Getting over the good old days syndrome. “But that’s how we’ve always done it.” “Things were better back when we…” Do you find yourself saying these things? Most of us fall prey to the good old days syndrome, when we look back at the past and believe that everything was better. This can pose a serious obstacle to our ability to adapt to change. If we are convinced that the good old days were best, we are unlikely to give a new way of doing things a fair try. When you find yourself thinking back to the good old days, give yourself a reality check. Ask yourself if things were really as good as you think you remember. Most of us romanticize the past. Be honest with yourself. Try to recall obstacles, problems, or difficulties you had with the thing you are remembering as so good, and remember, there were people in the good old days who were wishing for their own good old days.
