801 Questions To Ask Your Parents
From Birth to Retirement & Beyond
The Ultimate List
by Mark Noonan
You want answers. We have questions. A lot of questions.
Whether you plan to gift a StoryWorth book, a LifeStory keepsake video interview, a Memoir for Me biography, or do-it-yourself (DIY) with the Remento app, you need to launch the endeavor with questions.
Broken up into 10 life sections, this ultimate list for capturing family history is a great place to start brainstorming possible questions to ask your parents.
801 questions can be overwhelming so let us recommend an initial plan:
First, skim the full 801 list, jot down any questions that catch your eye.
Next, download our Free DIY 1-Page PDF: “101 Questions To Ask Your Parents”.
Pick your favorite question in each section (plus one wildcard), for a total of 11 Questions.
Begin the process with 11 Solid Questions you like and will deliver answers you hope to discover and preserve.
801 to 101 to 11. A manageable, undaunting beginning.
Final tip:
Further focus your Mom or Dad by asking them to think about any stories from their lives that immediately pop to mind: from childhood/teenage years, before marriage, wedding/vacation tales, and any work-related experiences that they deem interesting.
Lastly, if you want to get straight to the action: ask them what’s the craziest/most outrageous/or dumbest thing they’ve ever done in their life. We’ve all been there.
Need help? Prefer a hands-off approach? Have it done-for-you (DFY) with a Keepsake Video Interview. Learn more: LifeStory.
801 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR PARENTS
BASICS
1. What is your name?
2. What is today’s date?
3. Why did you agree to sit down and do this interview?
4. When and where were you born?
5. What is your earliest memory?
GROWING UP
6. Did your parents ever say anything about your birth or the day you were born?
7. Where did your name come from?
8. Why were you given your first, middle and last names?
9. Do you have a nickname and why?
10. Where did you grow up?
11. What is the first house/home you can remember?
12. What house/apartment did you grow up in?
13. What was your hometown like? How did it shape you?
14. How was the neighborhood you grew up in?
15. What did you love or dislike about your neighborhood?
16. What was the main industry in your hometown?
17. Were there interesting neighborhood characters?
18. What is a happy childhood memory?
19. What is a difficult childhood memory?
20. Did you struggle as a child? Or were you happy?
21. Who were your childhood friends?
22. What were you most excited about as a child?
23. What did you want to be when you grew up?
24. What were your favorite toys?
25. Is there a birthday you remember and what happened?
26. Any childhood vacations stand out?
27. Any childhood holidays stand out?
28. What were you scared of as a child?
29. Were you aware of the world around you? Or sheltered?
30. Is there a childhood lesson that has stuck with you?
31. What language(s) were spoken in your house?
32. Do you remember any songs your parents sang?
33. Did you have an allowance? What did you spend it on?
34. Did you have chores?
35. How did you spend your summers?
36. Any major world events you remember from childhood?
37. Did you move around a lot when you were younger?
38. What hobbies did you gravitate towards as a child?
39. Did you have any pets growing up?
40. Who was your best childhood friend?
41. Did you have any family traditions growing up?
42. Whom did you idolize?
43. Were you closer to your mom or your dad?
44. How was the financial situation at home when you were a kid?
45. Which childhood memory do you cherish the most?
46. Did you have any serious health problems as a child?
47. What was your favorite pastime?
48. What games did you enjoy playing?
49. Did you have a habit or quirk that your family still teases you about?
50. Did you ever consider running away from home?
51. What’s a funny story that still makes you laugh today?
52. Did you have any heroes or role models growing up?
53. Where did your family go on vacation?
Teenage Years
54. Were you a rebel?
55. Were you popular?
56. What kind of music did you listen to?
57. Did you join any clubs or activities?
58. Did you have a celebrity crush?
59. Talk about your most embarrassing high school moment.
60. How would you describe yourself in high school?
61. What was your teenage style?
62. What was the best prank you ever pulled?
63. What did you do in your spare time?
64. Do you remember the trials of going through puberty?
65. Did you drink or use drugs?
66. How well did your parents know you?
67. Did you bully or get bullied?
68. Who were your best friends?
69. What kind of future life did you dream about as a teen?
70. Did you feel stress growing up? How did you deal?
71. What advice would you give to a teenager today?
72. Did you ever have a fair or carnival come to town when you were a kid?
73. What was the hardest thing about growing up? How did you get through it?
74. What was your first car?
75. When and how did you learn how to drive?
76. What is different about today's world then when you were growing up?
77. If you could tell your younger self something you know now, what would you say?
78. How did you spend your summers?
79. What were the popular phrases you used when you were growing up?
80. Did you have any favorite books, movies, radio or tv shows?
81. What was your favorite music?
82. What did you love to do in high school?
Young Adult
83. Looking back, how do you remember life in your 20s?
84. How would describe yourself as a 20-something?
85. What did you look like in your 20s?
86. What was your favorite music in your 20s?
87. When did you first feel like an adult?
88. What were some early adulthood highlights?
89. What challenges did your generation face?
90. Talk about how your childhood friendships changed as you grew up.
91. How did you deal with your parents’ expectations as you got older?
92. What's the best thing/worst part about being an adult?
93. Talk about a moment you felt more like a parent than your parents.
94. What was the most important lesson you learned about money?
95. How did your romantic relationships change as an adult?
96. What makes a house a home?
97. If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
98. Where do you live now?
99. Where do you now consider home?
100. What do you like and dislike about where you live?
101. How did you meet your first/oldest/best friend?
102. How do you define friendship?
103. What makes a good friend?
104. What about your best friend makes them a best friend?
105. Talk about the most mischief you ever gotten into with close friends.
106. Tell the story of the greatest adventure you've had with your best friend.
107. Do you ever disagree with your best friend?
108. Have you ever been betrayed by a close friend?
109. What are the most important lessons you've learned about friendship?
FAMILY MATTERS & HISTORY
110. What are your parents’ names and when and where were they born?
111. Can you tell us a bit about your parents’ backgrounds?
112. How did they meet and decide to get married?
113. Were your parents married before marrying each other?
114. What do you remember most about your mom and dad?
115. Were your parents affectionate with each other? You?
116. Did your parents ever raise a hand on you?
117. What advice would your grandpa or grandma give to their grandkids?
118. What's your earliest memory of your mother or father?
119. What worked (and did not work) about your parents’ relationship?
120. What traits about your parents do you see in yourself?
121. If you had a family slogan, what would it be?
122. What kinds of things did your family spend money on?
123. What was one of your favorite activities you did with your parents?
124. Who was more strict: your mother or your father?
125. Did you have a family member you wish you'd gotten to know better?
126. What is something your parents did that made you laugh the hardest?
127. Were your parents fulfilled by their lives?
128. What do you wish your parents knew about you that they don’t?
129. What was your favorite dish that your parents cooked for you growing up?
130. Are your values similar to those of your parents?
131. What about you made your parents most proud?
132. Which family traditions or rituals do you enjoy the most?
133. Any family traditions that you want passed down to future generations?
134. Have you ever tried to trace your ancestry? What did you find?
135. How long has your family lived in the country you live in today?
136. Are there any particular traditions related to your family heritage?
137. Are there any big family myths about your ancestors?
138. Who is the oldest family member you can remember?
139. How far back do you know your family history?
140. Do you feel more connected to your friends or to your family?
141. What is your favorite way to spend time with your family?
142. What are the most important lessons you've learned from your family?
143. Any family traditions around meal-time, recipes, and cooking?
Siblings
144. Do you have any siblings? How many? Where do you fall?
145. Are you close with your siblings today?
146. What’s a favorite childhood story about you and your sibling(s)?
147. What is/was your role in the family between you and your sibling(s)?
148. What is something you love about your siblings?
149. How are you similar or different than your sibling(s)?
150. What memories do you have of your siblings when you were growing up?
151. What makes you laugh most about your siblings?
152. Any sibling rivalry?
153. How would you describe your family relationships today?
154. Do you have nieces and nephews?
155. If you were to say one thing to each of your siblings, what would it be?
Grandparents
156. How many grandparents do you remember?
157. Were your grandparents a part of your life?
158. What is your favorite grandparent memory?
159. What is a favorite story you remember about your grandparents?
160. What is something special your grandparents taught?
Step-Family
161. Do you have any step-family?
162. What is one of your favorite stories about your step-family?
163. Are you closer with your step-family than your biological family?
SCHOOLING & EDUCATION
164. What was your favorite subject in school?
165. What did you love about school?
166. What did you dislike about school?
167. Did you enjoy school as a kid?
168. What kind of student were you?
169. Can you share a funny or memorable story from your school days?
170. Which is your most memorable field trip?
171. Did you ever win any academic or sports competitions?
172. Were you ever a teacher’s favorite student?
173. Did you have any teacher with a peculiar or unique style of teaching?
174. What is the highest level of education you received?
175. If you could re-live school what would you do differently?
176. Do you enjoy learning new things?
177. Did you ever play hooky?
178. Did you ever pretend to be sick to avoid class?
179. Did you ever get in trouble at school?
Elementary & Grade School
180. Where did you go to elementary school?
181. How many students were in your elementary school and class?
182. Who was your favorite teacher?
183. What was your favorite subject?
184. Did you participate in any clubs or sports in grade school?
185. Who were your best friends in elementary school?
186. Where are your best friends in grade school now?
187. Did you struggle with anything in elementary school?
188. What was the worst part about elementary school?
189. Do you have any favorite stories from elementary school?
190. How did you get to elementary school? Walk? Bus? Subway?
Middle School
191. Where did you go to middle school?
192. How many students were in your middle school class?
193. Who was your favorite teacher in middle school?
194. What was your favorite subject in middle school?
195. Did you participate in any clubs or sports in middle school?
196. What was the biggest change from elementary school to middle school?
197. Who were your best friends in middle school?
198. What did you struggle with in middle school?
199. What was your favorite thing about middle school?
200. How did you get to middle school? Walk? Bus? Subway?
High School
201. Where did you go to high school?
202. How many students were in your high school class?
203. Who was your favorite teacher in high school?
204. Who was your least favorite teacher in high school?
205. Talk about your best and worst subjects in high school.
206. Did you participate in any clubs or sports in high school?
207. Who were your best friends in high school?
208. Are you still friends with your high school friends?
209. What did you struggle with in high school?
210. Did you attend your high school sports team games?
211. Talk about a memorable high school party.
212. Talk about your high school prom or a formal dance.
213. Were you popular in high school?
214. Did you play any sports in high school?
215. What was your favorite hangout spot in high school?
216. Were you ever suspended from school?
217. How would your teachers from high school describe you?
218. What teacher or mentor meant the most to you?
219. Did you participate in theater, student council, clubs or activities?
220. How did you get to high school? Car, bus, walk?
221. What did you like about your high school experience?
222. What did you dislike about your high school experience?
223. Are you still friends today with any people from high school?
224. Who were your closest friends in high school?
225. What did you do on the weekends during high school?
226. Who did you sit with during lunch in high school?
College
227. Where did you go to college?
228. Why did you choose that school?
229. What was you major?
230. What did you love about your college experience?
231. What did you dislike about your college experience?
232. What was the most memorable part of your college experience?
233. Describe your social life during your college years.
234. Did you have a college romance?
235. Were you involved in any extra-curricular clubs or associations?
236. Did you get involved in Greek life?
237. Did you have any bad experiences on campus?
238. Is there anything you regret doing?
239. Did you make any special college friends?
240. Are you still in touch with college friends?
241. What would you advise college students today about college life?
242. What class did you enjoy the most?
243. Who was your favorite professor?
244. What was graduation day like?
245. Do you still follow your alma mater's sports teams?
246. Did you play any sports in college?
247. Were you a member of any college clubs?
248. Did you join a fraternity or sorority?
249. What is one of your favorite college stories?
250. Anything else you want to share about your college experience?
251. If you did not attend college, what did you do instead?
Graduate School
252. Did you attend a graduate school? If yes, where & when?
253. Why did you choose to pursue a graduate degree?
254. Why did you choose your specific field of study?
255. Why did you choose that school?
256. Did you specialize in your graduate degree?
257. Did you participate in any internships, clerkships, residencies or other?
258. What did you like about your graduate school experience?
259. What did you dislike about your graduate school experience?
260. Do you still work in the area that you attained your graduate degree?
261. If you could go back to school again, what would you study and why?
Professional, Vocational, Other
262. Did you attend a professional or vocational school?
263. What did you study or train to be?
264. Why did you choose this field?
265. Why did you choose that school?
266. Did you specialize in any category?
267. What did you like about your experience in school?
268. What did you dislike about your experience in school?
269. Do you still work in the area that you attained your degree / training?
270. If you could go back to school again, what would you study and why?
271. Did you participate in any internships, apprentices, residencies or other?
LOVE & MARRIAGE
Dating Game
272. Did you have a first crush?
273. Do you remember your first kiss?
274. Describe your very first date?
275. Talk about a high school sweetheart?
276. Talk about disappointing dates?
277. Did you ever get dumped?
278. Did you ever dump anyone?
279. How did you prepare for a first date?
280. How many relationships have you been in?
281. What kind of experience have you had with online dating?
282. What is your most memorable date?
283. How many dates does it take to get to know if you want to give it a go?
284. Talk about your all time worst date.
285. What's the worst pick up line you have ever heard or used (and regretted).
286. Who do you regret not continuing to date?
287. Tell the story of losing your virginity.
288. Tell the story of the first time you fell in love.
289. Tell the story of your worst broken heart.
290. How has your sexuality changed over the years?
Love
291. Did you have a first love?
292. How and when did you know you were in love with each other?
293. How many times have you fallen in love?
294. Have you ever broken someone’s heart?
295. Do you believe that you and your partner are soulmates?
296. How did you know you wanted to spend your life with your spouse?
297. How do you define love?
298. Tell the story of a lost love.
299. Do you believe in love at first sight?
300. What makes a great relationship?
301. What makes a terrible relationship?
302. Talk about falling out of love?
303. Who is the love of your life?
304. How has love transformed you?
305. How did you discover what you are attracted to?
306. What did your parents teach you about love and romance?
307. Tell the story of meeting the love of your life.
308. How did you know they were the one?
309. Talk about whether you believe in the idea of "soul mates."
310. What do most people get wrong about love?
311. What are the most important lessons you've learned about love?
Relationships
312. Are you currently married?
313. Were you ever married?
314. How many times were you married?
315. How did you meet your spouse?
316. Is there someone you consider your life partner?
317. How did you know he/she was “the one”?
318. How old were you when you got married?
319. How did you get engaged?
320. What advice would you give to couples?
321. What do you and your spouse have in common?
322. What is different about you and your spouse?
323. What is a favorite story you and your spouse did together?
324. What is a favorite unexpected story your spouse did?
325. What would you do differently if you could do it over again?
326. What are / were the challenges of being married?
327. What specific advice would you give about marriage?
328. Would you marry your spouse again if you could?
329. How does / did your spouse help make you a better person?
330. What was your wedding like?
331. What was the highlight of your wedding day?
Second Life Partner
332. How did you meet your second spouse?
333. What was different about your second marriage?
334. What were the difficulties in establishing a second long term relationship?
335. What were the benefits of starting a second long-term relationship?
336. If living, what is the relationship between your ex and partner like?
337. Do you have children from your second relationship?
338. What do you hope for in your current relationship?
339. Talk about the relationship between the children and your partner.
WORK & CAREER
340. What were your dreams growing up? What did you aspire to become?
341. How did you choose your career?
342. What was your favorite part about it?
343. What made you successful at work?
344. What helped you deal with hard times?
345. What time truly challenged you, and what did you learn about yourself?
346. If you are now retired, what do you want to do from here?
347. If you are currently working, describe the role you are in now.
348. How would you describe your work ethic?
349. What would your boss say is your best characteristic at work?
350. Talk about your overall background and experience.
351. What is your dream job?
352. What company or organization inspires you and why?
353. How do you manage stress?
354. Share an accomplishment that you are proud of.
355. What is your superpower in the workplace?
356. What were your long term career goals?
357. In general, how do you address uncomfortable or difficult situations?
358. Talk about your management and/or leadership style.
359. What's not on your resume that you would like to share?
360. What was your first "real job"?
361. How do you define success?
362. What job or career did you spend the majority of your life working at?
363. What were your ambitions when you began your career?
364. Talk about a mentor who helped you along the way.
365. Did you ever make a major change in your career?
366. How important was career success to you?
367. Talk about your biggest career failure and what you learned from it.
368. What are the three qualities that got you where you are today?
369. What are the most important lessons you've learned from your career?
370. What was the worst job you ever had?
371. What was the best job you ever had?
372. What life lessons has your work taught you?
373. If you could do anything now, what would you do? Why?
374. What career accomplishments are you most proud of?
375. Have you ever juggled multiple jobs?
376. What did you do with your first paycheck?
377. Was your career a life's calling or just a way to make money?
378. Talk about a moment in your career that you felt like giving up.
379. What about your career do you look back on most fondly?
380. How do you clear your mind after a bad day?
381. How do you balance life and work?
382. Talk about a time someone helped you with your career.
383. Talk about a time you helped someone with their career.
384. Talk about a moment or decision you made that changed everything.
On Being an Entrepreneur
385. When did you start your first business?
386. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
387. Was it difficult getting the business started?
388. What was the secret to success with your business?
389. Describe any financial difficulties you encountered.
390. What makes a great entrepreneur?
391. What advice do you have about running a business?
392. What would you do differently running a business today?
393. Talk about how many businesses you started before you were successful.
FAITH, SPIRITUALITY & BELIEF
Faith
394. What is your conception of God?
395. What religion or spiritual beliefs were you raised with?
396. How did your family’s religion or spiritual practices shape your life?
397. What do you think happens after we die?
398. What are your thoughts on evil?
399. What are your thoughts on sin?
400. What are your thoughts on heaven and hell?
401. How important is your religion or faith to you?
402. How has your faith changed over time?
403. Talk about your most profound spiritual experience.
404. Talk about a time your faith was challenged.
Spirituality
405. What do you think it means to be a spiritual person? Are you one?
406. How do you describe your spiritual beliefs?
407. What spiritual practices or rituals do you do regularly and why?
408. What are the most important lessons you've learned about spirituality?
409. What do you believe?
410. Do you believe in an afterlife or past lives?
411. What spiritual teachers have been most influential for you and why?
412. How do your spiritual beliefs affect your daily choices and behavior?
413. What role does music or art play in your spiritual life?
414. What was the most transcendent experience you've had?
415. Is it vital that your partner have the same spiritual perspective as you?
416. How do you view good and evil in the world from a spiritual perspective?
417. Were you born into your spirituality or choose it on your own?
418. Is there an influential person in your spirituality?
419. Are there any books or materials guiding your spirituality?
420. How has your spirituality helped during challenging times?
421. Are there aspects of your spiritual life you want to improve?
422. What aspects of your spirituality are important to share with others?
Culture & Tradition
423. Were you born into your religion, or did you choose it on your own?
424. If you converted into your religion, why?
425. What is your family’s religious history?
426. How would you describe your relationship with your religion?
427. How would you describe your religious culture or traditions?
428. What religious culture have the strongest influence in your life?
429. Is there any religious practice or tradition you wish you kept up more?
430. Do you have a favorite story about your family and religion?
431. Is there a family member that strongly influenced your religious life?
432. How does/did your family celebrate religious holidays?
433. Are there special foods prepared during any meals?
434. What are your religious holiday meals like?
435. Do you have a favorite religious holiday?
436. Did you plan to raise your children in this religion or let them choose?
437. What specific religious traditions do you want your family to continue?
438. Is service or volunteering part of your religious culture or tradition?
439. Is charity part of your religious culture or tradition?
Practice & Prayer
440. How and how often do you pray?
441. Why do you pray?
442. Do you strictly follow the teaching/commandments/laws of your religion?
443. What keeps you faithful?
444. Have you ever lost your faith, but later regained it?
445. What do you believe is the best lesson your religion teaches?
446. What do you most disagree with about your religion?
447. What is one thing about your religion that affects your daily life?
448. How does your religious practice help you endure tough times?
449. Is there a time you felt very close to your God?
450. Have you experienced any miracles?
451. What was the most profound spiritual moment of your life?
452. Is there any age when you became more passionate about your religion?
453. What is your favorite religious story, text, or passage?
Secularism
454. What is your personal belief system or philosophy?
455. Were you ever part of an organized religion or group?
456. What are your thoughts about organized religion?
457. Are you an atheist, agnostic, or other?
458. How would you describe your spirituality?
459. What are the central principles of your life?
460. What do you believe about the origins of the universe?
461. What is the source of your ethical principles?
462. Were you born into your current belief system or chose it on your own?
KIDS, GRANDKIDS & PETS
Children
463. How many children do you have?
464. What are their names and ages?
465. Please speak briefly about each one.
466. What makes each of your children special?
467. Talk about the similarities and differences between your children.
468. Who do your children take after?
469. What’s surprised you the most about your children as they’ve grown?
470. What are the best things about having kids?
471. What are the worst things about having kids?
472. Tell us about your proudest moment as a parent so far.
473. What do you hope your children don’t learn or inherit from you?
474. What do you hope your children do learn or inherit from you?
475. What would you say to each of your children?
476. What surprised you about having children?
477. What surprised you about yourself when you had children?
478. If you were a single parent talk about what that was like for you.
479. Describe the day you became a parent.
480. Can you describe the moment when you saw your child for the first time?
481. What are some of your favorite aspects of raising your children?
482. Were there any particular hardships raising your children?
483. Do you remember what is was like when your first child left the nest?
484. Is there anything you wish you could change about your parenting?
485. How has being a parent changed you?
486. What are/were your dreams for your children?
487. What are your favorite stories about your children?
488. Where did you vacation with your children when they were growing up?
489. Are you close with your children today?
490. Why did you choose the names of your children?
491. When did you find out you were going to be a parent? How did you feel?
492. What do you think about how your parents raised you?
493. Is there anything you want to do with your children that you haven't yet?
494. What is something you are proud of when you think of your children?
495. What do you love about being a parent?
496. What made you decide to have kids?
497. How has being a parent compared to your expectations?
498. What do you miss about your children being younger?
499. What’s your favorite thing to do with your children?
500. What do you wish your children knew about you that they don’t?
501. How does your childhood impact bringing up your own children?
502. How much did you try to influence your child's personality?
503. Describe your parenting style.
504. Did you and your parenting partner have similar parenting styles?
On Being a Mom
505. What was the most surprising thing about becoming a mother?
506. What is the essence of motherhood?
507. How old were you when you became a mother?
508. How did becoming a mother change you?
509. What did your children teach you?
510. What is the funniest story you have about being a mother?
511. If you could change one thing about being a mother what would it be?
512. Do you think you are a good mother?
513. Talk about how your career affected your role as a mother.
514. Talk about the kind of relationship you had with each child.
On Being a Dad
515. How old were you when you became a dad?
516. What was the most surprising part of becoming a dad?
517. How did becoming a father change you?
518. What were the high points of being a father?
519. What were the low points of being a father?
520. If you could change one thing about your fatherhood what would it be?
521. What is the funniest story you have about being a father?
522. Were you are you a good father?
523. If you had one thing to say to your children what would it be?
524. Talk about how your career affected your role as a father.
On Being a Grandparent
525. When did you become a grandparent?
526. How did becoming a grandparent change you?
527. How many grandchildren do you have?
528. What is the most rewarding aspect of being a grandparent?
529. What do you like to do with you grandchildren?
530. How did being a grandparent change your relationship with your children?
531. Are you more lenient with grandchildren than you were with your children?
532. What items do you want to hand down to your grandchildren?
533. How do you want your grandkids to remember you?
534. Have you taken any trips with your grandchildren?
535. What do you think is important to teach your grandchildren?
536. What's different about being a grandparent than a parent?
537. Do your grandchildren have any nicknames for you?
Pets
538. Do you have any pets?
539. What is the funniest pet story you have?
540. What do you love about your pet/s?
541. Describe your first pet.
542. Talk about your childhood pets.
543. Why is it important for you to have animals in your life?
544. Do you have any stresses related to your pets?
545. Are you a dog or cat person?
546. What is the strangest pet you have had?
547. What is the favorite pet you have had?
548. Describe the characters of your favorite pets.
549. Talk about having to put a pet to sleep.
550. Do you currently have any pets?
551. What do you love about your current pet?
552. Why do you think pets are so special?
BIG IDEAS
553. What gives life meaning?
554. If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
555. What’s the most amazing technological advance you've seen in your life?
556. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of humanity?
557. What’s the best way to achieve world peace?
558. What are your thoughts on the impact of social media?
559. Do you think we’ll ever overcome discrimination?
560. How do you feel about the younger generation?
Viewpoints
561. What is an overview of your politics?
562. What does freedom mean to you?
563. Talk about your views on violence in the world.
564. What are your views on health care?
565. What are your views on gun ownership?
566. What are your views on abortion?
567. Talk about a political movement to which you feel a connection.
568. Talk about a president who served during your lifetime that you admired.
569. Tell the story of a time you took part in a protest.
570. What discrimination or prejudice have you experienced?
571. Who do you admire that is of a different race, gender or nationality?
572. Describe your views on climate change.
573. What would you change in your country if you had the power?
574. What are the most important lessons you've learned about politics?
575. Talk about your view on Karma.
Life Purpose
576. How important is it to have a purpose?
577. How does who you are now compare with who you wanted to be?
578. How has adversity shaped you?
579. Talk about a moment your life's purpose became clear.
580. How has your life's purpose evolved throughout your life?
581. Talk about a time when you felt like a failure.
582. When you look back, how much sense does your life make?
Circle of Life
583. Talk about the first time you learned about death.
584. How often do you think about death?
585. Are you afraid to die?
586. Who was the first person you knew who died?
587. Talk about someone you've lost that you still think about.
588. Tell the story of a time you had a near-death experience.
589. What are some things you still want to accomplish?
590. How do you want to be remembered after you're gone?
591. How would you spend your last day on Earth?
592. What lessons has death taught you?
593. Talk about something you need to resolve with someone before you die.
594. Is there anyone you want to make up with?
For the Future
595. What would you say to all of your family after you are gone?
596. If you had a message to say at your funeral, what would it be?
597. If you had a message for all of your children, what would you say?
598. If you had a message for all your grandchildren what would you say?
599. What would you say to your family one hundred years after your death?
FUN STUFF
Are you…
600. A Night Owl vs An Early Bird?
601. Do you arrive Late vs Early?
602. Organized vs Disorganized?
603. Self-Motivated vs Need Incentive?
604. High Maintenance vs Low Maintenance?
Favorites
605. What is your favorite color?
606. What's your favorite country or place that you've traveled to?
607. What's your favorite sport?
608. What's your favorite type of car?
609. Who's your favorite athlete?
610. What's your favorite restaurant?
611. What is your favorite animal?
612. What are your favorite flowers?
613. What are your favorite sports to play? Or watch
614. What are your favorite rainy day activities?
615. What are your favorite activities to do on your own?
616. Who are your favorite public figures or historical heroes?
617. What are your favorite restaurants?
618. What are your favorite holidays?
619. What are your favorite things to do when you have free time?
620. What are your favorite possessions you own?
621. What are your favorite things that make you laugh the most?
622. Who are your favorite people in your life?
623. What are your favorite things about being alive?
Books
624. What are some favorite books? Authors?
625. What book has influenced you the most?
626. Do you read real books or digital books?
627. What is in your private library?
628. What non-fiction book do you love the most and why?
629. What makes a good fiction for you?
630. What genres do you like to read?
631. Have you written a book or books?
On the Screen
632. What is your favorite movie?
633. Favorite TV shows?
634. Do you prefer to watch in theaters or at home?
635. What movie made you laugh the most?
636. What movie brings you to tears?
637. What's your favorite holiday movie?
638. Who is your favorite actor?
639. Who is your favorite actress?
640. Who are your favorite directors?
641. What is your favorite genre?
Music Appreciation
642. What is your favorite music genre?
643. Do you have a favorite musician, composer or band?
644. How often do you listen to music?
645. Where do you most enjoy listening to music?
646. What live performances do you remember most?
647. What inspires you about the music you listen to?
648. If you could take one artist to a desert island with you, who would it be?
649. Do you collect music? Vinyl?
650. What makes a great piece of music? A great artist?
Music Performance
651. When did you first start to play music?
652. What instruments did you learn as a child?
653. What instruments do you play now?
654. Where do you enjoy playing or performing music?
655. What level of proficiency did you achieve?
656. What inspires you about the music you play?
657. Do you compose your own music?
658. Do you play with others?
659. Who is your favorite artist or composer to play?
Food
660. What is your favorite food?
661. What’s your favorite dessert?
662. Do you have a particular type of food you prefer?
663. What food did you love as a child?
664. What food did you hate as a child?
665. Has your taste changed over time?
666. Do you like to cook or eat at restaurants?
667. Are you a carnivore, omnivore, pescetarian, vegetarian, or vegan?
668. Do you have any dietary restrictions because of health?
669. Do you eat specific foods for religious reasons?
Recipes
670. What is your favorite recipe?
671. How did you learn to cook?
672. What recipe did you learn from your grandmother?
673. How does food shape your identity?
674. Are there any family traditions around food that are meaningful to you?
675. What family food do you hate with a passion?
676. If you had one family recipe to pass on what would it be?
677. Who is your favorite chef and why?
Travel
678. What's your favorite place you’ve visited?
679. How many countries have you visited? Favorites?
680. What are some of your most memorable travel experiences?
681. What are your favorite foods during your travels?
682. What are the most memorable sunsets you remember?
683. What has been the most interesting food you tasted?
684. Ever have any scary moments in your travels?
685. Where else could you see yourself living?
686. What is one of the weirdest moments during your travels?
687. Where was the best place you stayed during your travels?
688. Where is number one on your bucket list of travel destinations?
Hobbies
689. Do you have a favorite pastime or hobby?
690. How did you start your hobby?
691. Do you do it for fun or take it seriously?
692. What is the highest level of proficiency you have attained?
693. How much time do you spend with your hobby?
694. Do you have a circle of friends that share the same passion?
695. How does your hobby bring you joy?
696. What pastimes do you enjoy with your family?
697. If your hobby includes nature, what do you love about the nature aspect?
698. Are there any hobbies you had when you were younger?
699. How often do you engage in your hobby?
700. What is something about your hobby other people might not know about?
701. If you could take up one more hobby, what and why?
Just for Fun!
702. What was a truly incredibly embarrassing moment?
703. Did you ever have a wardrobe malfunction?
704. What is your favorite joke?
705. Sing your favorite song.
706. Who is your movie star crush?
707. What's the worst lie you told?
708. What’s the worst or best costume you wore to a party?
709. Can you do any impressions?
710. Describe the best day of your life. What’s a perfect day?
711. What’s one goal of yours that you wish you could see happen?
712. Where do you look for help in making difficult decisions?
713. How would you spend your time if you didn’t have to worry about money?
714. If you could have any job, what would you do for a living?
715. If you could go back to school for anything, what would you study?
716. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
717. What fills you with wonder?
Life’s Adventures
718. How would you describe your sense of adventure?
719. Where is the most interesting place you have been?
720. Can you describe a particularly challenging adventure?
721. Talk about the most exhilarating adventure you have had.
722. What skills do you have for the things you love to do?
723. Have you ever had a disappointing adventure?
724. Where do you want to go next?
Unique Questions
725. If you could have coffee with anyone in history, who and why?
726. If you could time-travel into the future, what would you hope to see?
727. If you could create one law everyone would follow, what is your new law?
728. What is your biggest pet peeve?
729. If you could invent anything, what would it be any why?
730. If you could have any super power, what and why?
731. If you could time travel and talk with anyone in history, who and why?
732. If you could snap your fingers and be anywhere, where would you go?
733. If you could solve one problem in the world today, what and why?
734. If you had to spend $1 billion tomorrow, how would you do it?
735. If you could be an animal, which would you choose?
736. If you could have anybody's job now or ever, who and why?
737. If everyone was listening, what would you say to the world in 60 seconds?
738. What message would you put on a billboard?
WISE WORDS
Reflection / Philosophy
739. What are some values you hold?
740. Which 3 events most shaped your life?
741. What is something you used to do a lot but now rarely do?
742. Which 3 words best describe who you tried to be in life?
743. What have you learned about other people in life?
744. What do you think drives people?
745. What do you think the world needs more of right now?
746. What do you think is the meaning of life?
747. What have you found most beautiful about life?
748. Is there anything you regret?
749. Is there anything you’d still like to do in your life?
Legacy
750. What were the 3 best decisions you ever made?
751. What are you most proud of in life?
752. What message would you like to share with your family now?
753. What are you most thankful for?
754. Do you have any advice for Gen-Z? Your grandchildren?
The Future
755. What do you hope for the future?
756. What do you most look forward to in the future?
757. Talk about something that scares you about the future.
758. How would you like to spend the rest of your life?
759. What do you still hope to do or see?
Life Lessons
760. What are the most important lessons you've learned about humanity?
761. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever met?
762. Who’s the most famous person you ever met?
763. What’s the kindest thing someone's ever done for you?
764. What positive change in society have you witnessed during your lifetime?
765. Talk about a time you pushed yourself beyond your limits.
766. What advice would you give your younger self?
On Reflection
767. What is the best advice you ever received?
768. What is the most difficult obstacle you have had to overcome in your life?
769. What do you recommend avoiding in life?
770. What life advice would you give to someone younger?
771. Talk about a time in your life you would love to relive.
772. What have you learned about suffering?
773. Give advice on how to bounce back after hard times.
774. Are you hopeful for your family, friends, and the world?
775. What are your thoughts on the younger generations?
776. If you could re-live your life, what would you do differently?
777. Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime experience you had.
When You Look Back…
778. What made you the person you are today?
779. What was the highlight of your childhood?
780. Who was the biggest influence on your life?
781. What relationship was the most important to you?
782. Who have been the loves in your life?
783. Who was your role model or hero, and why?
784. What was your greatest achievement?
785. What was the lowest moment of your life?
786. What was the biggest lesson you learned?
787. What are you most proud of?
Retrospective
788. If you could hold on to one memory forever, what would that be?
789. What was the happiest moment of your life?
790. What did you think your life would be like when you were older?
791. What is different about you today than when you were younger?
792. Do you have any regrets in your life?
793. Any piece of advice you wish you had listened to from your parents?
794. Is there anything you ever miss about the ‘good old days’?
795. Was there a mistake you kept repeating over and over?
796. If you could only have 3 memories, what would they be?
797. What do you think you did the best in your life?
798. How do you think people will remember you?
799. What are the most important lessons you’ve learned in life?
800. What is the most important piece of advice you would give someone?
801. How has your life been different than what you imagined it would be?
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