Do you have FOMO?

Fear of missing out or FOMO is "a pervasive apprehension that others might be having from experiences from which one is absent". This social angst is characterized by "a desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing". – Wikipedia

FOMO was recently coined to describe a psychological disorder caused by the forward march of technology. Social networking is the first to be blamed. Research says, it is easy to feel as if you're missing out on life when the parties, vacations and weddings of your acquaintances are plastered across your screen; and when RSVP means nothing more than clicking the ‘maybe’ or ‘going’ button on Facebook. People can become addicted by the need to check-up on what others are doing.

What’s worse –  by indulging in it we’re missing out on the present and losing the ability to enjoy what’s going on around us. It’s isolating, too. Wasn’t social media invented to make us feel more connected, not less?

I was so afraid of saying “No” to an opportunity that I might later regret
I know I’m not the only one — most of you will admit to feeling FOMO in some (if not all) areas of your lives. The fear can feel really real, and it can paralyze your decision-making. The more you give in to FOMO, the more weighed down you’ll feel by all the things you “should” or “could” be doing. It’s exhausting and the opposite of fulfilling.

But on the contrary, it can be otherwise
I can’t remember the last time I did something out of a fear of missing out. I just don’t care about it anymore. In fact, I now get a weird thrill out of saying “no” to things I don’t want to do (or even just feel neutral about).

So how did I get over my FOMO?
It all came down to two things:

 1. I now know myself fully and completely. I know what I want in every area of my life: my business, my personal relationships, my free time, my health. I know exactly how I  want my life to feel, and I make positive decisions to get me closer to that on a daily basis.

 2. There’s no “how-to” guide for becoming more self-aware and getting over your FOMO (and anyone who tells you otherwise is over-simplifying things). But I will tell you  one small, but powerful, first step that helped me release my FOMO.

Before you say “yes” to any opportunity, invitation, job, relationship, etc., ask yourself, “What’s my intention? Why am I saying ‘yes’ to this?”
If the answer comes from fear (fear of missing out, fear of regret, fear that it might be your “one chance,” etc.), then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons and you’re almost guaranteed to not feel fulfilled by it.

If, on the other hand, you’re saying “yes” purely out of excitement and because it feels totally right, then by all means, carry on! Just make sure these are the only things you’re saying “yes” to.

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