FOMO—the fear of missing out—is a feeling all too familiar for many of us. It is a feeling so overpowering and so toxic that it can often leave you feeling helpless. The irony of many of my own experiences with FOMO is that I often wanted to stay home, but the possibility that I made the wrong decision by staying home makes it difficult to even enjoy the peace and quiet I was desperately in search of in the first place.
It is no secret that Halloweekend means your Instagram timeline will be flooded with posts of seemingly everyone out having fun with their friends, posing in their Halloween costumes that you are convinced are so much better than your last minute one, and before you know it, you feel unnecessarily down with your life—a downward spiral of comparing yourself and your social life to people you barely even know.
This Halloweekend, I am begging you to let go of your FOMO. I definitely struggle with this, but it is a necessary step in allowing yourself to live your life free from comparison and free from the burden of worrying about what you “should” be doing. As an independent person, I love spending time alone—but I do sometimes succumb to the disease of FOMO and feel bad about my introverted tendencies.
Frankly, muting social media during times when you feel your FOMO will be easily triggered is a good step. If you are feeling like taking an even more permanent approach, unfollow certain social media accounts that make you feel bad—there is no shame in establishing a boundary that will make you feel better about yourself and your life.
You can call a friend and make plans to go out, or you can enjoy a cozy night by yourself—fully equipped with a warm blanket, Halloween candy, and that one movie you have been wanting to cross off your list.
Resisting the poison of FOMO is a journey that takes time, but it is one that allows us to have greater control over how we feel about our lives—and there is no better time to start than now.
Happy Halloween! Here’s to wishing you choose to spend the weekend in a way that makes you feel happy, confident, and fulfilled.