PAST FORWARD: HOW NOSTALGIA CAN HELP YOU LIVE A MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE

By Clay Routledge

Release Date: December 5, 2023

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Essentially, the past paves the way for a better future. Just as the lessons of history are critical to progress, personal and collective memories offer valuable guidance for the decisions we need to make going forward. Our nostalgia works hand in glove with our hopes and dreams for the future.

At first blush, nostalgia may seem to conflict with progress. After all, our longing for yesteryear is often accompanied with a displeasure with the present and fears about the future. If our response to present-day problems and future challenges is to feel nostalgic for the past, wouldn’t that make nostalgia an enemy of progress? Even if nostalgia gives us a warm, fuzzy feeling, might it ultimately get in the way of us improving our lives and making a positive difference in the world?

My hope is that after reading this book, you won’t think of nostalgia as a barrier to personal growth and societal progress, but rather appreciate it as a critical ingredient of personal growth and societal progress. 

As you will learn, nostalgia has a fairly wild history! It was once considered by experts to be a medical disease and mental illness, but modern psychological science is discovering that nostalgia is a psychological resource that helps us in various ways. If we want to better understand and find inspiration from our true selves, connect with and serve others, live a meaningful and intentional life, and improve our communities and the broader world, we would benefit from embracing nostalgia in a new light.

Praise for Past Forward

 “Clay Routledge makes the thought-provoking case that looking back with nostalgia can actually be good for us. Past Forward comes to a surprising but solid conclusion: thinking about the past can help us cope, build self-esteem, connect to others, and manage stress. It’s a fascinating look into the research on how humans think about time.” – Jean M. Twenge, PhD, author of Generations

“In Past Forward, acclaimed psychologist Clay Routledge delves deeply into the profound and often underestimated power of nostalgia. Drawing on decades of research, this thought-provoking and lucidly written book unravels the mysteries of our longing for the past and reveals how we can all use nostalgia intentionally to improve our present lives and build a brighter future.” – Constantine Sedikides, PhD, professor of social psychology, University of Southampton, UK

“If you miss ‘the good old days,’ well, lucky you. In Past Forward, Clay Routledge shows us that nostalgia is an unmistakably positive force in life—combating loneliness, boosting self-esteem, and driving society forward. A fascinating book.” – Arthur C. Brooks, PhD, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, author of From Strength to Strength, a #1 New York Times Bestseller

“In Past Forward, Clay Routledge convincingly argues that nostalgia can be a critical ally of progress. Counterintuitively, our nostalgic longing for the past doesn’t hold us back. It helps us adapt to a changing world and find the motivation to move forward with an optimistic outlook. Importantly, Routledge shows readers how they can take advantage of the power of nostalgia to improve their own lives and the world around them.” – Marian L. Tupy, founder and editor of HumanProgress.org, coauthor of Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know and Superabundance

“Clay Routledge thoughtfully explores the value of memories and nostalgia, emphasizing their profound impact on our personal growth and collective adavancement, urging us to embrace the past as a guiding force toward a brighter tomorrow. For our scropbooking community, we’ve known for a long time that there is magic in nostalgia, but Clay Routledge helps us understand exactly how that magic of the past impacts our futures.” – Alison Dutton, CEO of Creative Memories

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