The Pros and Cons of Nostalgia

Sometimes nostalgia is great. You get to look back on all the fond memories you've had so far- that crazy play you did, that high school dance, etc. You wish you could do it all over again because it was so much fun.

But not all nostalgia is good. I mean, who hasn't looked back and wished they'd done some things differently? I went through a VERY angsty phase my senior year in high school and if I could, I would walk up to my senior self, shake her by the shoulders, and say "Stop being upset for no reason! Enjoy life and the great experiences you're surrounded by."

Does this mean we should supress bad memories so looking back isn't as painful? I'm not sure. What I do know is that you can't change the past but you can learn from it, and dwelling on embarassing things that happened to you isn't healthy or helpful.

Moral of the story- let it go. Address your issues, learn from them, then move on. It's not easy but it is necessary. Life is about living, moving forward and not being caught up in the past. And you can't do any of those things while letting your baggage weigh you down.