Core Memories - What is their impact on our Mental Wellness?

Core Memory Orbs in the movie Inside Out

Core memories are significant, emotionally charged moments in one's life that are believed to have a lasting impact on personality, behavior, and sense of self. They are not just regular memories; they are pivotal experiences that shape how we view ourselves and the world around us.

The concept is popularized by the movie "Inside Out," where core memories are depicted as foundational to a person's personality.

A deeper understanding of core memories :

• Emotionally Intensive

Core memories are typically characterized by strong emotions, both positive and negative, such as joy, sadness, fear, or anger. 

• Impact on Personality:

  These memories are thought to contribute to the development of personality traits, values, and beliefs. 

• Long-Term Retention:

  Core memories are more likely to be retained for a longer period compared to ordinary memories. 

• Not Necessarily Positive:

  While many associate core memories with happy experiences, they can also be traumatic or negative events that have a profound impact on an individual. 

• Not Always Predictable:

  While we may be more likely to remember emotionally significant events, it's not always possible to predict which moments will become core memories. 

• Examples:

  Common examples of core memories include major life events like weddings, graduations, or the loss of a loved one, but they can also be smaller, seemingly insignificant moments that hold deep emotional weight, according to Peachey Counselling. 

• Not Always Happy:

  Core memories can be happy, sad, or even traumatic, and can include a range of emotions and experiences associated with fear, anxiety, loss and other forms of emotional pain.

How do our Core Memories impact our Mental Wellbeing?

Our core memories—those emotionally significant, vividly remembered events—play a deep role in shaping our mental wellbeing. Here’s how they impact us:

1.They Shape Our Self-Identity

Core memories help us build the story we tell ourselves about who we are.

• Positive core memories (like feeling loved, safe, or accomplished) can cultivate self-confidence, resilience, and a sense of worth.

• Painful core memories (like trauma, rejection, or failure) can lead to self-doubt, low self-esteem, or patterns of fear and avoidance.

2.They Influence Emotional Patterns

Core memories often trigger automatic emotional responses.

• If we have many positive core memories tied to relationships, we may feel safe and open in connection.

• If we carry painful memories of abandonment or criticism, we may become anxious, withdrawn, or people-pleasing to avoid potential pain.

3.They Can Become Emotional Blueprints

We subconsciously recreate situations that align with our core memories because they feel familiar, even if they aren’t healthy.

• Example: Someone with a core memory of being overlooked might gravitate toward environments where they feel invisible.

4.They Impact Mental Health Conditions

Unresolved painful core memories can contribute to anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health struggles. Healing these memories often becomes a key part of therapy.

5.They Can Be Reframed and Healed

Through inner work (like therapy, mindfulness, journaling, or compassionate self-reflection), we can revisit and reframe core memories, reducing their painful emotional charge and even rewriting the story they carry.

💛 Mental Wellness Tip:

We are not prisoners of our core memories.

We can hold space for both the joy and the pain, and with support, we can choose to nurture new, healing experiences that become part of our evolving story.