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Can T Remember What I Was Going to Say

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Have you ever found yourself in a room with no idea what you came there to do? Or had the name of something on the "tip of your tongue" but impossible to quite remember? Our brain is responsible for acquiring, processing, and storing vast quantities of information, but sometimes slip-ups along the way can mean forgetting something, even something you were just thinking about. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help you remember things.

  1. 1

    Understand the stages of remembering something. In order for you to be able to remember something, your brain needs to go through three stages: acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval (sometimes known as recall). If something goes wrong in one of these stages, it will be difficult to remember what you want to remember.

    • In the acquisition stage, information that you've just learned is stored in your short-term memory before either being discarded or encoded as long-term memory. If you're not paying attention to something, such as where you put your glasses down before leaving the room, you're very likely to forget their location when you come back.
    • In the consolidation stage, information that you've learned is transferred into long-term memory. This is more likely to happen if this information relates to other long-term memories of yours, is meaningful in some way (related to historical or important events), or has a strong sensory impression connected to it.
    • In the retrieval stage, information stored in your memory is retrieved by activating the neuronal pattern used to store it. This stage is often where the feeling of having something "on the tip of your tongue" occurs, and there are some things you can do to prompt this stage.
  2. 2

    Retrace your steps. Research has found that a lot of memory is "context-dependent," meaning people are better at remembering information in an environment that matches the environment in which that information was learned.[1]

    • For example, if you thought of something in the living room and forgot it by the time you got to the kitchen, try going back to the living room. It's likely the return to a familiar context will help you retrieve the forgotten information.

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  3. 3

    Reconstruct your train of thought. If you can't physically go back to the place you were when you had the thought you've now forgotten, try imagining where you were, what you were doing, and how your thoughts connected to each other. Because many memories are stored along overlapping neuronal patterns, reconstructing your train of thought may help retrieve the forgotten thought by stimulating related ideas.

  4. 4

    Recreate the original environmental cues. For example, if you were listening to a particular song or browsing a particular webpage when you had the thought you've forgotten, bringing up that information again will likely help you retrieve the information you forgot.[2]

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    Think and/or talk about something else that's not related. Because your brain stores so much information along overlapping neuronal patterns, it can be easy to get stuck retrieving related but "wrong" information, such as all of the other actors who played Batman, but not the one you're thinking of. Thinking about something else can help "reset" your retrieval.

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    Relax. Anxiety can make it difficult to remember even simple information. If you are having a hard time remembering something, don't get worked up over it; try taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself and then try to think of the information.[3]

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  1. 1

    Create "distinctive cues" when you want to remember something. You're more likely to encode information it into long-term memory if it is associated with distinctive information that can serve as a "cue," or starting place. Anything can serve as a cue, but actively relating new information to things you already remember is a good strategy.

    • For example, if you have a conversation with a friend at the coffee shop and she tells you about her upcoming birthday, try connecting the memory of the conversation to something you already remember well: "Melissa told me her birthday was on June 7. That's just a week after my mom's birthday."
    • These cues can also be sensory information. For example, smells can trigger vivid memories in many people, like the smell of baking cookies reminding you of days spent at your grandmother's house.[4] If the memory is possibly connected to a smell -- in this example, maybe the smell of coffee or cinnamon rolls from the coffee shop -- try stimulating your memory with a whiff of the familiar odor.
  2. 2

    Connect memories to a specific place. Memory is strongly tied to the environmental contexts in which the information is originally learned. You can purposefully use this connection to help you encode information for retrieval later.

    • For example, verbally connect the information you want to remember to the place: "When we met at that new coffee shop on Main Street, Melissa told me her birthday was on June 7."
  3. 3

    Repeat the information immediately. If, like many people, you forget names almost as soon as you've been introduced to someone new, try verbally repeating that information as soon as you get it. Connecting it to as many cues as possible -- what they look like, what they were wearing, where you are -- will also help you remember it later.[5]

    • For example, if you're at a party and a friend introduces you to someone named Masako, look directly at them as you smile, shake their hand, and say, "It's nice to meet you, Masako. That shirt is such a pretty shade of blue!" Reinforcing all of this sensory information at once may help you encode the memory for later.
  4. 4

    Create a "memory palace." Memory palaces are a common mnemonic technique used to create connections between information and environmental contexts -- in this case, though, those contexts are all in your imagination. Even the famed (if fictional) detective Sherlock Holmes uses this technique![6]

    • This technique takes some practice to perfect, but it can be very helpful for storing information that you want to remember because it emphasizes forming creative, even absurd connections between places and memories.
  5. 5

    Avoid learning in high-stress situations. This isn't always an option, but if you can avoid learning new information under high-stress conditions -- for example, the wee hours of the morning before a huge exam -- your ability to recall those memories later will likely be improved.[7]

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    Get plenty of rest. Sleep -- especially REM ("rapid-eye-movement") sleep -- is crucial in processing, consolidating, and storing information. Sleep deprivation affects the firing of your neurons, making it harder to encode and retrieve information.[8]

  7. 7

    Drink water. Do something different, believe you are helping yourself and you will remember it.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    I was keeping a journal for a trip to New York, but fell behind. When I came back, I didn't have time to work on it. I'm trying to finish writing down the events - any tips for remembering the details?

    Community Answer

    If you used credit cards during the trip, go online to review the expenses to jog your memory. Look through the pictures you took, and mentally retrace your steps upon your arrival there.

  • Question

    I was going to look something up on YouTube, but I forgot what. How can I remember?

    Community Answer

    Try recalling what you were doing before opening YouTube, or where you were when you first thought about looking it up. If you still can't remember, just do something else for a while. If it was important, you'll remember eventually.

  • Question

    I don't remember where I left my charger, how can I find it?

    Community Answer

    Try searching for places you would usually place your charger, or a place where you typically charge your phone. Retrace your steps from where you last recall having it.

  • Question

    How can I remember a good joke?

    Community Answer

    There are a couple of things you could do, like write it down and stare at it for ages or you could tell someone, then ask that person to help you to remember it. Deliberately memorize it.

  • Question

    I lost or misplaced my ring yesterday and I can't remember what happened before I lost it or misplaced it. How can I remember?

    Community Answer

    Retrace your steps throughout the day, trying to recall whether or not you had your ring on at the time. Some things might include playing with your ring, taking it off, or showing it to someone - anything that called attention to your ring at all.

  • Question

    How do I remember a password that I've forgotten?

    Community Answer

    Start by looking around and trying to find someplace you may have written it down. If you can't find it or otherwise remember it, you'll likely have to recover or reset it through the service you use it for. Most websites, games, and other online services include a "forgot password" button that you can click to access a password recovery or reset form.

  • Question

    How can I remember my iPhone password?

    Community Answer

    Practice the password. Or if you just can't remember it for long, use Touch ID if you have that. Another way is to write it down on a piece of paper and put it somewhere you will remember but well hidden from anyone else.

  • Question

    How do I remember where I placed my phone before it died?

    Community Answer

    Just retrace your steps where you were the last time you had it in your hands.

  • Question

    How can I remember all the cords on guitar?

    Community Answer

    Check out the helpful tips in this article about memorizing guitar chords on wikiHow.

  • Question

    How do you remember your iPod passcode after months of not using it?

    Community Answer

    Look around to see whether you made a note of it somewhere. Otherwise, use the article's suggestions to try to trigger a memory. If it is gone for good from your mind, contact Apple.

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  • Verbalizing your task as you go from one room to another may help you remember it. For example, if you're going to the bathroom to get your multivitamin, repeat "I'm getting my multivitamin" until you get to your destination.

  • Use a planner or mobile app to help you remember really important information, such as doctor's appointments and birthdays. Even the best memories can use a little help!

  • To remember something you will want to recreate the noises, place, and scenery to help remember where it happened or what happened.

  • Remember what you were doing and try to go on until you don't remember; that will give you an idea of where something is.

  • Write it down in a place you always go to or ask a friend to remind you.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

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  • Memory supplements such as ginkgo biloba are very popular, but there is little evidence that they actually boost your memory, and they can actually have harmful side effects such as blood thinning and hemorrhaging.[9]

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About This Article

Article SummaryX

To remember something that you forgot, try retracing your steps by going back to where you first learned the information. For example, if you thought of something while you were in the living room and forgot it by the time you got to your bedroom, try going back to the living room. If you can't physically go back to the place, try reconstructing your thoughts by writing down where you were and what you were doing. Alternatively, think or talk about an unrelated topic to help "reset" your brain and trigger the lost memory. For more advice, including how to enhance your memory with verbal and mental exercises, keep reading.

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Can T Remember What I Was Going to Say

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Remember-Something-That-You-Forgot