The Appeal And Power of Nostalgia
Today, yesterday is everywhere. Uncertain times make it difficult to plan ahead, which is what makes the past so comforting.
Nostalgia is much more than mere reminiscing; it’s a feeling. It’s that warm, fuzzy emotion that we feel when we think about fond memories from our past. It’s often feels bittersweet -- mostly happy and comforting, but with a tinge of sadness that whatever we’re remembering is lost in some way.
A short visit to those ‘better times’ can actually do wonders for your present mental state. Nostalgia acts as potent reminder of what makes our lives meaningful. In other words, it gives us a sense of hope and normality – especially important in times of crisis.
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Here are some more ways you can make nostalgia work positively for you.
Making Nostalgia Work for You
People tend to feel nostalgic mostly when they are in a negative mood or feeling lonely.
Strategically using nostalgia may be just the thing to give you a welcomed fresh perspective. We all have at least a few fond, precious memories that can be used as a source of nostalgia.
Make the most of them by bringing them to mind when you need a little boost of positivity, warmth or meaning in your life.
Picture this: It’s late at night.
You are have just finished your studies, a degree, masters or even a PhD but have not yet embarked on a definitive career path.
Bills are piled up on the table, a monument to adult responsibilities. Stress, anxiety, and student loans occupy your thoughts. On a social media page, you spot an advertisement for an old television show you liked. That brings you to Youtube, which has videos of Saturday morning cartoons you remember watching.
For the next few hours, you drift from one clip to the next, happily regressing to a time when obligations were few and far between.
While the Pinky and The Brain episode might make you smile, it’s not so much the adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews as the personal memories it conjures that bring you to a relaxed state.
If this sounds like your thing, make a conscious decision to revisit your favourite old cartoons every so often. Which leads us to the next point…
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Let the past inform your future.
Having the ability to envision the future is strongly influenced by your memory for the past.
We all know that history can be a great teacher and source of wisdom. This is true of history in the traditional sense — wars, a nation’s independence, how empires rise and tumble into time.
But the kind of history were talking about is your own personal history. You know your history better than any other person alive today. You are the world’s foremost expert in the subject of You.
So, think back to some of your fondest memories from the past. What did you enjoy the most about them ? Perhaps it was the creativity ? Maybe it was the sense of adventure ?
Lean on these memories to reinvigorate your energies and stay focused on achieving your current goals or set new ones that inspired by that feeling.
Make nostalgia a group activity.
With most of us either working from home or having to isolate due to the pandemic, sharing your nostalgia might do wonders to those around you too.
It can can also be an opportunity to learn more about your friends or family by communicating and keeping in touch. Nostalgia has the ability to bring people together who may have drifted apart – your friends may have very different lives now compared to how you nah have know them, and so lack a common thread, but childhood memories bind us, call of these moments and reconnect with your favourite people.
Here are some more ways to fuel the happiness habit of nostalgia.
Make a music mix for someone you love.
Remember mix tapes? Your old cassette player has probably long since bitten the dust but you can still channel the habit by making a personalised playlist.
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Put together a photo album.
Long before Instagram, people just loved to bore their house guests with an endless pile of photo albums stacked neatly on the coffee table. Now’s your chance to curate your very own offline photo collection to bore guests with too.
Start with your early childhood and work up from there, pulling together photos from your family, friends or printed out from social channels. The physical act of going through old snaps is deeply soothing, and you’ll be sure to unearth some forgotten gems en-route.
Revisit your favourite childhood reads.
Charlotte’s Web. Matilda. Little House on the Prairie. There’s nothing like the calming solace of your favourite childhood books for taking you back to a place that feels safe and friendly.
Cocoon yourself in the world of your favourite authors of and lull yourself into a state of pre-Covid zen, basking in the vast wisdom that pours forth from the pages of The Hobbit, Winnie-the-Pooh or The Cat In The Hat. You’re sure to emerge feeling stronger and more relaxed.
Create new memories and keep traditions alive.
Why not take the extra step and make deposits into the nostalgia bank that you can draw on when you need a boost in the future. What happens today will surely become the memories you hold onto tomorrow, forever.
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