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Existential psychologist Dr. Clay Routledge, Vice President of Research at the Archbridge Institute, discusses the science of nostalgia, and why our yearning for beautiful memories is not simply an escape to the past but a vital resource for innovation.

Clay is a highly cited researcher who has published more than 100 scholarly papers, co-edited three academic books, authored three books, and received numerous awards for his research and mentorship. Clay regularly advises a range of organizations, from small startups to large companies, helping them use existential psychology and behavioral science more broadly to improve their products, services, and workplace culture. His latest book is Past Forward: How Nostalgia Can Help You Live a More Meaningful Life.

In this first part of our conversation, Clay discusses:

• His childhood experiences of profound beauty
• How he came to pursue existential psychology
• Key findings from his research on nostalgia, including its motivating and surprisingly future-oriented nature

To learn more about Clay’s work, you can find him at: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayroutledge/ 
X: https://twitter.com/clayroutledge 
Human Flourishing Lab: https://humanflourishinglab.org 
Personal Website: https://www.clayroutledge.com 
Substack (Flourishing Friday): https://www.flourishingfriday.blog/ 
His latest book (Past Forward): https://www.amazon.com/Past-Forward-Nostalgia-Help-Meaningful/dp/1683648641/

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This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/).

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