Nowhere is FOMO highest than in youth, when acceptance by one's peers is at an all-time high. Couple that with the fact that it seems permissible (and is encouraged) to explore things – the good, the bad, the ugly – all in the name of ‘finding yourself'. The pervasive thinking tends to be along the lines of “God-forbid you miss out on anything and end up as a crazy-acting adult because you didn't act crazy as a teenager!!!” (Such is the mindset that seems widespread and acceptable when you're young with your whole life set before you). Truth be told, most of that ‘crazy living' ends up being regretted later on. It's only ‘fun' for the moment (at best).
So how do you deal with the very real fear of missing out?
Well, I believe FOMO can be dealt with if a few things are realized…
One, it helps to get a grip on what one's ultimate goal in living is. After a little reflection, I decided that, for me, my ultimate goal in living – what I'm striving towards – is to make sure I reach my fullest potential; that I become ALL that I was created to be. Having this at the back of my mind, I view things as either helping me be my best OR taking me AWAY from being my best! So anything and everything, for me, falls into one of these two categories.
To take a practical example : Drugs. It looks like ‘fun'. After all, looking at people getting high may seem like you're missing out at the moment (key phrase : at the moment). However, the effects long-term seem to rob an individual of their maximum potential. To get back on track, one will need to get off drugs – probably through enrolling in a detox program or some kind of personal help. Getting back on track to pursue one's full potential, although possible, would cost that individual time (at the very least). It's easier, simpler, and faster *not* to go down the path of drugs in the first place.
In this light, nothing is truly neutral. Even if something seems relatively ‘innocuous', the time spent on that could have been spent doing something more productive – something that actually helps me get closer to my goal.
Bringing this home, it is good to explore but without guidelines, you could end up exploring in dangerous territory where the consequences are far-reaching!
So let's talk about engaging in premarital sex. Sex is treated (by some) as a ‘rite-of-passage', as something that should be done (a lot) when you're young. When it comes to sex, the consequences of engaging in premarital sex are very real and far-reaching, although it may not seem that way with the free use of the term ‘casual sex'. Truth be told, there really is no such thing as ‘casual sex'. As I say repeatedly of ‘casual sex' : your attitude may be casual, but the effects and consequences of sex are anything but casual! God has good reasons for telling us not to engage in pre-marital sex.
So how does that fit in with our goal of reaching our full potential? Here's the thing : Nothing that helps us reach our fullest potential is found doing what God says NOT to do. On the contrary, sin (doing what God says NOT to do), takes us away from reaching our fullest and highest potential. We can trust that it is God's desire that each of us reach our fullest potential, for “Christ came that you might have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Trusting God's desire that He wants us to be our very best, we can rest assured that there is nothing we're missing out on where sin is concerned – at least nothing that is enduring and fulfilling.
When we realize this, we realize that we need to replace the (misguided) Fear of Missing Out (#FOMO) with the VERY REAL concern of Not Reaching our fullest and highest potential. It's a tragedy indeed not to live up to one's highest potential, for after all, we have only ONE life to live!
So, try your hands at a new hobby or interest; travel and get to see new places; learn to cultivate genuine friendships and avoid the negative ones, and so on. Take good opportunities as they present themselves. Have no regrets! (And banish crazy living both as a teenager and as an adult!). Your desire to reach your fullest potential should drive you forward. It is in fact our responsibility to ensure that nothing stops us from this end result, and trust me, there's A LOT in this world to try and get us off course. It's important that even as we explore life, we stay within the boundaries that God has set. God is about helping us become all that He designed us to become. We can trust His guidelines.
So, here's to life…
Get rid of the Fear Of Missing Out! …
Here's to reaching our fullest and highest potential! 🍾🍾🍾
Thanks!
You are welcome! 🙂