Why Do We Love Looking Back?

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How does the powerful emotional pull of nostalgia connect to that midlife feeling of "how did I get here?" Why do we love looking back?

In this episode, we discuss:


Why nostalgia increases during periods of transition and uncertainty (aging parents, growing children, career reckonings)



The psychology and science behind nostalgia and memory


Why parents often romanticize the baby and toddler years



How nostalgia can deepen meaning, connection, and self-understanding



Healthy ways to honor memories without getting stuck in the past



Here are links to some of the resources mentioned in the episode:


University of Florida Medical Physiology Online: The Psychology of Nostalgia


Emily Reynolds for The British Psychological Society: We feel more nostalgic as we get older


Clay Routledge for the Institute for Family Studies: Nostalgia Reveals the Importance of Family and Close Relationships


Joe Keohane for the Boston Globe: Why Does Parenthood Make Us Nostalgic?


Hannah Seligson for the NYT: Being a Mother Is Hard Work. Is It Actually Harder on Millennial Moms?




"The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert


What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables.

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