There is a surprising amount of power in nostalgia and looking back on your life! So let’s talk about it 🙂
Are you someone that likes to look through old photo albums, or has some fond memories from school proms or family vacations of years gone by?
If you find that recalling some fond memories and wishing that you could go through a moment that has passed all over again, is something that can actually be good for you. It can go a long way to giving you a boost and helping you to feel good.
This can be true of looking at things in your past, your present, and when thinking about your future.
Having some nostalgia is something that can be more than reminiscing, as it can be a really great feeling of happiness. Thinking of the past, it can give you a happy and warm fuzzy feeling.
Even though some of the memories can be bittersweet, the feeling that is mostly comforting can give you a boost, especially for things like anxiety and depression.
Some nostalgia in your life can also be a good thing for the people around you as well. It has been found through studies like this one, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167213499187, that after people have had some happy nostaligizing, they are more likely to give to charity, and can improve relationships with family and friends.
You’re going to be less argumentative when you’re in a happy and ‘warm and fuzzy’ mood.
Many people will tend to look for moments of nostalgia when they are in a bad mood, feeling low, or even feeling lonely. But when you use nostalgia in the right way, it can create some fond memories, as well as helping to give a fresh perspective on things.
For example, an article like this one, https://blog.meccabingo.com/the-best-90s-things-that-take-us-back/, can help to take you back to the nineties, perhaps when you were a young adult of a teenager.
So make the most of moments of nostalgia and looking back when you do need a bit of a boost.
Nostalgia and looking back on our lives is something that is a very natural thing for us as humans. On average, people will seek out some nostalgia, even if it is through a timehop app on something like Facebook, at least once a week.
Seeing an old photo or hearing a song from way back when, can be the trigger.
Naturally, it will tend to be things like seeing photos of your children being small, or moving on from some powerful transitions in life. You could even look back and reevaluate things.
But it doesn’t have to be something that is simply looking back, though. Children are able to get that nostalgic feeling, even if they can’t remember more than a few months ago.
The past can help the future
If you find that your motivation is starting to flag, then it can be a good idea to think back on some of the personal milestones that you have achieved over time.
In order to help, then it can keep you focused and give you that motivation that you know that you have once had. The thing is, though, nostalgia doesn’t have to be all about the positive memories that you have.
Some negative experiences can also have an input and give you some meaning as you look at how you’ve changed or improved things; they can be really valuable learning experiences.
Share with others
If you want to share, then sharing in some nostalgic memories with others can give you a psychological boost. You can learn more about the person you are sharing with, and it could even help you to reconnect or get in touch with loved ones from different stages of your life.
If you take a trip with friends, for example, then the whole thing could leave you feeling energized and even more youthful.
Create new memories
In order to keep the bank of nostalgia going, that you can then draw on down the line.
So although looking back on things can be great, creating some new memories is still a must. Then you will have some great things that are happening today, that you can then hold onto as time goes on.
The key thing is to make sure that you don’t live in the past. Make sure that you live in the present and create some memories. Then you will have things to look back on to give you a wholesome and happy boost when you need it.
Enjoying some moments of nostalgia and looking back can boost your inspiration, fuel your motivation and give you those “good vibes” you’ve been reaching for!
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