Jumpstart Your Book of Me!

Ten easy ways to start writing about your life

© Angie Pedersen (angie@scrapyourstories.com)

Many people are excited about the prospect of preserving the memories of their lives, but they just don't know where to start.  They feel overwhelmed by the thought of chronicling their entire life.  But you don't have to start at the beginning and work your way through!  Start with some easy, fun layouts, and then move on once you have a plan for the rest of your stories.

1. Journal about the meaning of your name.  Research it at www.namestusa.com.   Journal about how you feel about your name, why your parents chose it, and/or if you think the meaning is true for you.
2. Write about your favorite color.  What does that color make you think of?  Which of your possessions are this color?
3. Consider where you'd like to travel in your lifetime.  What sites would you like to see?  What would you eat?  Who would go with you?  Gather some travel brochures and journal your plans!
4. List what you love about each season.  Think about what you eat at certain times of the year, places you go, music you listen to, and things you see.  Take pictures and include those!
5. Jot down your 5-10  "Everyday Movies" -- what movies could you watch everyday and not get tired of them?
6. What are your "Creature Comforts"?  What things do you find immediately comforting?  Think comfy clothes, foods, books, bubble baths, beauty treatments, etc.
7. Ponder what you would do if you won the lottery.  What would you spend it on?  Include price tags, since money will be no object!  Would you share it, and with whom?  Would you quit your job?  How would it change your life? 
8. Do a layout on your dream job(s).  What did you want to be when you grew up?  What do you dream of doing now?
9. List the Top 25 Things to Do in my Lifetime.  Then include the dates of when you accomplish them!
10. Do a layout on what famous person you would like to have lunch with and why.  What questions would you ask?  Let your mind stretch from the past to current day.

Angie Pedersen started scrapbooking in 1998.  Her work has appeared in eight nationally recognized magazines.  Pedersen is the author of The Book of Me: A Guide to Scrapbooking about Yourself, Growing Up Me: A Guide to Scrapbooking Childhood Stories, and The Book of US: A Guide to Scrapbooking about Relationships.   She is also the creator and editor of two websites, ScrapYourStories.com and OneScrappySite.com, and four blogs.  Angie lives in Kansas City with her husband and two children. 

NOTE: This article is also available in PDF, for easy printing.  You may use this piece in your newsletter, or online magazine, as long as you keep the bio in tact.  Please email me to let me know where you used it!  Thanks!