Feeling happy in an increasingly troubled world can be challenging, but according to a new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, we can evoke more consistent feelings of happiness by holding a positive, nostalgic view of the past and banishing negative thoughts and regrets.

San Francisco State University researchers that studied the happiness status of 750 volunteers point out that although we may not be able to change our personality, we can alter our view of a time in our life and thus create happiness. They concluded that savoring happy memories and reframing painful past experiences into positive ones is an effective way to increase overall life satisfaction.