Can nostalgia help your career?

Every so often I get a bout of nostalgia. I wonder if you do too? The era it relates to varies but includes my teenage years, early school days or career pre-The Balance Collective. The itch can be scratched, temporarily, by sharing memories with those that shared those times, or flicking through a well-worn photo album (both printed and digital!). However, when we pay attention to that historic longing, it can provide useful information about the future. Today I want to talk about how nostalgia can help your career.

Nostalgia is often described as a form of homesickness of times gone past; it’s a universal experience, which links a strong emotion to a period. For me, my strongest era of nostalgia is linked to the late 1990s. Much to my eldest’s frustration, this seeps into the everyday. it’s in the music I listen to the most (anyone else an Absolute 90s fan?), the films I watch. I love flicking through photo albums and recalling the memories it creates. It’s no surprise when I meet with people that were present during that time of my life, inevitably conversations circle back to those times!

Whilst it’s great to reminisce, we must remember something important. We are not remembering what happened during those times. We have wrapped that combination of experiences, all the fun, the joy and the excitement, into a rose-tinted memory. Researchers remind us, time and time again, that we cherry-pick the very best bits of that time and create a global emotion around it.      

What does nostalgia have to do with our careers?

 Understanding the impact of nostalgia can help our career in one of two ways. By attempting to layer a sprinkling of logic on top of the emotion, you can make conscious changes to your career, for now, and the future! You may not like what you are about to read, but trust me, it will help!

1. You may be nostalgic for RIGHT NOW in the future

At some point in your life, everything you are experiencing today will be part of your nostalgic memories. So, how would it feel to be mindful of it; safe in the knowledge that only the best parts are likely to be remembered in the future.  So, take those risks, have those necessary conversations and accept that not everything will work out how you expect. Consider how your previous life impacts you now, combined with our innate ability to convert potential years of experience into a highlight reel! What do you think future you would say about what is happening today? 

2. Bring the past into the present

When those nostalgic periods kick in, take some time to try and nail down what you are missing? It could be the people, the sense of community, the new opportunities, the change in responsibilities, the places, the challenge; it could be all of this or some of this! How can you recreate some of this within the life you have now? Reach out and reconnect with people you miss, or maybe spend more time connecting with those around you? Create opportunities to learn and challenge yourself today, or review what balance means to you, with the responsibilities you have right now. Life is ever-evolving, so take back some control. 

As we have discussed before, we humans are complicated creatures. Whilst nostalgia is universal, intersecting across ages, gender and cultures, what we experience, and when, varies. The emotions that it creates is a communication worth listening to. What you are pining for now, might be possible to recreate it in the future! 

When you translate that to your career, it is the starting point for a career that you can enjoy. Add what you have uncovered to your wants and needs list for your next opportunity. 

So, the short answer to my opening question “can nostalgia help your career?” is simply “Yes, as long as you pay attention to the present.”