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JOMO - The Joy of Missing Out
From being presented by the New York Times as a summer trend, the idea has encouraged people worldwide to live their lives more autonomously. The JOMO philosophy, by omitting certain things, signals a path to greater relaxation. With the Joy of Missing Out, we celebrate what truly matters to us. The beauty of it: figuring out what that is, is easily done. We just need to allow it.
A day comprises 24 hours. If we grant ourselves the recommended eight hours of sleep, that leaves us with 16 hours. On average, we spend eight of those hours working. So, eight hours remain for ourselves. Theoretically. One thing is abundantly clear: we miss out on quite a lot in life. The question is: what? As more and more people find themselves consumed by the fear of missing out (FOMO), a counter-trend has emerged: the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO). What is it all about? And why is it worth taking a closer look at this globally widespread phenomenon?
A Relaxing Strategy Against Stress
Stress is ubiquitous in our time. Besides stress imposed by tight schedules, traffic jams, overcrowded trains, or constant pressure for success, there's another cause: us. We've become accustomed to constantly chasing after something. We're always on the lookout for the trendiest events, the latest series, the most creative gifts, the coolest looks, the most mind-blowing videos, the latest news, or the best deals. As much as possible. Right now. The constant availability on the internet means we never truly rest. There's so much to miss out on. The best deal always seems to be where we aren't. The result of all this stress: we've forgotten how to take breaks, to pause briefly. This obscures our view of an important realization. Do we even want this? Or perhaps, do we yearn for something entirely different?
Insight can only emerge when we give it time to mature. As long as we rush from one action to the next, it simply gets left behind. By consciously foregoing certain things in our lives, we step out of the hamster wheel of external and internal expectations, allowing ourselves a brief respite to simply do nothing. Thoughts naturally arise, revealing how we truly feel when we take some time for them. These thoughts revolve around crucial questions like: Am I happy? Which people bring positivity into my life? Where do I want to invest my energy in the near future? By listening to ourselves more deeply, we often already know the answers. Some may be uncomfortable, but they also present opportunities for change.
Differentiating the Important from the Unimportant
What's important to us can only be answered by ourselves. It's helpful to create an internal list of things we absolutely don't want to miss out on (or that constantly get neglected). Meaningful conversations over small talk, strolling through the woods over following new fitness trends, road trips in a camper van over hotel suites, or pursuing a photography degree instead of a career in banking: When we listen to ourselves, we learn to understand ourselves better. The joy of missing out on the unimportant things gives the essential aspects of life more room, opening up new perspectives. On one hand, we no longer feel constantly driven and take control, and on the other, we can fully engage in something. Because this desire comes from within us... not because someone else recommended it.
A Content Self, a Content Society
The feeling of navigating through life more autonomously makes us more relaxed and happier. Those who no longer fear missing out on every second live more independently. We act rather than merely react. Instead of indulging in an endless all-you-can-eat buffet, we consciously select our own menu and can savor the finer things more thoroughly. Thus, the notion of JOMO helps each of us. More importantly, it also advances us as a society. Reduced stress benefits health, and this new togetherness focuses on quality over quantity. In this light, doing nothing can achieve a lot. Much more than blind activism. So, the next time someone asks, "What's next?" a good response might be: "Nothing."
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