Nostalgia - from the Greek words for home (nostos) and pain (algos) to make nostalgia. Originally thought of as a psychiatric disorder - a form of debilitating homesickness experts currently recognize nostalgia is a positive behavior. According to Dr. Clay Routledge, nostalgia, "increases positive mood, self-esteem, feelings of social connectedness, optimism about the future and perceptions of meaning in life. Furthermore, nostalgia motivates people to focus on cultivating meaningful relationships and pursue important life goals. As people get older, nostalgia makes them feel more youthful and energetic. Nostalgia also reduces existential fears about death."
According to Dena Kemmet, "an additional function of nostalgia may be it's motivating potential. Nostalgia may boost optimism, spark inspiration and foster creativity." In the face of instability, our minds will reach for our positive memories of the past, which tend to be more crystallized than negative or neutral memories.
How nostalgic are you? Researcher and psychologist Krystine Batcho created a nostalgia inventory quiz to determine a person's degree of wistful thinking. A high score indicates a person more attuned to life and more adaptable in the face of unwanted or unpleasant life circumstances.
You can find the quiz at https://www.playbuzz.com/newscientist/a-how-nostalgic-are-you
Benefits of being highly nostalgic:
How to evoke nostalgia without even going "home"
