The Trap of Excessive Reminiscing

Fondly remembering the past is a pleasurable activity, but can become a trap if taken to excess

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To some extent, we all like to reminisce. We recall events in our past that provided great meaning or pleasure as a way to reflect and enjoy a bit of nostalgia.

It might be the moment when we saw our first live concert, the memory of falling in love, or the experience of summertime adventures with friends, evenings that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

There's something slightly irresistible about giving in to our sentimental side. Remembering our past glories allows us to not only reflect upon our past, it also provides a brief way to re-live the moment in time.

It's easy to engage in this activity when we reconnect with old friends, as we're easily reminded of our shared past experiences. It's a convenient connecting point and it's enjoyable to call to mind a memory that gave us immense joy.

But, as with anything, too much of a good thing can turn sour

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Excessively reminiscing can come with negative consequences. When we're always living in our past to provide joy and meaning in our life, it's often a sign that our present reality is lacking some crucial component.

A person who cannot stop talking about their past is often caught in a stale cycle of existence. New positive memories aren't being created in a sufficient fashion to replace old tales of glory. You've probably had a few moments in your life where you found yourself reflecting a tad bit too much on the past as a way to provide meaning to your present reality.

If we're going through a rough patch, it can be useful to remind ourselves of past pleasant experiences in order to give us a temporary reprieve from our current bitter reality. It also can provide a valuable perspective that things in our life are in a constant state of change and to not fret that our current reality will be permanent.

Reminisce with temperance

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Moderation is essential to avoiding excessive nostalgia, the type that can sabotage our present experience of life. If we are always looking to the past to provide ourselves with pleasure in the present, it will continue to feed our stagnation and restrict our ability to create new meaningful experiences.

Looking in the rearview mirror isn't an effective strategy for navigating the territory in front of us. Of course, every now and then, reminiscing can provide a valuable feeling of appreciation for the steps we've already taken and the memories we've already created.

But when we start to stagnate and the present becomes an endless retelling of the past, it's time to turn the reminiscing mind off and refocus on creating new memories.

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All uncredited pictures from pixabay.com or my personal account

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