Those were the days, my friend!

Do you ever long for the good old days? While we talk a lot about living in the present, don’t ignore the shoulder taps, which may bring you memories and visitors from the past you need at this very moment.

Feeling nostalgic isn’t just about the past; it can help you have a more optimistic outlook for the future. When you think about something positive in the past, it fuels your hope for the future. 

 

Recalling three amazing things from your past that brought you great happiness or that you’re proud of can transform your here and now. It will remind you that if you once experienced amazing things, you can experience the same, or even new, amazing things. 

 

Our family merges our past with the present using old family recipes. When I serve a favorite dish my grandmother made, it creates a bridge that brings the dinner tables of our past and present together. For a brief time, the past and present join each other around the same dinner table.

 

Do you own anything that brings you back to particular experiences? Roasting forks used at campfires? Family fishing lures or poles that still hook the big ones? Dad or Grandpa’s tools used to teach you basic building skills? A toboggan you flew down snow-covered hills on as a child?

 

Even if you don’t have any of those things, I guess you may have old family photo albums, films, or slides in your life. Those could provide forgotten details to help you recreate some of your past’s meaningful and fulfilling experiences.

 

This week, think back to a happy event or time in your past. Whether you think about it or try to bring it to life, live in the warm glow of nostalgia for a moment. Then hold on to that good feeling as you look toward the future. It will renew confidence in yourself and your hope for the future.

 

Canadian rap musician, Drake, said: “Some days, I wish I could go back in life. Not to change anything, but to feel things twice.” That’s what nostalgia does for me.