Why the Bad Stuff is Easier to Remember

SHOW NOTES:

On this show…we are taking time to sift and separate our thoughts and memories to understand, why the bad stuff is easier to remember. You could be having a stellar day, everything is going right, one to write down and remember forever and then you hit a snag. A challenge that might take a little effort and derails you for a moment but the shift is immediate. This day stinks! You’ll never guess what happened to me today! The negative event becomes the marque of our day and the traumatic event becomes the marque of our memories. We revisit it often, protect it fiercely, and even reform it, chiseling away some of the details until it becomes our identity. But what happened to all the good? Where are the mental videos of all the celebrations, high-fives, and proud moments? It’s time to remove the topsoil of shame and let the light shine on all our accomplishments. 

Who loves a good breakup song or a sappy tear-jerker film? Have you ever heard the phrase, I need a good cry? Sadness can be comforting and in times of need, we look for validation in songs, books, tv shows, and the people who bring the tissue to the pity parties we constantly through. Just as there is a time and a place for everything, healing is now. If you are stuck behind the warm blank of regret and can’t figure out how to move forward, stay tuned. It’s time we make room for a healthy balance of misery and merrymaking.

Let’s dive into the “why”...why do negative or traumatic events steal our joyful memories?

Alina Tugend gets us started with Praise Is Fleeting, but Brickbats We Recall found in the New York Times

Michelle Pereira asks and answers, Why Do Bad Memories Last Longer? Found at scienceabc.com

Elizabeth Perry offers some strategies to Let go and move on: 15 tips to forget the past. Found at Betterup.com

On Jay Shetty’s Youtube channel, I found Why You Remember The Bad Times More Than You Remember The Good Times

CHALLENGE: seek out joyful memories to overshadow the tough ones. Be willing to part ways with rumination as you invite in more gratitude and gentle life lessons.

I Know YOU Can Do It!