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 second part of our conversation, Clay discusses:

Why we are nostalgic for both good and bad times
How nostalgia is a resource for innovation and spirituality
Reflection exercises to harness nostalgia for personal growth

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/

Follow us on social media for more updates:

Twitter: @brvnathan
Instagram: @brvnathan

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive early access to episodes: www.beautyatwork.net

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

Support the show

Nostalgia: Yearning for Beautiful Memories with Dr. Clay Routledge (Part 2 of 2)