The Good Old Days Made Me Grow

There is something deeply comforting about nostalgia. As an American living abroad for several years, I have found that even the most mundane nostalgia, like a cheap Taco Bell taco upon entering the U.S. for the first time since my move, can feel deeply satisfying.

There is evidence that having people recall instances of nostalgia facilitates the seeking out of "optimal challenges" -- that is, challenges that are just difficult enough to motivate behavior and enjoyment without causing a person to want to give up. It also increases the desire to maximize one's experiences.

In these studies, half of the participants were asked to recall instances of nostalgia. Positive emotion, perceived belonging and perceived meaning in life were then assessed, as was the desire for personal growth. All of these positive traits were increased when people were recalling an instance of nostalgia. Further, the effect of nostalgia on increasing personal growth was because it increased positive affect (positive affect was the mediator).

This is consistent with past research demonstrating the positive effects of nostalgia on things like responding positively to criticism, and restoring feelings of meaning in life in response to "absurd" events (e.g., viewing art with no clear meaning).

I guess what this means is that Taco Bell, on that day, may have restored meaning in my life and made me want to make the best out of my life and my abilities.

That's quite a feat for a .99 cent burrito. (Can you imagine the commercials? "Make a run to the border and make your life more meaningful." Presumably while someone downs a volcano taco.)