Do you constantly feel the need to be a part of the holiday and always compare yourself to others and what they get up to on holidays? Then you could just have FOMO, this may be a problem we can help you fix.
By: Boitumelo Mmakou
The holidays are around the corner and you have no plans and worry what others are planning. This makes you anxious about not being part of the holiday fun days. Joburg-based vocational and professional programme head at the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP), Samantha Pretorius, explains.
WHAT FOMO
Samantha believes that the constant feeling of missing out goes back to your days on the playground in primary school. She explains, “This, coupled with the fact that in the modern age there is so much exposure to what others are doing (social activities, getting married, having children and so forth) may make you feel left out, and therefore missing out on something.”
SORTING IT
Sure, you suffer from FOMO; you hate it and no matter what, you seem to find yourself wanting in on everything that is happening especially during the holidays. Samantha says using social media in moderation may be useful. “Depending on the severity of it, you may want to disengage from certain social media platforms, or limit use as this may limit exposure to activities in which you have not been included.”
DEALING WITH IT
Life coach Chemory Gunko says there are steps you can take to recover and ways in to avoid feeling like you are missing out:
- Be honest about what you want and what truly makes you happy.
- Be realistic – do not buy a car just so that everyone can like you. Do it for the right reasons. Never strain yourself for the sake of being liked or feeling like you belong.
- Get comfortable: Often people who don’t want to miss out on the fun others are having are not satisfied with what they have. Be thankful for what you have and embrace it.
