Nostalgia. So mysterious and powerful feeling. It’s like a warm blanket on a cold winter day — getting all tingly and butterflies-in-the-stomach thinking about the “good old days” — whatever it means to you. Maybe it’s your teenage years, where all you cared about was what’s for dinner today. Maybe it’s your high school crush that you admired so much, but were too afraid to ask them out. Or maybe it’s your glory party days, where you would put as much substances inside your body as you wanted — without any concern of the hangover that awaits you next morning. Everyone has different memories linked with nostalgic feelings, and while something that may seem unimportant for you, can mean a ton for others, and it’s okay. We all live in our own small world that only we know about. There are so many things that can trigger this feeling — places, pictures, scents, music — these are popping in my mind immediately when I think of it. How many hours you’ve spent listening to that track — that once you and your ex used to enjoy together? Or looking at your pictures with all of your party acquaintances, all happy drunk with genuine joy in your eyes? You catch yourself thinking — “Now, these were the days! What happened that suddenly it all became so different (and difficult)?”. It makes you happy, yet it makes you sad. You are tempted to get carried away even deeper by remembering more and more details or information. This is like a drug and you love it. It’s a guilty pleasure. Don’t deny that you’ve never done that.

It’s important to understand and realize where this feeling is coming from. You see, when we are getting nostalgic — we tend to remember everything through the filter. A Feelgood filter. Rose-colored glasses filter. We remember our past relationships, but forget the pain it once brought you. We remember our high school or college crew, without looking at that memory without distortion. That one friend that never been there for you. That other dude who from your group that you never really clicked with. That old apartment you’ve felt attached with when you growing up actually had some bad neighbors. For some reason, our brain is choosing to show you a distortion of what it really was like. That’s your subconscious trying to please you. Another example — that horrible field trip you had back in what, fifth grade? It was horrible in reality, but your brain is pleasing you by removing bad memories. You have to understand that this is just a movie playing by your mind. It’s not the places, or people, or scents that make you feel so fuzzy. It’s the emotion that you felt back then that seems to be so addictive. We, — human beings, — tend to forget the details, so we make it up for them by slightly changing some facts. It happens almost automatically. When we talk about our nostalgic times — your goal is to transfer said emotion to the person listening. Small lies in our daily lives happen all the time, sometimes even without us noticing — and so we hop in the lying train. We want to have an impression. And same happens when you’re just browsing through your old photographs — only it’s you and your subconscious who are “talking”. It wants us to believe in sweet lies in order for you to feel better.

So, what to do with it then? I would say — go ahead and dream away! Just be more conscious about it. Let the feeling carry you away a little, so you can get your reward. Then, relax. Take a deep breath if you must. Embrace all those great times you had, realize that this is just a perfect representation of it and understand that what made these memories happen is the presence at that moment. This feeling of freedom and carelessness you had is what you made these memories happen. What you were actually doing is simply not giving a fuck. Not a single one. Okay, maybe a couple, but these were small enough not to distract you to enjoy that moment back then. You were simply enjoying yourself. And perhaps now you have busy work hours, or a good relationship going on, or you changed a location. Maybe your old crew is not hanging as much anymore — especially when entering young adultery. The time where everyone is worried no less than you are. No matter what it is — simply remember that in a few years you would probably look back on what you have now and start thinking similar thoughts. Now, you don’t have to stop being the rebellious soul you are. Just look at it from the different angle. Be yourself, do what makes you happy, constantly remind yourself that it’s important what is happening now. Sweet dreams about past are nice — but you will never travel back there physically. If time travelling has been discovered — please let me know. Work on yourself NOW, challenge yourself NOW, expand your comfort zone NOW. Get what life is offering NOW and make the best out of it. Live NOW, not THEN. Chances are, a years later you from the future will be thinking about you from the past — who is the person you are right now. Nostalgia is very powerful feeling, why not channel it into something productive?

Keep on not giving a fuck. But in a smart way.