Last Friday I was riding in the back seat, back home to Seattle when it hit. There was something about the way the sun was gleaming on the cold afternoon, and something about the way the two brothers sitting in the front seats of a car spoke to each other that got me in my feels. It was almost like deja-vu, but instead of my dad and my brother on a family road trip, it was my boyfriend and his brother.
Merriam Webster defines it as an “excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition.” It could be a song, or a commercial, or the way a bird flies through the open sky. No matter what triggers it, nostalgia can hit hard and unexpectedly.
Ah, nostalgia, the only thing that can make middle school seem like a good time in anyone’s life. But, seriously, nostalgia can have you feeling some type of way with no warning. And, on occasion, it’s a nice feeling. Other times, however, being stuck in the past is hurtful. Here’s how to survive these rose-colored flashbacks.
Acknowledge it.
Often times you can get sad, or happy, or just generally overwhelmed at a situation and it might not be clear why, but the human brain has a niche for subconsciously making connections and yearning for what once was. So, if you find yourself overwhelmed with emotion, do yourself a favor and reflect on it.
Chances are, even if it’s not a nostalgic feeling, you’ll feel better after reflecting on the moment. And if it is, acknowledging that it’s nostalgia will help you move forward.
Embrace it.
As annoying and in-the-way as emotions can sometimes be, they’re there for a reason. It’s important to let yourself feel whatever it is your body wants you to feel.
Let yourself embrace the nostalgia for a moment, fully and deeply feeling that lust for past times, and then move on.
Take it with a grain of salt.
These emotions are always going to be through rose-colored lenses, so don’t make any rash decisions or commitments based on them. Whether you get sad because you miss something, or you find yourself extremely happy in a moment that reminds you of another time in your life, make sure you’re acknowledging and embracing those moments, and then letting them go.
Hindsight may be 20-20, but nostalgia defies all laws of inner-reflection which makes it harder to understand why something wasn’t actually as great as it seemed. Ahem, I’m looking at you, late 2000s style trends.
Share it.
All logic aside, it’s a good feeling remember all the moments you’ve had in your life, and it can feel even better to share those memories.
So, call up your mom and tell her you found yourself wanting to go back to the time you camped out in the living room. And let your BFF know you caught yourself thinking of the times used to traipse through the woods together.
Nostalgia makes everything seem like the greener grass of ‘the other side.’ You can embrace it for a moment, just don’t let those images take over your reality.
