We’ve all felt it. That unpleasant feeling of becoming aware of all the amazing things we’re missing out on. Yep, I’m talking about FOMO.
Having to choose from the ever growing options of the places we can go, the people we can see, the work we can do, and the things we can experience feels painful sometimes.
It brings up too many questions of am I doing the right things? Am I spending my time well? Look at all these amazing things my friends are doing! What am I doing with my life?!
I’m constantly yearning for more than what I have right here.
And I feel a tension with this because it’s in direct conflict with my understanding that focusing on appreciation of all the things I have done and do have puts me in a much healthier headspace.
Fighting this battle of knowing better but feeling FOMO anyways is tough.
And to boot I know the endless array of options in front of us will continue to expand.
This is why I love this little practice I learned from this podcast interview with Jason Fried (co-founder of Basecamp).
The practice is to reframe FOMO into something called JOMO, or “the joy of missing out.”
Instead of allowing ourselves to feel like we’re missing out all the time, we can try to embrace missing out. We can try looking at what’s going on out there and just feeling joy for these people in our social networks getting to experience these awesome things.
Something I’m trying, and I invite you to join me:
This is a mindfulness thing.
Notice the feeling of FOMO as it arises. Pause, close your eyes, curl your lips gently into a smile, take a breath, and think to yourself, hell ya. I’m stoked they’re getting to do that awesome thing. I hope they’re enjoying it. They deserve it.
And then going back to your day.
Going to join me in this? Let me know in the comments below! You could also share about your own experience with FOMO.