“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
1 Corinthians 4:12
I was recently texting with a friend about how she’s really bummed about missing out on our church’s women’s retreat. They are closing on a house that week and will be moving in over the weekend, so it just wasn’t the best time for her to get away. She said she had major FOMO about it all.
FOMO, the fear of missing out, is a real thing. But so is JOMO. Have you heard of it?
I recently heard about it on two different podcasts and told my friend about it. It’s the joy of missing out.
It’s spring break here in Arizona, which means you’re likely scrolling your social media feed and seeing pictures of everyone on their spring vacations. It’s fun isn’t it? But it can also make us compare and feel a little jealous of all the fun things other people are doing that we’re not.
Instead of feeling FOMO, let’s turn it into JOMO! Let’s remember that there really is joy in missing out sometimes.
I can think of two times within the past year that I wasn’t invited to something and was totally bummed. Seeing the pictures on social media all weekend reminded me that I had not been invited.
But when I really thought about it, the schedule included activities that I wouldn’t enjoy and would feel uncomfortable either having to decline or reluctantly go along with. While it would have been nice to at least have been invited, the JOMO eventually outweighed my FOMO.
The next time we’re feeling envious of someone else’s fun vacation, home, new car, etc., we can remember that there’s joy for us in missing out on those things.
Perhaps you’re doing more of a staycation for spring break (aka staying at home) and you can find joy in not having to run around like a crazy woman preparing for all the things your family needs to do for an out-of-town trip. You can find joy in not spending a lot of money for a vacation. Maybe staying close to home is just what everyone in your family needs this spring break.
The next time you see that your friends went out and didn’t invite you or you couldn’t make it because of your schedule, focus on the joy you experienced doing whatever you were doing. When someone gets that thing you think you want, look around and be grateful and joyful about the things you have. We can choose joy in the here and now, friends.
I believe we can both celebrate what our friends are doing and enjoy what we’re doing (or not doing). Let’s replace our FOMO with JOMO!
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