Embracing The Joys Of Missing Out
I don't desire speed. I need to have control over my time in this season of life.
I spent the whole of last week struggling to detach from my phone. I desperately wanted to escape my dependency on it but couldn't because my entire life is basically stored in a device.
I found myself checking my phone at least 50 times a day. Every update missed and every text ignored gave me immense anxiety. One fine day, I decided to put my phone away in a drawer. It took me ten minutes to re-open that drawer, only to realise how badly I was tied by the rope of FOMO: The Fear of Missing Out.
An interesting thing about this rope of FOMO is that it slowly directs you towards exhaustion. You say yes to a million things you wanna say no to. You say no to a million things you wanna say yes to. You constantly seek information that does not impact you directly. Information about the places everyone else is visiting, the parties everyone else is attending, the list is endless. For me, FOMO showed up in the little things in my day-to-day. I was choosing to check my phone every second over looking at what was in front of me.
It is normal to feel trapped in this cycle every now and then. But this cycle is easier to break than you think. All you need is a simple shift in perspective. All you need to do is to replace the fear of missing out with the joys of missing out.
Instead of running, slow down. Instead of scrolling, look around. Say yes only when you want to say yes. You don’t have to change yourself to fit in. Perhaps there is a part of you that craves joy and inner peace more than it craves external validation. Find that part and hold it tight.
I embraced the joy of missing out by saying no to every situation I knew would trigger urgency inside me and decided to do something I wanted to do: step outside for a walk every day. Sometimes, the beauty of simple things is enough to overpower the need for constant busyness if you intend to focus on the little things in front of you.
This joy of missing out is the key to gaining tremendous wisdom and self-awareness. The sooner you realise that, the easier your life will be…
THIS WEEK’s RECOMMENDATIONS
Feeling Lost & Confused is Normal, Actually by
.Breaking Up (A Little) With My iPhone by
.Mom. by
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If you enjoy reading Unwind, I would love it if you consider recommending the publication to your readers. Simply go to your dashboard > Recommendations > Manage > Add recommendation > Unwind.
Choosing peace over pressure and presence over performance takes courage. It’s inspiring to see how simple moments, like a quiet walk, can bring us back to ourselves. Beautifully written, Mansi.
Ah, Mansi. I saw myself in the drawer, in restless scrolling, in longing for stillness. Your words remind me that missing out is sometimes the most beautiful way back to what matters :)