If you grew up in the ’90s, you know the phenomenon that was Happy Gilmore. And if you watch movies on any streaming service, you’ve probably seen the buzz around the long-anticipated sequel, Happy Gilmore 2.
I hate reboots, but of course... I hit play and ten minutes in, I was grinning like a kid again (no this is not a review and there are no spoilers).
The movie is loaded with callbacks, quotes, characters, even the swing.
If you're part of the generation that grew up yelling “You eat pieces of sh*t for breakfast?”, this sequel might hit like a warm hug from your childhood.
It took me right back to:
Rainy day movie marathons on the floor.
Biking around the neighbourhood playing made-up games, and,
Walking into the corner store with a buck and walking out with what felt like a pound of candy.
But as I laughed, something else crept in: a quiet ache.
That whisper in the back of your head that says, “Things were better back then.”
And it got me wondering… what role does nostalgia actually play in our mental wellness?
This isn’t a how‑to blog. It’s an exploration of memory, mood, and the strange comfort of looking back when life now feels a little blurry.
For a long time, nostalgia was seen as a problem. The word itself comes from Greek nostos meaning “return” and algos meaning “pain.” It literally meant homesickness.
Back in the 1600s, doctors treated it like an illness. If you missed home too much, they thought you might actually die from it.
Thankfully, we’ve come a long way.
These days, psychologists see nostalgia as something much more complex and, often, much more helpful.
It’s that bittersweet emotion that shows up when a song, smell, or movie quote pulls you back into a memory so vivid it feels like time travel.
And according to research, that trip down memory lane can actually be good for your mental health.
A 2021 meta-analysis of 41 studies found that nostalgia consistently boosts positive emotions like joy, optimism, and connection more than it brings up sadness or regret.
Another study published in Nature showed that nostalgia helps reduce cortisol, the hormone we release when we’re stressed.
In short: when you’re feeling low or overwhelmed, a little bit of nostalgia might actually buffer your brain against emotional pain.
And it doesn’t stop there.
Nostalgia has been shown to increase self-esteem, reinforce your sense of identity, and even give you a stronger sense of meaning in life. It reminds you of who you were—and how far you’ve come.
It brings people back into your mind who once made you feel safe, silly, or seen.
That’s no small thing in a world that often feels unsteady.
There’s a reason nostalgic memories often involve other people.
Old friends. Siblings. Your parent(s) in the kitchen making grilled cheese after school.
Psychologists call this social connectedness, and nostalgia is full of it.
In study after study, people who recalled meaningful memories from the past reported feeling more supported, more loved, and less isolated, even when those people were no longer in their lives.
Nostalgia reminds you: you’ve mattered to someone before.
That’s powerful when you’re in a season of life where things feel uncertain or disconnected.
For all its comfort, nostalgia can also be a little tricky.
Researchers have found that while intentional nostalgia (like watching an old movie or looking through photos) can lift your mood, ruminative nostalgia can do the opposite.
That’s when looking back turns into longing instead of remembering.
The lonely feeling of scrolling through old photos and suddenly feeling like your best years already happened.
Comparing your now to a version of your past that feels easier, simpler, or more magical. Sometimes, nostalgia becomes a way of escaping the present rather than engaging with it.
It’s the difference between saying “That was beautiful,” and “That was better.”
And the truth is, our memories aren’t neutral. We don’t remember everything accurately, we remember meaning.
Which means nostalgia often edits out the boring, the painful, and the messy in favour of a highlight reel. That can leave the present feeling a little… flat.
Watching Happy Gilmore 2, I didn’t just laugh at the old jokes…
I felt something settle in my chest. An emotional exhale. For a moment, life felt simpler again. Like the world made more sense when the biggest decision was which flavour of sour keys to get.
That’s the gift of nostalgia.
It holds a mirror up to the parts of you that still exist beneath all the growing and grinding and grief. It reminds you that you’ve known safety, joy, and belonging, and that you might know them again.
But here’s what I’m learning: the point isn’t to live in the glow of the past. It’s to let that glow illuminate the present.
To take what mattered then and ask how it might show up now, in the life you’re actually living.
A thread between who you were and who you’re still becoming.
Have you watched Happy Gilmore 2? Did it make you feel warm and fuzzy or “oh my gosh, just leave it in the past…”?
Leave a comment or send me a message and let me know!
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Until next time, I’m Jeff and remember...
Take care of yourself, however that looks to you.