How to Overcome the Fear of Missing Out

Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody. ~ Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The unpredictable nature of change in our lives, makes it colorful and interesting. What's now, can never be in the next moment. But it can interestingly come back years later with a strange nostalgia. Between these every-changing moments are those experiences that sum up most of your life.

And if you haven't quite indulged in these acts of whimsy or succumbed to its thrill, then you truly have missed out on something special.

It is fear which prevents many from boarding that train of entertainment. However, when fear dissuades you to enjoy, it also comes back to haunt you and make you realize you've missed out on something important. Fear of missing out syndrome or FOMO, is a experienced by most of us in different circumstances.

It could be a new parent's fear on missing out on life he/she had before the baby, a newlyweds' fear of missing out their single life, a student's fear of missing out on friends due to studies or an employee's fear of missing out on family due to a huge workload. FOMO is a very situational fear.

Thus, managing the situation is the obvious solution to the problem. This story tells you how to overcome the fear of missing out in simple ways and regain the happiness lost somewhere.

We cannot give 100% at work, parties, family gatherings, and in our fitness routines. This is physically impossible. The more you think about doing everything to perfection, the bigger toll it takes on your mental health. Additionally, it takes you on a guilt trip and makes you wonder about things you are losing out on while focusing on just one thing.

To enjoy at least one of the activities wholeheartedly, you need understand what are your expectations from yourself. Note them down and prioritize them. For instance, maybe you cannot manage a late night party and an early morning gym.

So, figure out how it can be juggled or which one is more important. Once you know what you want for yourself, getting over FOMO will be half the battle won.

It is natural to feel sad if your friends could not make it for the movie night you planned or if your husband had to leave on a business trip on a weekend. But they sure have pressing reasons to do so. When such plans go awry, it feels like the moment's gone and time's wasted.

However, if you try to look at their perspectives, a lot will be clearer. It is not always necessary that expectations of both the parties match. As long as you and your friends or family understand your enthusiasm, communicate the difficulty and remain connected, every apparently lost moment will be revived.

Time plays a huge role in making plans materialize. For instance, the tug of war between time to meet friends vs. time to read a book is a reality. However, it also happens that, maybe you just end up being at a place because you cannot say no or you want to read a book because it's the latest bestseller and you don't want to miss out on the talk at office.

The real question here is, what do you really want to do? What is your real interest? Doing something just because it is a trend, is only doing it halfheartedly. Instead nail down your interests and pursue them, enjoy the moment spent on it to the fullest. If your heart is not in it, then you are truly wasting your time.

There are times when an invitation comes to your doorstep and you simply decline it. Sometimes, you don't have the time; at times, you don't have money. Or you don't like the company or you've put on too much of weight and you are worried they will judge you or some other fitting reason.

But then why does it sting to see your friends' photographs of their outing together all over social networking sites? Analyze your reasons once and reason them out. Most of them will sound like excuses. Instead of worrying about how others are having fun, it is time to dish out these excuses and give yourself a chance to have fun!

Worrying too much, over-thinking, analyzing every move, and losing time in looking for alternatives to have fun is only going to worsen your situation. Since you can be only in one place at a time, prioritize where you want to be and how important is the event to you. Instead of login on to social networking sites and brooding over what you have missed out, participate in those activities whenever you can.

Many dream of changing careers and seeking the missing job satisfaction and personal growth. However, the dream gets suffocated with reasons such as less salary, chances of moving out to a new city, inhibition of meeting new people and so on.

But repentance in future about a lost opportunity is meaningless. While most of us keep waiting for a perfect time to make a move, we forget that the right moment is now. It is the present that matters above what has happened in the past and what is likely to happen in the future.

Since our priorities change, spending time on multiple activities becomes impossible. In such cases, reminiscing about the old times makes us feel like we are missing out a lot of things that others around us are still doing. To overcome your fear, recognize which is the best opportunity for you and attempt to take it up with a challenge to have fun!