Have you ever heard the latest internet acronyms such as YOLO and FOMO? YOLO means you only live once. It is about making the most of the present situation. FOMO, on the other hand, pertains to fear of missing out. It is the feeling of nervousness or anxiousness of seeing your friends having more fun than you are. Social media only exacerbates this situation. As a result, FOMO is now a big and serious issue. More and more people are feeling anxious and inferior to their peers. If left unchecked, we will have a society of anxious individuals with people trying to live beyond their means just to keep up with the Joneses. So, how to get over the fear of missing out?
Sense of Belonging
People have the inherent need to be part and accepted in a group. The sense of belonging makes people happy and satisfied. So, when you see a social media post of your friends having fun without you; it is normal to feel anxious, sad and betrayed.
Negative Effect of FOMO
The word FOMO is already recognized. In fact, it was added to the Oxford dictionary in 2013. Its official definition is “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website”.
In a world where we are always watching and liking what others are doing on social media; it is so easy to feel stressed out watching other people having so much fun. This gets magnified more if we are already feeling overwhelmed with life’s challenges. We can’t help but constantly compare our lives with that of our peers. As a result, we try to mimic what others are doing. We eat out and have fun. We travel to different places regardless of whether we can afford it or not. In the process, we end up losing our sense of identity and we begin to hide behind our persona or social mask.
Unhappiness From Within
We know that FOMO has a negative impact on our lives. But before we can get over it, we first need to understand where it is coming from. The truth is, not everyone gets affected by FOMO. Those who are caught in the FOMO cycle are actually those who are unhappy from within. Those who are self-confident are rarely affected by FOMO.
Tips on How to Get Over FOMO
1. Refrain From Checking Your Social Media First Thing in the Morning
What is the first thing that you do in the morning? If your answer is to check your social media, that’s actually a sign that you are already caught in the FOMO cycle. So, the solution is to refrain from checking your social media the moment you wake up. Why look at what other people are doing when you are supposed to be working on your dreams? Highly successful people has morning routines. This is what makes them different from the rest of the population.
2. Remember That There is More Than Meets The Eye
Remember that not all situations are as simple as what it appears to be. You don’t know the whole story. What you see on social media are all beautiful sceneries and happy events. You see the laughter and the smiling faces. But you did not see the events that transpired behind it. No one will share the negative side of the story.
3. Be Grateful
Grateful people are happy people. This is because they focus on their blessings and all the positive things in life. What you focus on magnifies itself. If you focus on the positive, you will be happier. If you are happy, you will be unaffected by what other people are doing. On the contrary, you will be happy if your friends are happy.
4. Love Yourself
Self-love is a state of appreciation for yourself. If you love yourself, you will have a high regard for your own happiness and well-being. You will not let others affect you.
Don’t let FOMO affect you. Get rid of FOMO before it consumes you!
Feature Image by StockSnap from Pixabay