FOMO aka Fear of Missing Out is a phenomenon that we have all been affected by at one point or another. Whether we have shown up for a night out on the promise it will be the “event of the year” or dragged ourselves to a party just to make sure we are in the photos, we have all been slaves to FOMO.
In 2020, we are making a promise to ourselves that we will no longer force ourselves to attend every event on our radar just to follow the crowd. Instead, we will be choosing events with care and from time to time we will be embracing JOMO – the joy of missing out. Here’s how you can too.
Reassess Friendships
As we get older, it becomes more difficult to stay in touch with all our friends. Instead of constantly meeting up with people to stay on their radar, take a moment to assess what the people you are bending over backward to keep in your life actually add to it. If the answer is not much, don’t feel bad politely declining their next social invitation.
Unfollow The FOMO-fuelers
When you scroll through your Facebook feed, do you find that it is the same group of people who are always posting the photos with the FOMO-inducing hashtags? #bestpartyever #thegang? If you can identify the accounts that trigger your FOMO, quietly unfollow them on social media. You can still be their friend on Facebook but you won’t be subject to their constant Facebook posts.
Value Me-Time
If you truly want to embrace JOMO, it is crucial to make time for yourself and learn to love this time. Have friends over for sure, but set boundaries and don’t feel pressured into letting people overstay their welcome. If you want to catch an episode two of the series you are bingeing before bed, don’t feel guilty for asking your friends to leave before it gets too late. Time for yourself is valuable and to fully embrace the joys of missing out, this is a lesson you will do well to learn.
