Want to get rid of FOMO? Is it possible to stop feeling like you’re missing out on something? There's even a way to manage the fear of missing out! We can do anything today. We can travel anywhere. Study anywhere. Live anywhere. We can choose our lifestyle and even changing a job has never been easier. So how do you survive in this world of infinite possibilities without feeling like you’re constantly missing out?
What does the fear of missing out do to your brain?
This constant dissatisfaction with you current circumstances puts you under a lot of stress. What the fear of missing out does is make you constantly feel like what you’re doing is not good enough. You are scrolling through Facebook and you see your friends enjoying their vacations or birthday parties. And you start comparing the highlight of their year to your regular day. Of course, it makes you feel bad. While technology and social media do provide a lot of benefits, they also put a lot of pressure on our mental health.
Tinder and the fear of missing out
Let’s take Tinder for example. Tinder is actually a great app for stressing you out. You always have more choices. So that no matter on how many bad or good dates you go on, you can always return to the pink fire icon and swipe your heart away left and right. Because what if there is something better just around the corner? Major FOMO manipulation, don’t you think?
How to get rid of the ‘what-if’ mindset
By the way, another way of mentally torturing yourself is the – what if. What if I chose a different job? What if I chose a different partner? What if.. What if… What if…
If you ever catch yourself going over the events of the past with the what-if mentality, the psychology tip of the day would be to stop immediately. You can do this by saying to yourself – I made the choices I made in the past for a reason. At the end of the day, we all need to learn how to trust ourselves. And you did make the decisions you made in the past for a reason. Trust yourself.
How to beat the fear of missing out
And the best hack for beating FOMO for good? First of all, notice when your thoughts are spiralling out of control and your anxiety increases. When you begin to feel the fear of missing out, say to yourself: “I am exactly where I need to be in this very moment”. Take a deep breath and repeat it to yourself – I am exactly where I need to be in this very moment.
Life always seems to work out one way or another. There will be ups and downs. However, acceptance of your current situation is the first step towards giving your mind some much needed rest. You surely know the feeling of being tired mentally. Teaching yourself to accept where you are now – by saying to yourself “I am exactly where I need to be in this very moment” is like going to the spa for your mind. Say it to yourself as many times as it takes for you to believe it. Let it become a part of your life.
If there’s one thing you have control over, it is the control over your mind. You can choose your thoughts just like you choose the words you speak. You are exactly where you need to be right now. And that even includes you reading this article in this very moment.