Your Blog Posts Need Nostalgia. Here’s Why…

If you’ve ever experienced nostalgia, you’re dying of a deadly illness. Or at least Johannes Hofer believed that, in 1688. We’ve moved on a bit since then. 

You’ve probably felt nostalgia at some point. But what does it actually mean? 

Wrap your head around these Greek terms:

‘Nostos’ – Home

‘Algos’ – Pain (from thinking about home)

Nostalgia is being “in your feelings” about a past experience. Happy the experience happened, but sad knowing you’ll never experience it the same way again.

Recently, psychology professors have flip-reversed what we previously thought was a negative emotion. We’re even getting nostalgia-based therapy.

Nostalgia is actually mostly positive. Not the same as negative repetitive thoughts—rumination. It can be a force for good. Nostalgia is linked to positive mood-boosting emotions, like gratitude and motivation. 

Leave your readers thankful they clicked your link.

Did You Know?

1. Nostalgia has psychological benefits: It can lift your mood and get you motivated. Within reason, nostalgia can help lift depression.

2. Nostalgia creates a sense of togetherness: Remember those FB posts yelling how every generation sucks but theirs (usually with Rafiki, Minions, or Wile E. Coyote in the corner)? Reflecting on the past brings people together.

3. Nostalgia makes people more generous: You’re more likely to be in a giving mood after reminiscing fondly about the past.

Why Your Writing Needs Nostalgia

Nostalgia is powerful. And it doesn’t have to be grumpy rants starting with “When I was young…”.

But you’re probably wondering how it works—it all comes down to sensory memory.

When you remember your childhood home, you don’t just remember the street address. There are personal touches unique to you: creaking floorboards, the screaming boiler, streaks of light dancing on your bedroom ceiling, the smell of bacon frying on a Saturday morning.

Every detail comes with a story. Context memory deals with both emotions and space, so it only makes sense the two link easily, in writing.

I’m not telling you to muddle your messaging with random stories. But a well-timed story related to your title? Hell yeah! Nostalgia gives a meaty slice of backstory–great for racking up relatability points. People can’t connect with emotionless avatars.

Used right, nostalgia can even affect decision-making. You’re more likely to buy a product if you can connect it with a positive personal experience. Remember, it boosts mood, encourages action, and helps us make sense of our place in the world. 

The world is off at the moment. And people turn to escapism when stressed—it’s only natural. The future is constantly unfolding, but the past is, well, history. It makes sense we long for a familiar scenario we can make sense of; it gives a sense of control.

We’re taking our sweet-ass time getting time-travel together. Where futuristic science falls down, nostalgia bridges the gap. We’re being influenced into action, right here in the present.

Check out this scenario and I’ll show you how…

You’re a 14-year-old girl. It’s 2004. You live in Body Shop. Your faves? Sticky fruit lip balm —the purple one—and White Musk spray.

You’re getting your first taste of natural cosmetics. And trying to catch the eye of a guy you’re sweet on in your class. You’re as stylish as a kid in shorts sticking to a slide. But nobody can tell you anything:

You. Are. A. WO-MAN.

You wear the scent every day for about a year. It levels up your “look” when you refuse to trade sleep for make-up (because who the hell enjoys waking for school at 6:45 am?). Even when things heat up in food tech, and the classroom’s ripe with teen spirit, you remain a subtle, floral mystery. Cool as a cucumber. 

Or you would be if you didn’t completely blast yourself with the stuff.

One day, you just stop buying it.

No big drama. You’ve discovered hair gel now (say less about that). The embossed bottle sits on your bookcase, gathering dust. Eventually, you give it to your nosey mum.

Decades pass.

What you don’t know was your mum kept buying it.

You hadn’t smelt it for years until you’re browsing (not raiding) her dressing room, when you visit. You pinch a spritz (after checking the coast is clear). Suddenly, you’re a teenager again: fresh from the shower and choking on the stuff before school (it had tough competition against classmates’ Lynx or Impulse body spray).

But something’s…different. Maybe the formula? Maybe more mature nose glands. 

It’s just not the same. 

But you end up buying another bottle. An express train (of thought) back to simpler times, when your biggest crisis was what to get up to during the summer…

It’s no coincidence this happened to me during a depressing winter—when I needed a mental pick-me-up. Covid-downs and lack of sleep (and personal time) had me longing for a time when things were simpler: no responsibilities, no pandemic, no surgery recovery…just rampant teenage hormones.

Major life changes can lead to nostalgia…which had me buying a perfume I hadn’t used, or even thought about, in years. For a little bit of control and stress relief.

And it worked! White Musk lifted my mood; the cherry on my self-care cake. If it can do this for me, imagine how it can strengthen your writing.

What better way to build customer trust than making them feel good?

Let the Good Times Flow.

Writing nostalgia can be easy, with a little know-how. Hopefully, you’re hyped and ready to crack on.

If strolling down memory lane isn’t your thing (some folks prefer to live in the now), or maybe you don’t have the time for all the writing malarky…sniff out a decent copywriter who’ll keep your memories fresh in the mind of your captivated readers.