And sometimes, I can relate my experiences to others in a way that helps them. So what’s the right balance? How much should we be re-living what’s in the past?
And how should we document events from our lives? For most of my life, I’ve relied on journaling and taking pictures to “document” certain events. With iPhones, now it’s easy to record voice memos and videos.
Because lives are lived, a portfolio often provides more meaningful documentation than a resume. A restaurant review may have a greater impact than a list of what you ordered.
Here are a few things I think are worth documenting.
- Special Occasions (including graduation ceremonies, weddings, and more)
- Difficult Times (actually any times when your emotions run very hot or cold)
- Moments that reflect your personal Philosophy of Life
- Artistic Works that impact you in a big way
- Life Lessons (really anything you’ve learned that you consider important)
- Daily Habits
- People and Relationships that matter to you
Here’s one way to think about it. What would you need to train Artificial Intelligence to emulate you? How do you want to be remembered after you’ve passed away? There’s no universal right answer.
What you document should represent at least part of your personal story. We all have one, and it’s worth sharing.
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