I was standing in line to buy lunch when it happened. I started having crazy thoughts about my 10th Grade semi-formal which took place all the way back in 1989. For the life of me, I could not figure out what in the world was causing these powerful memories to explode to the surface?!
-I remembered with incredible clarity being nervous as all hell. I was 15 years old on the way to pick up my semi-formal date, a “Valley Girl” from Tarzana.
-I remembered walking to the door and greeting her only to discover her giant hairdo. In fact, she had such big hair that you couldn’t see the blue background on her driver’s license picture. Just hair.
-I remembered trying to kiss her goodnight and her telling me, “We should wait…I’ve never kissed anyone before.” I was confused and replied, “But I just saw you yesterday kissing that guy outside of homeroom.” She slammed the door. I cried.
As I got to the front of the lunch line, I realized exactly what had triggered such memories. The restaurant employee was wearing Drakkar-Noir cologne. Tons of it. Just like me the night of my 10th Grade semi-formal.
The science states that scent is the most powerful of all the senses. Because scent first triggers an emotional response before it triggers a thought. When we smell something powerful, it has the ability to unleash a cascade of emotions. Whether it’s pine trees bringing us back to the boundless joy of youth, or a certain off-color scent reminding you of your high school buddy Marty after a visit to Taco Bell, scent is all-powerful. In fact, I believe scent is the antidote to an increasingly common affliction: an inability to form rich, colorful, lasting memories amidst the maddening pace of modern life.
With all the emails, phone calls, texts, and attachments, we are drowning in information. So many days go by where we don’t remember a single thing that happened. Do you remember what you did 2 weeks ago Tuesday? What about 1 week ago Monday? It’s all a big blur. Before you let life slip through your fingertips, I’d like to share 3 tips on recording richer, vibrant, more lasting memories:
1. Smell, Touch, Listen
Next time you’re in the midst of powerful moment that you never want to forget, engage it through all of your senses. For instance, your child scores a huge goal in the soccer game. Take the steps to truly record the memory. What does the moment smell like? Take in the scent of those halftime orange slices. What does the moment feel like? Get on your knees and touch the grass. What does the moment sound like? Listen to the squeaky cheers of the children. You may look a little strange but is it not worth some dirt on your knees to forever record that memory deep in your heart?
2. Slow Down
Technology is only getting faster. The tweets are getting shorter, the status updates are coming quicker. How does this effect us? The yogi Iyengar said, “We confuse speed and movement with all there is in life.” There’s no doubt that speed and efficiency are important in business, but when they effect our ability to enjoy life, there’s a major imbalance. Be careful not to apply the concept of “speed” to your personal life. Eat dinner too fast at night and before you know it, your little boy will have a goatee. Get ready too fast in the morning, and before you know it, your little girl will be packing her bags for college. It’s one thing to be quick on email at work, but when you get home at night, leave that pace and efficiency with your shoes at the door.
3. Put Down the Apple, Pick Up the Lavender
If you are halfway normal, you spend lots of time on your iPhone or Blackberry. God knows I’m as bad if not worse than anyone. But when the cell phone interrupts our ability to record memories, it becomes problematic. So often you’ll see people at concerts or sporting events texting or videotaping the events. What good is attending the event when you spend half the time observing the event through the camera’s viewfinder? A beautiful scent has the ability to remind us that one need not always be cruising on the Information Superhighway. A few drops of lavender (or any soothing scent) on your wrists in the morning will serve as a lingering reminder throughout the day: Take time away from the gadgets. Breathe deeply. Life is short. Live it up.
For more tips on slowing down and "livin' the moment," I invite you to sneak a peak at my book: Yeah Dave's Guide to Livin' the Moment. Visit here
by David Romanelli (www.yeahdave.com)
