I read a post today which was called Remember When: Creating Memories to Inspire Others Simone, the author, was emphasising the important role of positive memories to enhance our inner strengths. The memories can be from way back in our past, but it’s still vital to recall them, share them with others, and reflect on happy times which were significant in our lives.

When I was thinking about this in terms of writing my autobiography, ‘Beyond the Red Door’, I wondered about the value of recalling negative times in our lives. I know that when I go back and read about the funny and happy times in my childhood, particularly, I am so glad I put them in the book. They remind me of the strong child I was before outside forces tried to sway me from my path. And I use the image of this child when I need some strength and comfort, because I know she’s still there.

But then I realised the value of all the negative times I wrote about in my book. Although they were dark times for me, and they make everyone cry when they read them, they serve a purpose for me now. I can look back on them and see how I have survived in truly difficult times. Because I’ve described them so clearly, the pain and emotion come through, taking me back to that part of my life. I often find myself transfixed when I read some of these accounts, and wondering how on earth I coped at the time. It’s almost as though someone else wrote about these events.

So now when I’m facing yet another hurdle in my life, it’s useful for me to look at where I’ve come from and see how strong I’ve been. I think this goes for us all. If we remember the hard times in our lives which we’ve overcome, we can steel ourselves to get over the next obstacle.

Reading Simone’s post has reminded me to keep those happy memories in the front of my mind. They play a powerful role in channeling our energies into things that matter, rather than getting boggged down and stuck in things that don’t.