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Taught a class on journals and personal histories, and I found the following to be helpful.  I found it on the Internet and don't have the author's name, but it did seem to help those who felt like they couldn't remember significant things about their past.  I think the most important thing in writing a journal is to put down the things that meant the most to you and perhaps changed or molded the person you are now; i.e. loved to go to grandparents' house?  Picture yourself in front of the house... what did it look like, what did it sound like when you went through the door... what could you smell....  why was it fun...  what do you see when you picture your grandparents standing there greeting you....  waving goodbye....  it is amazing how much information is stored in our brains that can come out if we quietly revisit in our minds...

From the Internet:

Your memories are like the squares of a quilt, richly textured and unique.  How long have you promised yourself or your family that you would write the stories of your life?

Births, weddings, anniversaries, travels, family gatherings, and tributes to loved ones are part of your family history and should be preserved.

I believe that everyone has many stories to tell and that life grows richer with each story that is told. This is true not only for the teller, but for those who have the privilege of hearing or reading the stories as well.

As wonderful as it is to sit and talk with family and friends, many of our anecdotes will be lost if we don't take the time to write some of them down. When we write the stories of our lives, we take our sharing to another level.  Our memoirs can be a precious intergenerational gift for the whole family and can inspire other family members to preserve some of their own stories.

I have found that journals can be a cornerstone for the memoir writing process.  No one is too young or old to begin writing about memorable moments.

As you begin to fill this journal, you will realize you are holding a treasure in your hands.  With every entry this book will become more special.  It will contain the embers that spark your heart and hand to continue writing long after the pages in this journal are full. The goal is to carry it with you everywhere.

If possible, pull out some old letters and photos to get a better feeling for times gone by.  Listen to some of your old records and make yourself a snack you've always enjoyed.  Sounds, tastes and smells are very powerful memory triggers.

Anchoring

Now, anchor yourself in the moment.  Describe the experience of today.

How did your day begin?  Is today a typical day for you or is it unusual in some way?  Look around you.  What do you see, smell, and hear?

Who have you talked to today, or has it been a day of solitude for you?  What have you learned from the conversations you've had?  What have you learned from your solitude?  What feelings have come up for you today?

What has been enjoyable?  What has bothered you?  Write whatever comes into your mind.

Where did your mind take you?  Were you at all surprised by what ended up on the page? Which was longer, your description of what you enjoyed or what bothered you?

Sometimes our wisdom is able to speak louder to us during an anchoring exercise like this one because it is often the one pause we give ourselves to focus and reflect on the here and now.  Try to make the anchoring exercise part of your daily routine.  Pick a time of day which is a naturally good point to stop for a few moments and regain perspective.

No one is too young or old to begin writing about memorable moments.

Each story is an heirloom.
Memories of a Place
Names
Traditions
Travel
Friends
Special Family Times
Pets
Parents
Parenting
Siblings
and much more!

Describe some of the places you've lived, or a place that was especially memorable to you. Often, if we can mentally transport ourselves to meaningful places in our lives we are able to remember many events, or just simple day-to-day moments, that we otherwise might have completely forgotten.

Describe some of the "smaller things" you remember.  Sometimes people don't want to write about anything in their lives except the most exciting parts.  That's fine, but then your readers will miss out on the smaller details which, sewn together, give a more in-depth picture of who you were and are.

What hung on the walls of your bedroom? What did you see outside you windows? Where did you like to read?  Did you like to climb trees?  When friends came over, where did you play?  What did you play?  Did you walk to school?  Take the bus?  Capture these moments!

As the memories come back, take as many notes as you can.  Remember to use all your senses.  What were the common smells in the kitchen?  Did you paint or color or play with clay in a certain room?  What was the texture of your favorite stuffed animal?  Do you remember the sound of your parents' car coming up the drive?  Or the sound of the ice cream truck?  What other sounds, smells, tastes and textures were part of your day-to-day life?

Meandering from room to room, into the yard and down the street, more and more memories will tumble into your mind like childhood cartwheels.

No Matter What Else
No matter what else you're doing,
From cradle days through to the end,
You're writing your life's secret story,
Each night sees another page penned.
Each month ends a thirty day chapter,
Each year the end of a part,
And never an act is mis-stated,
Not even the wish of the heart.
Each morn when you awake the book opens,
Revealing a page clean and white,
What words and what thoughts and what doings,
Will cover it's surface by night.
God leaves that to you: you're the writer,
And never one word will grow dim,
Until one day you'll write the word' finished',
And give your life's book back to him.

----------------- Jessie Evans Smith--------