The Art of Making Memories – How to Create and Remember Happy Moments is a book written by Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute Copenhagen.
The Guardian wrote about a masterclass Meik Wiking held in May of this year.
Do you remember your first kiss? Or how the first rays of spring sun feel on your skin? How about the best meal you’ve ever have? Every year, we are given a fixed number of days. Some pass us by and others stay with us forever. Memorable experiences are characterised by intensity of perception, depth of feeling, or a sense of profound significance, which causes them to stand out in our minds.
But what ingredients produce these happy memories? Why is it that a piece of music, a smell, a taste can bring us back to a moment we thought we had forgotten? Is it possible to learn to create and retain happy memories?
Through a combination of research and mnemonics (learning techniques that aid memory retention or retrieval), expert and researcher in happiness Meik Wiking took clients through how and why peak experiences are made, stored and remembered. He went through the science behind memories and encouraged attendees to tap into their own memory bank, ultimately giving them the ingredients for a library of happy moments.
The course content included – Reflecting on happy memories, how memories are stored and why we remember some better than others, plus the ingredients for happy memories and memory-making tips.
Meike Wiking has been described by The Times as probably the happiest man in the world. He is a leading voice in the field of self-help/personal development. In 2011 he founded the world’s first Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, and as part of this work he contributes annually to the UN World Happiness Report.
He consults cities, governments and organisations around the world on happiness, and has worked with the Minister of State for Happiness in the UAE, the state of Jalisco in Mexico, and the city of Goyang in South Korea, among others. He holds a degree in business and political science and previously worked for the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When he’s not studying political science and writing several books and reports on happiness, wellbeing and quality of life, Meik enjoys photography and playing tennis (quite badly) with friends.
About his book The Art of Making Memories, he told The Daily Mail, ‘it’s now recognised that being able to retrieve happy memories keeps you healthy. Nostalgia is considered a useful psychological mechanism, which counteracts loneliness and anxiety. All of which makes it more important than ever to find out how we create happy memories and how we hold onto them.
As we get older, we need to give our brains a regular workout and learning how to remember and retrieve happy moments is one way of keeping our memories fighting fit.
Our global study helped us identify the very best ways to do it . . .
This isn’t the first book from author Meik Wiking, his first book was the best selling ‘The Little Book of Hygge’ The Danish Way to Live, plus ‘The Little Book of Lykke’ The Danish Search for the Happiest People.
On Amazon the details on the book ‘The Art of Making Memories ‘, says Happy memories are essential to our mental health. They strengthen our identity, sense of purpose and relationships. Meik’s new book will teach you how to create and remember happy moments and will change how you think about happy memories.” Dr Rangan Chatterjee, Number One bestselling author of The 4 Pillar Plan and BBC Breakfast GP
The third book from the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute and internationally bestselling author of The Little Book of Hygge, Meik Wiking.
Why is it that a piece of music, a smell, a taste can take us back to something we had forgotten? How is it that we remember our first kiss in detail, but barely remember anything of a fortnight’s holiday from five years ago? Memories are the cornerstones of our identity, shaping who we are, how we act, and how we feel. But how do we make and keep the memories that bring us lasting joy?
Happiness expert Meik Wiking has the answers. In The Art of Making Memories he brings together his extensive research drawn from the world’s biggest study on happy memories(which involved 1000 people from 75 countries), conducted at the Happiness Research Institute, along with data and diaries, interviews, global surveys and studies, and real-life behavioural science and happiness experiments, to explain the nuances of nostalgia, the different ways we form memories around our experiences, and how we can become better at recalling them.
Written in Meik’s warm and funny trademark style, filled with infographics, illustrations, and photographs, and featuring “Happy Memory Tips”, The Art of Making Memories is a life-affirming read which show you it’s easier than you think to make your life unforgettable.
