Episode 63 - Why We Regret The Past And Long For ‘The Good Old Days’

Welcome back to The Struggle — Episode 63 is the final part of our three-part deep dive on time. We’ve explored the future, wrestled with the present, and now it’s time to confront the past.In this episode, we unpack the two major psychological burdens we carry from our past:Regret – the weight of wishing we’d done things differently.Nostalgia – the ache of longing for the “good old days.”We explore:The evolutionary function of regret and why it persists in modern life.The psychology of nostalgia, and how it helps us regulate stress, connect with others, and find hope for the future.Why both regret and longing can trap us in time loops that keep us from engaging meaningfully with the present and the future.Practical reframes for viewing your past more compassionately, including a quote from Dr. Rangan Chatterjee:“Living life with ‘no regrets’ is about learning and understanding from your perceived mistakes, but not being unkind to who you were then.”This episode includes references to:Evolutionary psychology (e.g. why our brains prefer certain pain over uncertain outcomes – see the 2016 University College London shock study on uncertainty and anxiety)Insights from Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Joe Hudson, and the idea that we’re all just “grown-up children” doing our best with limited knowledge.The distortions of memory and how nostalgia romanticizes moments that weren’t as perfect as we remember.💡 If you’re stuck ruminating on your past — this episode will help you move forward with compassion, clarity, and hope.🧠 Written with support from ChatGPT (OpenAI) — used to:Refine SEO-optimized title, tags, and posting strategySummarize academic references (e.g. UCL 2016 uncertainty study)Polish structure for clarity, coherence, and emotional resonance🎙 Subscribe or follow for more weekly episodes on self-awareness, meaning, and personal growth.📰 SponsorSign up for The Struggle Newsletter here - https://gregorthomson.com📺 Watch The StruggleYouTube - https://youtube.com/@GregorSThomson?si=wTfFwPVYKhJxKAsD📱 Get In TouchInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/gregorsthomson/Tiktok -https://www.tiktok.com/@gregor.s.thomson?_t=8ioMNLUnA25&_r=1Email - [email protected]🎵 MusicConal Mooney - https://www.instagram.com/conalmooneyaudio?igsh=dGxqdThlNnNoNzh6#TheStrugglePodcast | #Regret | #Nostalgia | #Mindset | #SelfCompassion