Grass is greener on the other side?
The fear of missing out refers to the feeling or perception that others are having more fun, living better lives, or experiencing better things than you are. It involves a deep sense of envy and affects self-esteem.
It can be anything like not being invited to a movie night or doubting your ability to grade higher scores on a test and missing out to be included in the category of intellectual people. Still, it always involves a sense of helplessness that you are missing out on something big.
Constant thoughts about various things involved with fear can make you feel out of breath and exhausted. FOMO is also one of those feelings that can intensify the feelings of despair. It distracts you from doing your actual work with focus and confidence. It immobilizes you when you are giving your best shot at it.
Understanding FOMO:
It is expected that we are concerned about how our social life stands, and that is how the room for FOMO has been increasing lately. FOMO is a bigger issue for the younger generations, who often check up on their friends’ status on their social media, which cultivates the fear of missing out even more and makes it evident that they measure their lifestyles to those on social media. Some psychologists also suggested that one of the reasons why social media sites are very successful is because people try to validate their lives by not missing out on anything.
It should be significant that we do not define our lives depending on what we see online. Most of us are sure of having social anxieties, but we should realize that if we are bothered about what we see online and, that stresses us, it can be called FOMO. Your consent about what’s happening in the other’s lives and even more you not being a part of it makes you lose your identity and reduces your self-esteem. The dissatisfaction you might be experiencing can worsen because of how badly you want to stay connected to people and their activities.
We might not feel the need for anyone to validate it; sadly, everyone has it. Before it alters your personality, follow these steps to cope with it:
- Have realistic thoughts about how time is limited, and it is not humanly possible to go around everyone to everything.
-Keep track of negativity. It helps you observe how often you are feeling low and it can guide you to lead a more fulfilling life.
-It is always advisable to take social breaks, which helps you have more time to explore things other than social media.
A wise man once said,
“When you know or have a clarity on what you are doing, you will have no fear… just exuberance.”
In this era of perfection and looking for the most eminent in everything, we strive so much that we want the best. There also comes a fear of missing out in the eternal quest for perfection. Even though you do everything up to the mark, that mere thought of missing out eats you up from inside. It’s a parasite that dwells inside us and gradually sucks us up who we individually are. But it’s not the end and you can always yourself to become a better individual who focuses more on one’s own life.
Article By: G. Sri Datta Krishna
Nitya Sree