I’m sure you’ve heard about the fear of missing out or FOMO. It’s where we over consume, overcommit, or generally overdo something because we can’t bear thinking we might miss out on something. It’s like going to a buffet where you appear to have unlimited choice of food. How much do you put on your plate? Do you go back again…and again…until you physically can’t eat any more? Or do you select the things that you think you’d particularly like or want – and in quantities that will satiate you (but no more)?
The over-consumption inherent in FOMO has also been driven by the “conspicuous consumption” seen for many decades now – typified in “keeping up with the Joneses” and the need to have the “latest and greatest” gadgets.
However, it does all seem to be catching up in a push to slow the pace of life, get off the treadmill and just simplify the way we live. This new trend is called JOMO – The Joy of Missing Out. It’s all about unplugging from modern life and escaping that modern disease of overwhelm that comes from over-consumption.
JOMO appears to be a move towards more “mindful living” with more and more people actively trying to shut out distractions and focus on the moment. For example, taking a “social media holiday” is becoming more and more prevalent. This is in stark contrast to the need some people have to post every second of their life for all and sundry to see.
Although we embrace technology and all the wonderful things it can do for us, it also has a tendency to not allow us to switch off. Thus we now see many more people taking classes in meditation and mindfulness in their search for peace and to find work-life balance.
It might be a reflection of my stage of life, but I’m absolutely certain that there has also been a big energetic shift that coincided with the lead up to 2012 and now beyond.
JOMO is also related to the new push for authenticity i.e. be yourself and do the things you want to do, when you want to, with whom you want to and not worry what the rest of the world thinks. It’s about living a fulfilled life – and that is different for every single one of us. It’s about enjoying what you’re doing in the here and now and not concerned with being on social media to broadcast it. Neither would you be tracking what everybody else is doing.
Who knows, even the Millenials might catch on and not focus on full-time, real-time connectivity and instant gratification?
And here’s the bonus - as more and more people self-develop and self-actualise there has been a recognition that “off-time” is actually a good business strategy as well!