Hello lovely readers! How are you feeling today?  I really hope you are feeling full of the joys of spring.  Sadly, with the British weather letting us down in epic fashion, I’m going to hazard a guess that some of you might be feeling a little bit ‘meh’, or lacking in happy vibes.  What is the current mood with you today?  Take a moment to connect with your current feelings, as it will really help you benefit from reading this post 🙂

I’m not one for magic wands or miracle cures, but I have touched on something that might just make you feel a little bit happier and much more positive about the day ahead.  It’s also something you can do on your phone or sat at your computer which is super easy isn’t it?  We don’t always have time to get out for a walk or head to the gym, so this little idea is going to take just a few minutes and I think it will make a huge difference to your mood either right now or when you need it.

So what am I talking about here that could lift your spirits in a matter of minutes.  I think when I tell you it’s going to sound pretty obvious and you will have a bit of a light bulb moment.  I know I certainly did when I realised this. It is my go to trick now when I need some positive vibes, and it literally is the simplest thing to do.

It all began when I started going into Nottingham city centre less and less.  Before the girls were born I would be in town regularly, maybe a couple of times a week.  When you are exploring a place regularly you don’t realise just how much it changes over time.

When I became busy with Indie and Brook, the thought of trying to navigate Nottingham with small children was quite stressful, so I got out of the habit of going.  Now, when I go into the city centre, it literally overwhelms me by how much it has changed.  As I walk around, so many shops, bars and restaurants have been replaced and I immediately start to think about what used to be in there.  It often sparks memories I have of visiting these old places with friends and family, and the happy times we shared there.

Now, here I’m only talking about what has changed in a few months or so, so imagine just how much your city will have changed over the years?  If you are curious about what it might have been like for your parents or grandparents, then SunLife have created this excellent online tool called ‘UK Then and Now’.

It takes a look at the major cities across Britain and shows you some fascinating photographs comparing past images with the present view of places like Birmingham, Edinburgh, London, Leeds and many more.   Just visit UK Then and Now to see if your favourite city features on the easy to use interactive map.

I really want you to take a look at these photos, and look at what’s changed.  Buildings probably look very different and I suspect transport around the city has changed a lot too.  Did you know the city when they had trams or before that building was knocked down?  Jump onto your phone and look at some of your old photos or pull out an album from a past event.  This is all an important part of how we are going to lift your mood today.

The key here is to find something that is nostalgic for you.  Looking at old pictures of your city might conjure up happy memories that have long been forgotten or stories your parents have shared with you about visiting the local dance hall or similar.

My light bulb moment was realising that a little bit of nostalgia is incredibly good for us.  Thinking about the happy memories of past events is so good for our well being and is such an easy thing to do.  You can look at pictures almost anywhere now, especially if you are a fan of capturing your memories on your phone, storing them on your computer or you can use a tool like the SunLife UK Then and Now photographs.

If you are feeling a little bit meh, and need some positive vibes, a little reminiscing about the past could do you the world of good.  Try it out now, and take another moment to connect with your feelings after you’ve enjoyed those happy memories.  What has happened to your mood?  If things are feeling a bit more positive and optimistic, do let me know in the comments below.

Know someone who would enjoy this post?  Please do share it with your friends and followers, as it would literally make my day.  

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This post was written in collaboration with SunLife.

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14 COMMENTS

  1. I am the queen of nostalgia, I get all upset and tearful thinking about the past and what has gone before us. I think you’re right, a little nostalgia is good for us sometimes!

  2. This is so cool. We love taking a trip down memory lane especially with our family movie clips and photos so this would be right up our street

  3. My folks love reminiscing on happy memories of past events, thats one of the reasons why we started writing our blog. Never thought of hunting out really old photos though, might get the family albums out 🙂

  4. I couldn’t agree more a little bit of nostalgia does a lot to lift your spirits if ever if I’m in a bit of a funk I love looking over old photos.

  5. A few months back I went back to Cambridgeshire to visit my parents and I drove right past our street because so much has changed, new builds and all that. The city centre is so different I don’t know where half the things are.

  6. Lovely post-Zena. I love to think back on fond memories. Especially when I am feeling down. I often think of the house I grew up in.

  7. This was a lot of fun – I especially loved Piccadilly Circus! I live over 4,000 miles from where I grew up and I LOVE going ‘home’ to see everything that has changed!

  8. I love looking at how places used to look many, many moons ago! It is just fascinating seeing how things have changed and developed over time. I remember finding some old postcards of my hometown and thinking how wonderful it looked. I love going to coffee shops where they have old city photos on the walls, especially when they show horse and cart, instead of motors.

  9. I love a bit of nostalgia. I live in St. Ives in Cornwall and the other day we looked at pictures from 10, 20, 30 and 50 years ago. It was incredible how much it has changed. x

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