A nostalgic’s guide to happiness | 2.7 minute read

Saudade is a Portuguese word that, like most great words, has no direct English translation. Loosely, it means a profound nostalgic longing. That feeling you might never experience a certain something — life event, relationship, whatever — ever again.

Sad, right? To me, it’s beautiful.

And I’ve felt it my entire life. In eighth grade saudade hit hard that sixth grade was a whole two years prior but felt like just yesterday. And I’d never experience being that young again.

Perhaps I feel saudade so strongly because I’m of Portuguese descent. I suspect it isn’t just ‘us’, though.

As I grew older, I realized this melancholia I associated with nostalgia was because there’s so much of my life I’d already forgotten. Days turn into weeks, turn into years, turn into decades. The memories are lost unless I (or rather, we) do something to keep them safe.

To combat this, I began journaling four years ago. Now, each day, I write a line or three about what I did the day before. It allows me to look back on the years and understand the things I did, the people that touched me, the feelings I felt.

Now my nostalgia — my saudade — is a source of happiness. Journaling is proof of a life well lived. And a guide for living even better in the future.

The pebble

Some winter nostalgia for the 90s kids.

realestnostalgia

View more on Instagram

The challenge

Start a daily journal. Believe me, it’s not as daunting as it seems. You don’t even need a fancy book (though I use this one). Just a few lines every day. What you did. What you felt. Who you saw. What you learned. Whatever you want.

It’ll be worth it when you look back on the months and years and remember it all. Revel in the saudade and appreciate the days gone by and who you once were.

Thanks for reading. We’re honoured you’ve chosen to spend a bit of your day with us. Why not reply to this email and tell us what you’re most nostalgic about?

Cheers,

Justin, Tyler, Jon