Here Comes the JOMO!

Want to live a slower life? Learn a life hack from introverts on how to embrace JOMO. You will see the Joy of Missing Out is the best.

What is JOMO?

The word JOMO means the Joy of Missing Out, and it’s from 2012. It also means the joy experienced when not attending events to which you have been invited.

It’s the antidote to FOMO, the Fear of Missing Out.

I get it. While we are full of energy, we want to be everywhere all the time. Good opportunities seem endless, and great conversations are on every corner. It might be true, but in my experience, it is more like wishful thinking. If you’ve ever felt like it’s a shame you can’t be in two places at once. Or you should've gone to the other event instead. Or you should multitask (please, don’t!) and check this, check that.

Well, you need some rest — have a little bit of JOMO in your busy life.

It’s Your Time, Stop Wasting It

Give yourself a break, and save some precious brain energy. Make your time your priority instead of wasting it on worrying about what other people are doing or thinking. You don’t have to say yes to every invite. Saying no to protect your boundaries is cool.

Saying no to things you don’t want to do is part of self-love. Respect your time and feelings. If you are someone who likes to be helpful and always tries to solve problems, then it’s time to say “no” for a change. If you want to help someone, but you think it will have a negative impact on yourself… say “no” again.

You can’t help everyone!

Whenever you have a bad day, treat yourself to a relaxing evening. Do things you like. If it’s not an option, just sit with your feelings. Listen to yourself and pay attention. You probably celebrate the good news, why not celebrate the bad ones? Bad news comes with a lesson, but it’s not as obvious as good news. If you feel that you are competing with someone, then give yourself time to think through why you are feeling this way. Ask yourself if that is helpful for you or not. You will get it!

Have more tech-free time. Make it harder to get access to social media on your phone. First, you will hate it, but you will be surprised how much time you spend mindlessly scrolling other people’s opinions. What about you? What do you think? What do you like? How are you feeling? Spend time with yourself.

Embrace The Quiet

Slow down in many ways. Slowing down can increase your creativity. Take your time to think before you speak. Take a deep breath. Don’t rush to places. Enjoy the journey. Observe and listen. You can spend your time sitting with your thoughts while waiting in line, trapped in traffic, waiting for your turn, and so much more.

Baby steps

Here is an example of how I practiced JOMO recently. But I must say, it was a baby step, and you can go even bigger.

So, I got an invite for an office Christmas Party. I was helping with the decor, the event, and a little bit of everything. Thus, I felt responsible for attending. It was brilliant. People filled the room with joy, and everything went smoothly. At some point, we started playing a game called Package Play.

Here are the rules: you get a dice, and you can run for a present if you roll six. If there are no more presents, you can steal one from someone. The presents were on a table in the middle of the room.

Everyone went crazy. It was hilarious.

People were running, stealing, hiding, rolling the dice, screaming, laughing. The room was full of emotions and excitement.

It looked like a painting by Bosh. If you have never seen a Bosh painting before, check this link out and maybe take a day off because a lot is going on in his works.

Back to the topic.

When I got the dice, I did what I had to. Miss out big time and practice some JOMO. The joy of missing out was sweet. I enjoyed my peaceful time and the show that people put on. I won on the Energy Play.

Now I’m very proud of myself. I was able to recognize my limits and protect my energy.

Are you practicing JOMO?

Let me know in the comments.

Thank you for reading!

The Witty Witch