If you asked me what life is about, I could answer in a few short words: cramming as many fun experiences in as possible. If you asked how to do that, I would probably compare it to the movie "Yes Man," where the main character opens himself to literally every opportunity that is presented.
In short, I love trying new things, seeing the world, and taking risks. However, it comes with an opposite effect too: a strong contempt for sitting around or doing nothing. Even worse is when you feel as if other people are doing stuff while you're not. Sometimes it's real, sometimes it's perceived, but it's never fun. Sometimes it can be rather stressful. This is what we call "fear of missing out," or FOMO.
FOMO affects a lot of people at one point or another. For some of us, it is chronic. I found it to be especially debilitating when it comes up as a result of work or study, such as when you want to do something, you have the resources to do something, but you're stuck in an office and can't leave. Not going to lie, it is stressful and it can definitely induce anxiety. However, is this really a bad thing? In my opinion, sometimes it is, but most of the time it's not.
Oftentimes, I found the end result to be worth the initial stress. Most of the major opportunities I've been given in life, such as relationships, travel opportunities, endorsement deals, business relationships, etc. have come from the small decisions--like going to a party--and not the big ones. I find FOMO to be a great motivator for some people who might not be as open to certain things, and might not try them otherwise. If all your friends and maybe that one person you like are going to ride go-karts, you're probably going to go ride go-karts too, even if that wasn't something you'd go and do otherwise.
Another way of looking at FOMO goes back to a basic principle of psychology: humans tend to perform best under a moderate level of stress. It serves as a motivator, and encourages you to get things done. No stress is no influence, and extreme stress can really debilitate you. I will admit, sometimes FOMO can get to the extreme end of the spectrum, resulting in acute anxiety and extreme stress levels, but I find this to be the exception and not the rule. Instead, I think it often serves as a moderate stressor, one that gets you to go and do something. I often think that "missing out" is a bad thing, and that FOMO is a mechanism to help you avoid the negative consequences of missing out on something. Biologically, we have an instilled fear of drowning or falling off of a cliff, and while missing out on an opportunity might be less catastrophic, it can very often be a bad thing.
Life is short guys, and we only get one shot at it. If something inside you is saying to go out and do something new, even if for no other reason than the fear of missing out, give it a shot. Sometimes life tells us unexpected things for a reason, and I think it's best to listen.
