Nostalgia

I've been thinking a lot lately about nostalgia. I'd even say I AM nostalgic. Here are some of the reasons: My dad's vacationing on the coast of Maine right now, where we went when I was growing up. It's also summer, which recalls speedy dinners of hot dogs and hamburgers while neighbors called for my sister and me to come play Sardines. Then, there's the feeling that I'm growing up so fast and my friendships aren't what they used to be - just different. All of this gets me nostalgic.

So my question is, how can nostalgia be positive, even helpful? Usually nostalgia connotes either "the irreplaceable glory days" or melancholy accompanied by Coldplay. But, I'm daring to say that when harnessed right, nostalgia can remind you to get back to the things you really love. If you're sitting at home looking through old pictures and getting teary-eyed about a road trip, think about the bond you created with people during the long car rides, and try rejuvenate bonds with friends in your present life. If you miss the carefree days before you had a 9-5 job, try to free up weekends to mimic the leisure of endless days instead of cramming all of your social life into Friday and Saturday nights. Sometimes just putting on some 90s music does the trick.

I know we can't change what's past, and that some memories are best left in nostalgic mental scrapbooks, but sometimes simply pinpointing why you're nostalgic about something can prevent you from being vaguely discontent with your life. If you figure out what exactly you miss, it's easier to recreate. I know nothing will ever feel the same as the first time I stayed up with summer friends to watch the sunrise, but you can surround yourself with people who would theoretically be up for watching the sunrise.

What does this have to do with having a job, however? I'd like to believe that it's possible to find a job that feels like childhood. Remember your childhood dreams - what you wanted to be when you grew up. Our dreams may have changed since then, but I think we all had a little streak of that hopeful, idealistic mentality for the future. Finding a job that makes you feel like a kid again is definitely productive nostalgia. Being childlike (not childish) in your career has its advantages - creativity, teamwork, selfless dedication, imagination. Many times, employers are looking for just those qualities. So think about what made you happiest as a kid, what games you loved to play, what dynamic you had with your friends, what you did to have fun. And try to do that in your career!

If I'm being too vague, take my personal case study: when I was sixteen I traveled out west with 18 other counselors-in-training, and we all worked at an inner city YMCA camp. When we weren't working, we got a chance to explore Zion National Park and backpack to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It was the best month of my life because of the bond the group created - we were 20 people working towards the common goal of enriching kids' lives, and we had fun doing it. We all went through the same ups and downs, the same sleepless nights, the same 100 degree days. We became stronger as a group and stronger individually. Now, 5 years later, I've realized that working in film production can give me the same opportunity to work on a tight-knit team who wants, as a whole, to create a compelling film. SO while I'm nostalgic for our "West Coast WHAT" chant, I'm hopeful that my future holds similar group bonding possibilities.