Nostalgia is defined with variation these days. It was once considered a medical condition similar to homesickness. The word derives from the Greek “nostos” (return) and “algos” (pain), suggesting suffering due to a desire to return to a place of origin. But, lately nostalgia is considered to be an independent and even positive emotion that many people experience often. We all experience nostalgia sometimes – some fragrance reminds of a near and dear’s   scent; a tune on radio reminds of some happy moment in a party; a road reminds of a beautiful travel yes, it brings back happy memories. Nostalgia is said to have many functions, but those functions have not truly been defined or explicitly stated. Several research articles have determined some of these meanings of nostalgia: improved mood, increase social connectedness, enhanced self esteem, and increased confidence. Many nostalgic manifestations serve more than one function at a time, and overall seem to benefit those who experience them. As time and research has moved on, evidence suggests that, if used in moderation, nostalgia is good psychological medicine.

Nostalgia does have its painful side as well:  it’s a bittersweet emotion but the net effect is to make life seem more meaningful and death less frightening. When people speak thoughtfully of the past, they typically become more optimistic and inspired about the future. I suppose every experience has something to teach us. You will see so many people around you who loves to tell the stories of when they scored the final touchdown in that championship games; they like to talk about how they met their life partners; how they got their jobs; how their children were naughty so on and forth. Is that person you? Still digging in the past?

This is a subject many psychologists are thinking these days. Nostalgia, compared to control conditions, increases self-esteem as well as perceptions of meaning in life. By allowing people to revisit cherished life experiences, nostalgia boosts positive self-image and promotes the feeling that life is full of meaning and purpose. Nostalgia increases perceptions of social connectedness. Nostalgia is therefore good psychological medicine.

When people grow nostalgic, they become happier. For example, in the psychology session, when people are asked to reflect on experiences, objects, or songs from the past that they are nostalgic about, positive mood increases. This makes sense because when we analyze the content of people’s nostalgic episodes we find that they are mostly positive. In fact nostalgia is more than just a mood boost though. It also increases self-esteem and perceptions of meaning in life. This explains the championship game story phenomenon. Many nostalgic experiences are connected to personal accomplishments and momentous life events. Life is not a series  of one success after another. Our daily existence can often be tedious and sometimes depressing. Using nostalgia, we can inject some meaning and excitement into life. Nostalgia involves conjuring up the experiences that stick out as worthwhile and fulfilling.

Nostalgia fosters feelings of belongingness: Nostalgia isn’t just about the self. It is also about our relationships. When people engage in nostalgia, they feel more connected to others. For example, one study finds that most nostalgic episodes are social and having people engage in nostalgia makes them feel close to and loved by others. The past experiences, objects, movies, and music we love are often anchored in social contexts and thus remind us that we are able to form and maintain relationships and that people do care about us.

So when are we most nostalgic? Based on many researches, it’s observed that people turn to nostalgia in situations that cause negative mood, solitude, and meaninglessness. Nostalgia can be directly induced by providing consumers with products they are nostalgic for (e.g., 80s-inspired clothing, music, and toys). However, it is when we are psychologically vulnerable or threatened that we naturally turn to nostalgia.

So next time you feel a little down and alone, try nostalgia. Don’t be ashamed of your nostalgic instincts. Rewind your memories of school days, first love, championship, terror movie, and little fights, everything that brings a smile on your face. You are reaping the psychological rewards of being in touch with your past.

 A positive person foresees joy, health and accomplishments, and believes he or she can conquer any impediment and difficulty easily. Positive people are optimists. They see hope and opportunities in their lives. It’s always nice to surround yourself with positive people. They are full of life.

A lot of research is being conducted even today in the world on positivity. Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and its optimistic effect on health and other facets of life. Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through our head. These habitual thoughts can be positive or pessimistic. Some of our self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from false impressions and wrong information which we hear from here and there, and that   we create because of lack of information. We talk to ourselves all day long and, unfortunately, this self talk is often negative. Often it is filled with guilt about our past or anxiety about our future. This negativity can destroy any seed of hope that we may otherwise have in striving for our dreams.

Our actions are inspired by our thoughts. If we can change the way we think, we can begin to change the actions we take. It is human nature to seek personal growth; whether financially, emotionally, physically or spiritually. Practicing positive self talk can help us set in motion actions that will bring us greater rewards.

Self talk is our internal conversations with our own self through which we form our opinion about others, about situations and facts of life. Self talk is our monologue with our own self. If this self talk is positive, it creates great wonders.   A positive self talk lowers depression of any kind. You don’t feel the anguish; it creates better resistance to fight diseases of body. It keeps a strong heart and cardiovascular system.  Most important, it gives you great coping skills during any hardships in life.

If the thoughts that run through our head are mostly negative, our outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If our thoughts are mostly positive, we are likely to be optimistic. And we can start practicing to be optimistic.

Prayers help in creating positivity in our life. It takes just a matter of seconds to utter, but they have the power to influence our life, our behaviour, our confidence. Prayers create positive influence on our hearts, on our perceptions; they have immense strength on us. A moment on our lips is a lifetime on our souls. A simple prayer can change us; can lead us on the path to healing ourselves and our world. So pray. Pray for peace, pray for healing, pray for advances in science, pray for the strength to eradicate poverty and disease, pray for the courage to overcome injustice, pray for resolve, pray for others, pray for yourself. Pray to God with all your heart and soul, and then gather up your might to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

Prayer is not a passive activity. Prayer revises us. It awakens us. Our eyes begin to notice beauty where we never noticed it before. Our hearts begin to feel compassion we never knew we had. Our priorities shift. As we talk to God, we receive the encouragement to live up to the potential inside us. Soon we start to see beyond ourselves into the world that is waiting for our help.

Researchers say that people who are pessimistic find that their self-talk tends toward frequently and unrelenting form of destructive self-talk.   Positive affirmations are statements you say to yourself to offset negative thoughts and beliefs. When we make a conscious effort to change our lives, positive affirmations feed us invigorating positive energy. They help us to let go of harmful and hurtful beliefs that feed our psyche.

These positive statements can be repeated several times throughout the day. By taking the time to vocalize the affirmations, the positive changes you wish to manifest, will shift the energy in and around you. It is the vibration of the tone of your own voice as you speak that creates this energy for change to occur. You can also take the time to write your affirmations in the morning and the evening. This is more promising activity. Just remember the more time you are willing to invest in yourself to create positive change the more you will gain from the work you have done. Start writing your affirmations – use an affirmation journal. There are many ways and means by which we can create positivity around us.

Stay happy with a positive self talk.