Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): something that is a universally-experienced feeling. From ages young to old, missing out is an aspect of life that many of us are familiar with. On the contrary, Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) is embracing the idea of finding contentment in missing activities.
It’s easy to see others’ lives being portrayed through social media and feel as if you aren’t doing as many things as they are, but it’s important to keep in mind that social media is a highlight reel of a person’s life. You wouldn’t post yourself doing day-to-day things, so why would they? When you feel as if your life is “boring,” reach out to friends and plan something. It could simply be going out to lunch. It is okay to have peaceful moments. Doing a post-worthy activity with people who put you down will never amount to being with those who want to spend time with you.
Although seeing other people’s lives through social media can be discouraging, it can be even more difficult to be left out of your own friends’ plans. It’s completely valid to feel upset when you aren’t invited to something with no expressed reason. However, it’s not healthy to dwell on these things. I have come to understand that in order to get past the FOMO, it’s best to keep yourself busy and do things away from your devices. Embrace this downtime, and see it as an opportunity to do things you have always wanted to: start watching that show that’s been on your list forever, take a walk outside, go try that new food place you’ve been eyeing. Whatever it is, learn to find peace in having some alone time.
To truly achieve JOMO, you need to be okay with not always making people happy. I have been the person in the past who tried to attend as many things as possible in hopes of not disappointing others. It was an unhealthy habit and it led me to never fully feeling satisfied with myself. It is okay to be absent from one activity to be fully present in the other.
We have grown to be very dependent individuals, so putting aside time to prioritize ourselves is one of the best things that we can do for our mental health.
