Challenges
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Quick Win
Pull out your photo albums to recall happy moments. Reminiscing may spark memories and increase positive feelings.
Try This Today
- Find some oldies but goodies. Pull out an old photo album or find a few pictures you’ve saved on your computer. They could be from your childhood, college days, or a memorable event or trip.
- Invite a friend or family member over to look through the photos. Ask the person to bring a few of their own.
- Swap stories. Take turns talking about the memories the photos trigger.
Why
Looking at photos and discussing them may lift your mood and help you feel more socially connected. Reminiscence therapy, which involves recalling happy events and feelings, was found to alleviate depression and improve quality of life in older adults, at least immediately after the reminiscing, according to a review of 10 studies published in 2021 in Frontiers in Psychology.
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