creating your autobiography · creating your autobiography planning for life’s journey 22...

Creating

Your

Autobiography

Planning for Life’s Journey

A community service from

Creating Your

Autobiography Planning for Life’s Journey

22 Inverness Center Parkway, Suite 140 ▪ Birmingham, Alabama 35242

(205) 408-3000 ▪ (800) 489-3933 ▪ Fax (205) 408-3010

www.marcalifeplanning.com

Not for reproduction

© 2014 Marca Life Planning

Childhood Memories

These questions are designed to stimulate your memories and thoughts about your life. Read through them and react to the ones that bring about a memory. Each life is unique, and there are no incorrect answers. If appropriate, document your age during each story or memory. These questions pertain to

your life from childhood and up to high school.

1) Describe the make-up of your family. What is the history of your family? What were its origins,

and who were its major figures?

2) If you were named after a family member, who were you named after and why?

3) How would you describe your mother or father to someone who had never met her or him?

4) What are some of your earliest memories? What happened, and who was with you?

5) Which family members did you feel closest to and which ones felt most distant? Why?

6) What is a key lesson you learned from your father or mother? What family stories have been passed down to you?

7) How did music influence your family? Did your mother or father have favorite songs? What songs do you remember, such as popular music or hymns?

8) Did your family have any hero figures or odd figures that had stories told about them?

9) What were the strengths and weaknesses in your family? How did they affect you?

10) Did your family have a philosophy about life that was discussed and that you were expected to

adopt? What were the “shoulds” and “ought to’s” in your family? What favorite sayings illustrate your family’s philosophy of life?

11) How did you view your family compared to others? Looking back, is there anything about your childhood that seems unusual to you?

12) Did you experience a life changing experience when you were a child? (e.g. A family move, new school, childhood illness, death in the family)

Creating Your



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Your Lifework or Career

People usually think of a career as something they do outside the home for pay, but that isn’t

necessarily their major life work. Our major life work is whatever occupies most of our energy,

time, and attention or the activity we feel most passionate about. It could be a consuming

hobby, such as writing, sewing, or volunteer work. It could be raising a family, supporting a

spouse, or a career. If appropriate, document your age during each story or memory.

1) What did you want to be when you grew up? Did you have goals for your life?

2) What role did money play in the amount and type of choices you had in your career options?

3) What was the first time you earned any money? How did it influence your later ideas?

4) How did you get into your major lifework? Did you seem destined to follow it, or did you stumble into it?

5) What events or persons influenced your path?

6) Were family models important in the life work you chose? Who influenced you the most?

7) What role did being a man or woman play in your choices about your lifework?

8) How did the place where you grew up and the times in which you lived influence your choices and the way in which you think about your lifework?

9) Are you satisfied with your lifework? What personal strengths or weaknesses have you brought to it?

10) If you have had more than one lifework, which has been most important to you?

11) If you were to live your life again, would you choose the same or a different lifework? Explain.

12) On the basis of your experience, what would you say about work to a young person just starting out in adult life?

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Marriage, Children, and Grandchildren

These questions are designed to stimulate your memories and thoughts about your marriage, children, and grandchildren. If appropriate, document your age during each story or memory.

1) What are some of your most memorable experiences from dating your spouse? Share

some of the popular music from this time.

2) How did your spouse propose? Were you surprised? How did you announce it your family?

3) Have you found true love? Describe what true love means to you.

4) What do you remember about your wedding day? Who was present? What did you wear? Who conducted the ceremony? Did you have a honeymoon?

5) Where did you live as newlyweds? Describe the apartment or house. Did you both work? How did you budget the money?

6) Write about your first pregnancy. What were some of your feelings during this time: surprised, excited, fearful? Did you have family nearby?

7) How was your first delivery? Who was present? What was the name of your doctor? How did you decide on a name for your child?

8) What are your memories of seeing your child for the first time? Write about the birth of children to follow and the differences in these deliveries.

9) Parenting: What was the biggest surprise? What were your challenges? Describe the personalities of your children and special memories.

10) Grandparents: What has been a surprise for you in becoming a grandparent? How is it different from being a parent?

11) Were there any events that made your family stronger or tore it apart? How did they affect you?

12) What lessons would like to pass down to your children and grandchildren? How would you like to be remembered?

Creating Your



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Faith and Spirituality

These questions are designed to stimulate your memories and thoughts about your faith. Read through them and react to the ones that bring about a memory or thoughts on your spiritual life. If appropriate, document your age during each memory or thought. These questions pertain to your life from childhood to the present. 1) As a child, what kind of spiritual or religious instruction did you receive? What are your

memories of attending worship services? Please describe. 2) Did you have a spiritual experience as a child? Do you have an early image of God? 3) Write about your faith through the years and how it has changed. 4) How has God revealed Himself to you in the past, as well as the present? 5) Describe your beliefs about God at this time in your life. How have you come to these

beliefs? What do you believe is important in growing in your understanding? 6) Have you ever struggled with doubt in your spiritual life? Describe these times and what

you have learned. 7) Write about love, joy, peace, hope, or forgiveness in relation to your spiritual life. 8) How has music been important to you in your faith? Share some of your favorite hymns

or songs. 9) Write about people who have influenced your faith through the years. Who has made an

impact on you in your faith? Who has encouraged you? 10) Share your favorite verses from the Bible. Why are they special to you? 11) Share your favorite books in your spiritual walk. Write about a favorite author. 12) Has prayer been important? How has it been important? 13) What are your thoughts on death and eternity? How would you like to be remembered by

your loved ones?

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