By Ann Minnett

Had to laugh at Marie’s post yesterday—she dismissed worn-out resolutions like losing weight or having more patience with loved ones. Forget that. She resolves to remember appointments and will use visual prompts to help her achieve the goal. Notepad, pen and calendar are now located beside her coffee pot.

I applaud her down to earth approach for remembering.

My short term memory bedevils me, and I have over-thought it with numbing precision. My husband talked me out of a neurological exam to test for early onset dementia. (Blessedly, there’s no history of it in my family.) I’ve always been a good student, so I tried to study my way through forgetting. I failed, making my forgetting seem worse. Then Marie posted her common sense resolution yesterday.

I resolve to listen mindfully (focus) and to write it down.  Thank you, Marie.

Here’s something I have done for over five years. One bangle bracelet is now my key chain. I put the bracelet on when I go into a store and haven’t lost or looked for my keys since.

Happy 2015!