The Pitfalls of Nostalgia

standing on the edge

Do you occasionally yearn to go back in time?

Most of us can feel emotionally attached to a particular era that we remember with great fondness, but dwelling too much on the past can make us lose the present and obscure our personal focus.

If we pause for a moment to consider, we might find that it takes as much energy to stay stuck as it does to move forward. Constantly gazing backwards can disturb our inner harmony, our passion for living. After all, it’s much more difficult to feel enthusiastic about new goals and dreams when we’re bogged down with complex emotions attached to the past.

Time is our most irreplaceable resource. We really can’t afford to waste a moment of it, because when that moment’s gone it will never come again.

Perhaps the biggest pitfall of nostalgia is that it can so easily turn into an over-extended process; one that can be enormously energy draining and time-consuming.

As we leave childhood and the past behind and begin to accept responsibility for our lives as independent adults, we may need to pass through a natural longing -- perhaps even a degree of grieving -- for what is no more. And this is perfectly healthy. It's a process that most of us go through on our journey to maturity and selfhood; one that can reoccur at any stage of our development.

There’s no denying that a certain degree of nostalgia is absolutely fine. It’s perfectly healthy to reflect now and then on days long ago, and to remember the beautiful experiences we were fortunate enough to have had. These memories create our emotional capital, something we can draw upon as we journey on through the valleys and the peaks of life.

If we find ourselves spending too much time looking back, then perhaps we need to consider whether we might not be stuck in the mourning phase. Is there something in the present that we are failing to address?

If this is the case, then maybe the question we really need to ask ourselves is: What meaningful experiences do we need to create now? The past is done and dusted. It’s what we do today that really determines the life we live.

In my next post I’ll be talking more about the pitfalls of nostalgia. Be sure to check back on a regular basis. Stay well!


‘The past changes the present. Looking back you do not find what you left behind.’
– Kiran Desai



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