FOMO is real. FOMO is hard to deal with. FOMO is one of the worst feelings I can possibly think of. For those who may not know, FOMO is an acronym that stands for “Fear Of Missing Out.” Essentially, it is the anxiety that something exciting is happening, and you aren’t there. Social media is often a trigger to this feeling. I personally am a lifelong sufferer of FOMO. When I see my friend’s Snapchat stories or Instagrams I immediately wish I had been there and had as much fun as they did. In fact, it was one of my New Year’s Resolutions to conquer my FOMO. In order to ensure that I get over it I have created three reminders that I will continuously tell myself.
Social Media Isn’t Accurate
It is important to understand that you don’t have to be doing something fun or exciting at every moment in your life. Many people may seem like they are through their use on social media, but that simply isn’t possible. Most people tend to highlight the most interesting points of their life on Twitter and Instagram, but we all know they can’t be having that much fun all of the time. Social media is truly not an accurate way to determine the quality of someone’s life, and you definitely should not base your current situation on it.
Staying In Is Fun
Even if you are jealous of someone’s nightly festivities highlighted on their Snapchat, doing something every night can get old. Staying in every once in a while can be one of the best things. You don’t have to spend countless hours doing your hair and makeup, you don’t have to worry about seeing people you don’t want to see and there is a high possibility that sleep and food are involved. So the next time you decide to stay in and start getting a case of FOMO, realize who the real winner is.
Are You Really Even Missing Out?
Sure you might have to listen to your friends tell a few eventful stories the next day, but other than a few inside jokes you probably didn’t miss out on much. As I mentioned earlier, doing something every night can get old and repetitive. If you were to stay in and instead hang out with your good friends Ben and Jerry, it is important to remember that you truly aren’t missing out on anything too life changing.
Throughout January, I have been reminding myself of these things, and I am happy to report that my FOMO situation is slowly but surely diffusing. Seeing people having fun and going out on their social media has a tendency to evoke my FOMO, but I simply have to remind myself that it’s only the highlights of their night. It is unfair to compare your everyday life to the highlights of someone else’s. Besides, staying in can be necessary sometimes and you’re probably not actually missing out on anything that truly matters.
