November 2021: Remember When?

I’ve been going through old photographs lately.  When I find something really cute, I love to share it with my brother.  This is a favourite game in many families and circles of friends and it's a big part of social media.  Shared memories can build a sense of connectedness and belonging.  The nostalgia can be bittersweet with longing for something or someone, but nevertheless, often the primary emotions are positive.  Research shows that recalling moments of success or joy can help buffer us against stress.  This is because remembering happy times can cause our brains to decrease the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, while increasing the production of neurotransmitters associated with happiness, like serotonin.  At the level of our hormones, our bodies may not be able to tell the difference between actually experiencing the event and remembering it.  Given that it will soon be Remembrance Day, it seems important to also point out that we have evolved to remember negative experiences better than positive ones.  Obviously this can work against us as in the case of difficult memories and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  Memory is a complex subject.   Many of us can, however, benefit from using joyful flashbacks to encourage pleasurable feelings that can be enjoyed in the present moment!
Remember to take time for healing in your life!