Why Do We Remember the Past Much Better Than It Was?

Can you remember a moment when you caught yourself thinking how perfect a moment from the past was? A moment you could not stop smiling thinking about and realizing how much you'd missed it. Yet, when you share it with others, they probably tell you it wasn’t that perfect, or when you pull yourself away from nostalgia, you probably realize it wasn’t so amazing. So, why do we feel that way when we think about the past? Why do we romanticize the past even though we know it wasn’t so flawless?

Studies show that remembering the past improves mood, reduces stress, and gives people a sense of meaning. It is a life booster when one is lost in their thoughts about life’s uncertainty. We naturally tend to look back on already-lived moments to feel simpler, safer, and happier in times when life feels difficult. So, nostalgia isn’t just a sense of feeling; it has a lot of relevance to psychology.

What we call nostalgia is not just remembering the past. “Nostalgia” is some kind of act of rewriting history. We remember the good and conventionally forget the bad. That’s why most of our childhood memories feel magical, or memories with a friend we no longer have contact with feel too good to be true. Nostalgia makes us leave our feelings of stress or disappointment into feelings of warmth and comfort.

Living in the moment often feels uncertain. Staying at the moment all the time is too difficult, and thinking about the future is too scary most of the time. For those moments, nostalgia is like some kind of coping mechanism. When the present feels overwhelming, we turn to the past for comfort and familiarity without even noticing. So, it is pretty normal for nostalgia to arise, especially in moments of uncertainty and uneasiness.

Considering all about nostalgia, do you think it is a blessing for humans or some kind of curse to make us feel worse about now? For me, nostalgia brings joy and inspiration, as long as it does not trap us in the past. Wasting our time longing for the good old days prevents us from experiencing new experiences at the moment, but escaping from nostalgia does not bring any help either. So, like most, the best is keeping the balance. Nostalgia is a great reminder of where we've been, and how our life has been, but it does not have to hold us back from the future, comparing it with the present all the time.