"You're enjoying what you're doing in the here and now and not on social media broadcasting or seeing what everybody else is doing." - Director of trend-forecasting Ann Mack
I read this article on huffingtonpost and I am so surprised that it was written in 2014, when it is still so relevant today. So many people still feel FOMO or Fear Of Missing Out. I observed that people feel FOMO more acutely here in Asia, as compared to when I was in Europe where the pace of life is slower than a 24/7 Metropolis like Metro Manila.
This is one reason I decided not to continue with lifestyle blogging here, where celebrity bloggers dictate the newest food and lifestyle trends. I'm not into trends. I like to keep things simple and live life according to my personal needs. As someone who is bipolar and suffers from anxiety, simplifying and decluttering life has helped me have a life that is more meaningful while reducing unnecessary sources of stress, which I feel is a feat in a stress-prone city like Metro Manila. More on this in future posts.
It echoes the movement begun by Arianna Huffington regarding the Third Metric - a movement to redefine success based on wellbeing and mindfulness - as well as a push to help your own creativity by giving yourself space to think.
It's one of the reasons I stopped posting food photos, just for the sake of posting them on social media. Instead, I'd rather enjoy the food and the company of whomever I am eating with. When I have time after, I might post it - or not. I don't want to be part of a movement that makes people feel like they are less or that they are "missing out", because they aren't traveling to a certain place, or they haven't tried a certain restaurant or trend.
At the heart of my Decluttering journey is MINDFULNESS. When we declutter our space and lifestyle, we make space for mindful and joyful living. Simple yet better.
We can only do this with JOMO or the Joy of Missing Out.
"To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives we settle for, we need a Third Metric, a third measure of success that goes beyond the two metrics of money and power, and consists of four pillars: well- being, wisdom, wonder, and giving." - Arianna Huffington
I'm thinking of getting her book Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder* on Kindle, because this Third Metric resonates with me. Have you read her book? I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
*May contain affiliate links, but all opinions and thoughts are my own.