Embracing JOMO: The Aspects of Life You’re Glad to Miss Out On

As you read the title, you’re probably wondering what JOMO stands for. JOMO stands for Joy of Missing Out, but it’s an acronym that not too many people are familiar with. The more common acronym would be FOMO, Fear of Missing Out, and it’s a feeling that people dread.

There’s so much happening in the world and people want to be part of it all. The key factor in FOMO is regret. Having an opportunity to experience something and not capitalizing on the opportunity is a major reason why we experience regret, according to zenhabits.com. It’s all about the choices we make.

“I could’ve done that better”

“I should’ve gone with that option instead”

Those are thought you have that are associated with regret, in reference to FOMO. But every now and then, you’ll have a moment of clarity where you’re able to see things perfectly clear and find joy in missing out on certain opportunities or saying no to certain situations… This is when you experience JOMO. And in certain situations… it’s pure bliss.

Remember that guy you had a crush on in high school but never told him… Seeing him today makes you glad you never told him how you felt, right! It’s little things like that where it’s easier to see the joy in missing out on certain things in life.

The thing to understand about JOMO is that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a permanent thing… JOMO can be something that’s temporary too. Nonetheless, there are certain things in life that you can breathe easy in knowing you missed out on. Granted, your JOMO may be different from the next person’s so there’s no need to get into a heated discussion about what’s the best opportunities and what’s not… JOMO is solely dependent on the person and what’s important to them.

Take a look at some common areas of life that lots of people find joy in missing out on.

Aspects of Life People are Glad to Miss Out On

Social Media

According to statista.com, there were 3.5 billion social media users in April of last year, and that number has steadily been on the rise since. But oddly enough, there are people in the world who don’t have social media pages and don’t regret it one bit.

The reasons are endless as to why people don’t have social media but it is definitely by choice. Some people feel that social media is a big contributor to negative self-image while others feel that social media is a big conspiracy theory to draw your attention away from what’s really going on in the world.

It is a bit odd to meet someone and ask for their social media profile and they respond saying they don’t have one… Nonetheless, not having one is their choice, and ultimately, those individuals are glad they don’t have one… To each it’s own…

Homeownership

Making the decision to become a homeowner is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make in your life, and it’s also one of the most important purchasing decisions you’ll ever make too. But, for some people, it’s a responsibility they don’t want to take on.

Everyone has different goals in life and your idea of what’s important may not hold that same weight for someone else. Homeownership comes with lots of responsibilities. It’s much easier to put in a work order with maintenance than to buy a new AC unit.

On the upside, there are luxuries of homeownership that renters get to experience too. For example, the use of solar energy. There once was a point in time when solar energy could only be used by homeowners who had solar panels installed on their roof. Today, homeowners and renters alike can share solar energy by way of community solar developments like solar farms and gardens.

The point is that homeownership isn’t at the top of lots of people’s priorities lists and they have no regrets behind it either. The good news is that homeownership is something that doesn’t have an expiration date. If someone suddenly decides they want to buy a home, they can easily take the necessary steps to do so.

Technology and JOMO

Some people are most happy with the simple things in life, and the thought of technology exhausts them. It’s not necessarily that they don’t want to adapt to the changing times but certain technologies are just “too much” for them.

For example, everyone needs a phone being that it’s a primary source of communication but the latest iPhone isn’t something at the top of their list of needs… A basic smartphone or older model phone does them just fine.

There are even technologies for the home that are a little overwhelming for even some of the most advanced minds. Certain smart home devices are definitely aspects of technology that aren’t appealing to lots of people and those people can definitely find the JOMO with a lot of those advancements.

Why do you need a robot to vacuum your floor for you? Why can’t you do it yourself? Have we become that lazy as a human species? Maybe so but some people are just fine sticking to the trusted and reliable broom and dustpan as well as pushing their own vacuum.