Why you should not fear ‘missing out’?

Fear is normal human behavior. In this world, surviving has been our ultimate goal. And, we all know well that we cannot survive on our own. Together, we developed a system that works well with each other.

We have also developed a culture. That culture becomes a collective consciousness and later on becomes our identity. Being part of the collective, people around us expect us to remain inside the circle. Perhaps, that reason alone causes us to have FOMO. It causes us to have that fear of missing out on things.

Every day goes by like a wind. Missing out should be the least of our fears. I am aware that it is not easy to overcome such a complex feeling. In this article, I will try to reason why you should not fear missing out.

Why you should not fear ‘missing out’?

First and foremost, we are still figuring things out.

Social media provides a platform where people share their achievements, striking experiences, and new trends. People in this century spent their lives interacting on the web. With a lot going on in the online sphere, this causes us to forget to reflect on our wants and needs. Fear of missing out suppresses us from communicating intrapersonally.

We have to remember that a lot of uncertainties exist in the past few years. Two years of the pandemic and the recent events have become a lot to absorb. I know we all want to feel that we belong to something. However, you do not have to compromise your peace of mind just to belong. The right people will make you feel that. It is perfectly fine not to have it all in mind – our plans, the latest movies, a meme you do not understand, and even relationships!

At this time, we are still crafting our skills.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Benjamin Franklin

As my mind begins to spread its wings, there is no stopping curiosity.

Whatever your niche may be, you have to come prepared for future encounters. Honing our skills requires a lot of time. One may take months, years, or even a decade. That would mean you would have to opt-out to the world for some time. And, the fear of missing out stops you from learning and exploring new skills

Catching up with your friends, keeping up with the trends, and meeting a deadline. Fear of missing out has instilled panic in our minds that we forgot to slow down. Be firm in our values and beliefs to avoid such circumstances. Sometimes we need to aim for quality and not quantity.

Last, but not least, we are still young.

Where’s the fire? Why do we need to hurry? You better cool it off before you burn it out.

To tell you the truth, I have this feeling that I will be living for a long time. I know it is not the case for everyone. But, my point is – the feeling of not dying helps me slow down. However, that did not make me complacent at all. I have never been more eager to change and improve myself for the better. Fear of missing out hinders you from making sense of the world and our society.

My friend Ian told me that the “fear of missing out keeps us grounded with a normal amount.”

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I agree.

Understandably, we have this negative connotation of fear that we tend to avoid. Yet, we have to experience it just like any other emotional response. Too much remains destructive and too less of it could become dangerous.

However, both can lead you to isolation.

I doubt that we even miss a lot if we sometimes miss out on things. And, just like Taylor Swift said, “It’s just a matter of time.”