The other day I asked my wife what an old friend was up to. She replied, “ I am not sure.” Then she proceeded to tell me how our friend moved in with her new boyfriend and they adopted a puppy.
Wait.. a second, I thought you said you didn’t know? “I don’t, I stalk her on Instagram. And by the way she got a new car as well.”
Fear of missing out.
Has this emotion hit you yet? Have you thought about taking a much-needed break from social media? Does your hand gravitate towards the app and website?
We all yearn to stay up-to-date. Even if we have no desire to keep up with the Joneses! For me, social media dictated my emotional intelligence and robbed my time clock. Can you relate?
To begin with, we must understand what FOMO ( Fear of missing out ) is.
It is a real experience that has become common in our society. It can affect anyone. The outcome has left many folks with severe stress disorders.
The sense of envy one generates from watching others can have a profound effect on your self-esteem.
For me, it hurt to see my competition thriving on social media! I couldn’t help but think…why my company was not booking the same venues or events? I compared myself to my competition for years. Causing more stress, less creativity, and a downgrade in my business. To compare ourselves to what others are doing is completely unfair.
“Everyone gets one life. Yours is almost used up, and instead of treating yourself with respect, you have entrusted your own happiness to the souls of others.”
This quote sums it up. And deep inside we all know the truth. Our life is not comparable to friends, co-workers, and family members. The same folks that we would refuse to go on a road trip with. Are now highjacking our emotional intelligence and joy riding our feelings.
Your sense of normal is not someone else’s highlight real! Your sense of normal resides in your beautiful soul. You need to safeguard it.
So how do we brush away FOMO? Trust me, I am writing this blog post as an outlet for myself as well.
Our main goal is to avoid being unhappy and to sidetrack unhealthy behaviors. Like endless scrolling marathons.
Coupled with positive notions we can start controlling our destination again.
Here is how we can do it.
Step 1.
Grab a journal and write this down.
What makes you feel good?
And then follow it up with this…..
Who makes you feel good?
After you’re done writing. Review what you wrote down. Do your answers have anything to do with what you see on social media on a daily basis? If yes continue your path. If they don’t make you feel good then follow this next step.
What can I do each day to slim down my social media time and separate myself from FOMO?
For me, it’s drawing and journaling.
If you want to overcome this bad habit then place your journal on top of your laptop. Force yourself to write before you log on.
If you want to take your game to the next level… remove your social media apps off your phone.
I know what your thinking….you need it for your business, or you have to update your gig schedule. I said the same thing. Once a week schedule a time to log on to your computer and update your social media.
Step 2.
If you are unable to make it through step one. Then implement an easier strategy.
From here on out get rid of all the show and tell folks on your social media feed.
It’s simple… unfollow them.
ADD These People
Folks & Friends who…..
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Encourage you to get better
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Make you laugh
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Support your causes
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Teach you new tricks
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Show you how to create
And my final and last step.
Step 3.
When you feel overwhelmed and FOMO is stirring inside, pick up the phone and call a good friend.
Catch up with someone you haven’t talked with or seen in a while.
If talking on the phone is not your thing then meet up with someone at the park. Get outside and take a walk.
Our goal is to step away from FOMO. We don’t want our online profiles to control our happiness. Whether you like it or not the internet is dictating our personalities. We have a life to live that will not be directed by algorithms or highlight reels.
I am here to help. Call or comment if you have any questions. Let’s navigate our creations together.
