FOMO – Fear of missing out. This has always been an underlying struggle that I don’t really talk to anyone about. I grew up poor and in a broken home. We’d have to be creative at times if we wanted to eat. Needless to say, I felt I couldn’t relate to the kids my age. I always felt I was robbed of a happy childhood. I believe my experiences as a child was where it all began. Now, as an adult, I find myself getting scared that I am missing out on opportunities whether it’s related to career, experiences, or relationships. I don’t want to miss out on those special moments and it absolutely petrifies me. When these feelings creep in, I have to remind myself to look at it in a positive light. In fact, here are 8 rules to live by if you need to get through some difficult times.
Let it go: Stop hanging onto the bad thoughts and moments. It is ruining your life. Instead, choose to be free of that harmful thinking and embrace the good.
Ignore toxic people: You are not obligated to live your life by others’ standards. Ignore their comments and if you need to, cut them out of your life completely. You should do whatever is true to you.
Give it time: Nothing happens overnight. Change can take a while, so don’t get discouraged. Celebrate the small wins for a little boost.
Stop comparing: Everyone is at different phases in their lives and experience different difficulties. Don’t compare yourself to anyone except your past self. Look at how far you’ve come and what you’ll do next.
Don’t stress: Getting worked up over things that are out of your control doesn’t help the situation. Take a big breath and remind yourself that it’s okay.
Only you are responsible for your happiness: No one deals with your inner thoughts and emotions, which is why you can’t rely on others to provide you emotional stability. If you want to be happy, that is dependent on how you handle yourself and proceed through the day.
Be proactive: If you want something to happen, you need to pursue it. For example; if you feel disconnected from your friends, invite them to do an activity with you. Stop sitting around expecting it all to fall into place for you.
It’s okay: You don’t have to be a part of every little memory making moment. The truth is that you’re creating your own special moments right now and will continue to do so at your own pace.
You are not missing out on anything when you are mentally present. If you feel the desire to create new experiences, stop holding yourself back. Go for it knowing that there are so many great possibilities arising.