FOMO – Fear of Missing Out
According to my daughter, FOMO is a condition that has afflicted the freshman in her college dorm. They are so excited about their new school and the thrill of meeting new people, they don’t want to miss out on a single moment. They will stay up until all hours of the night for Fear of Missing Out. These students are having a blast, making new friends and creating a new life for themselves.
Do you remember when you had that exhilarating feeling – the fear of missing out on a new opportunity?
Fast forward. What is your FOMO today?
Is it missing out on a promotion or a great project? Is it missing an appointment if you’re caring for an elderly parent? Is it the fear of missing a kid’s sporting event? Or, the fear of not being good enough?
Is it the fear of missing out on the life you thought you were meant to live?
Bronnie Ware, a palliative nurse, listed the following top five regrets of the dying in her book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing
- I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself; not the life others expected of me.
- I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
- I wish I’d had the courage to express myself.
- I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
- I wish that I had let myself be happier.
There are three things you can do to move toward living a life that is true to yourself.
1. Start by identifying your strengths. What are your natural talents?
According to Gallup, people who know their strengths and put their strengths into action are more engaged in what they do. This is the first step toward understanding yourself better. This heightened self awareness will help you see new possibilities for a life that is true to yourself.
2. Identify how you will put one strength into action each day.
Martin Seligman, psychologist and author, writes in his book Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment
3. Share your Strengths with a friend.
You will see your strengths in action through your friends’ eyes and appreciate your impact on the world. And, you will be in touch with your friends!
My wish is that we all live a life that is true to ourselves. Gaining a greater understanding of ourselves by acknowledging our strengths and putting them into action is the groundwork. This will give you the courage to move down a path of living a life that is true to yourself.
