Nostalgia puts a warm filter on everything, even the parts that were hard.

Memory is a rebuild rather than a recording, and it edits toward warmth. The boredom, the arguments, and the hours of waiting thin out over time while a few good scenes stay sharp. That is why last year can look golden from here even though you remember complaining through most of it. The filter is automatic and it applies to everybody.

When the past looks better than now, try remembering one ordinary Wednesday from back then rather than a highlight. This is not about ruining a good memory. It is about not judging your current life against an edited one.