The Joy of Missing Out
If you've been around the crypto world you've undoubtedly heard the term FOMO, which is the acronym for Fear Of Missing Out. Where you jump on the bandwagon and buy into something that is moving up rapidly in price. You want to get in on the profits and buy some NOW to take advantage of the situation. Probably a lot of that went on recently when HIVE skyrocketed to almost $1 in the past few days.
I'm talking about the opposite of that. We are all in a drastic lifestyle change right now with the sheltering in place orders. MISSING OUT on many of our essentials - such as a job and a paycheck! - but also on a myriad of smaller joys taken for granted until now. From dinner out with friends to being able to run to the grocery store for that missing recipe ingredient to watching your favorite NBA team get hammered once again.
But what about taking some JOY in some of the things we are MISSING OUT on? I can think of a few things that might not be missed, that you can actually enjoy. And in these times, our best option is look for positives wherever we can find them.
Remember the rat race of the alarm going off, getting the kids out of bed, everyone rushing for showers and breakfast. Then a mad dash to make it to the school bus. Mornings are much less stressful.
Remember when a family meal was an amazing once-in-a-blue-moon miracle between the kids' sports and activities with everyone running in a different direction. When mealtime was a drive-thru burger or slice of pizza between games. Cooking a homemade meal and everyone sitting down to enjoy it - not a frequent occurrence.
Even cooking has changed. I find myself looking at new recipes and trying new things. Not necessarily by choice. Every time now when I order groceries online for pickup not only is the pickup date getting moved farther and farther out, but there is always at least 5 items that are "no longer in stock" and have been deleted from my order. So improvisation is now a daily exercise. I've substituted things in recipes that I never would have thought of and came up with some amazing new flavors. And I have learned to love the versatility of black beans! Have you tried black bean brownies? They are delicious and much healthier than the traditional version.
And there's that book you've been meaning to get back to. The one you started last year but could never seem to find the time to finish. Perhaps you can find that time now, if you can find a quiet corner not filled with all these people that are around the house.
When you own a home there are always chores to be done. Chores that had to be squeezed in on weekends and were burdens on your time. This spring we've got so much accomplished and have actually ENJOYED being outside working together and taking our time. No sense of "we have to get this done RIGHT NOW because it's our only free time" makes a job much more stress-free. We got the entire house power-washed, along with the concrete driveway and all the landscaping bricks. Everything looks so much brighter and we achieved a real sense of accomplishment and pride. It took us three weeks because we only worked when we wanted to instead of in a marathon where we had to get it all done within time constraints.
So yes, these are tough times, but I believe it does help to look for the little upsides that can be found and be appreciative of them. There is much that beyond your control, but your own attitude is not one of them.
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Chasing through life, yes an ideal opportunity for many to slow down, take a breath and do something completely different.
Using a variety of methods to explore, rather than stagnate, just try something different it is refreshing, life confined to your home definitely is what each individual makes of it.
Use it wisely, thanks for interesting outlook Tammy.
That's what they mean by possibility. We can and should adapt, develop, also...know when to take a rest. And in general, exploring the possibilities to develop more by wasting less energy, is what we usually don't have time for :P
Yes, I can definitely appreciate the lack of rushing around in our current lives... There are definite upsides to all of this... If only we can fix the downsides, we should be set!
It's always better to look at the bright side of things and carry on, rather than sulking around all the time.
yes, these days are tough times but we can still does things that will benificial to us. You're right about doing things that you forgot to do. Today is perfect and don't wait for another day to make a meaningful time.
Well put,
The sense of joy I felt this time last month on Monday morning when Google calendar pinged me a reminder that I had work starting in 5 minutes, but I was still in bed at 8.55.
Happy days indeed.
I think a lot of people are going to be asking themselves 'why did I use to do that?' during these not so tough (for me personally) times.
Good morning, friend @blueeyes8960
What is happening to us worldwide is giving us a great message. We must change our customs, leave the waste, abandon individuality, and do things that were previously unthinkable.
Welcome everyone to Spiritual Progress!
Yes, there are upsides to the changes brought on recently. Since I’m retired the shutdown didn’t affect me a much as someone getting up each morning and rushing around to work but I can see how it can give a new perspective to your daily life. I do miss having a social life with the pandemic threatening our lives.
Yo soy muy positiva y me siento bien con todos estos cambios, lamentablemente tienen que suceder y debemos estar tranquilos, porque sino nos enfermammos
So. I have FOMO now a days too. Mostly I fear missing my afternoon nap!
In all honesty, life is going pretty darn easily if I just let it. The next horrible crisis at my house is flour. I haven't been able to buy any for the last 3 or 4 weeks and I'm down to about two more loaves worth. It's only been a week, but I think I need to venture out today....
Thanks for the wonderful perspective. I really appreciate it!
Hello @ blueeyes8960,
A great post! Given the current restrictions, we must face each day with optimism. It is true, we have lost part of the routine, but it has also forced us to reinvent ourselves in other aspects and to do things for which we did not have time available and that caused us a lot of stress.
You nailed it @blueeyes8960! We are enjoying this time. I watch many of my neighbors who feel they are missing out on "something exciting" but we are cherishing this time. Love the time together just doing nothing sometimes. It's the first time in years I have allowed myself 🙂 Lovely article! Great wisdom for all of us. Be well!
The joy of missing out is very much something I can relate to. Don't get me wrong, not managed your level of being constructive at all, in fact rather just managed to prove those around me who suggested 'I shouldn't give up my day job' and 'couldn't keep house for anything' very much right. I can't even figure out how to work the vacuum cleaner properly lol. But i am really enjoying not having to do anything, mainly not having to go anywhere, or speak to people. I don't live alone, but this is the closet thing i've had to some time to myself since I was a little kid! In that sense, I am loving it!
I've been really enjoying being able to do proper cooking, and then nights where we have something more ready meal end up feeling like a proper movie-on-feet-up-bottle-open night off.
I have not tried black bean brownies but damn! I want to now! And my uncle has recently found out he is celiac so these will be the perfect little treat! Black beans aren't so easy to come by at the moment, but as soon as they are back in the supermarkets, I hope i remember to give this a go. Did you use the recommended amount of sugar? I always tend to put slightly less in, especially at the moment or when cooking for my uncle who is also diabetic, but that looks like a very finely balanced recipe.
Yes! I have a stack of books i have been saving for years for the next mythical holiday which never came, but have been steadily making my way through it now, and loving it. I am reading, watching, enjoying so much stuff. I even feel like i want to write again, i'm still not there, and have a lot of stuff I need to do on here before i can post anything else, maybe at the end of all this, i will be marginally better at talking to people :)
This is such a great post, a wonderful reminder of the balance, for all the FOMO, there is just as much JOMO. For me, one of the biggest JOMO's might be not having to wear a bra hahaha
Thanks for your lovely comment - and HAHA - the bra thing is a definite plus!!
I love this, @blueeyes8960. I don't miss the pollution. The skies are cleaner.
I was also thinking about that mad rush to get kids to school and then sports and a harried hot dog or slice of pizza at the end of the day - which I do and don't miss. But we finished all that last year so it's a whole new era anyway. Two of the three kids are home at least for now and we have dinner every night and it's exquisite. Fortunately, I do love to cook and have plenty on hand. The stores seem to be fairly well stocked and I make a run once a week. Overall, life is pretty calm and wonderful. Thanks for #JOMO!!
I love this! There are so many things I find joy in! My time seems more precious and funny enough, I have more time for social media and spending so much less time on here. I enjoy the freedom of not being able to go about business as usual, making more time to stalk the homestead here.
Finding more creative ways to cook, learning to do things little at a time, spreading the efforts over days... It has been refreshing to watch as people give thanks for the small niceties, realizing that tomorrow is not a given.
In many ways, this has been a restart.
Great post!
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Thank you for this beautiful reading with such a positive message with which I agree and identify, the fact of giving value to the seemingly small thing that makes our life more beautiful in reality. For me, this quarantine has been about reflection, meeting myself and decisions for the future. Grateful with these beautiful lines. A hug from Venezuela, @blueeyes8960
For sure! We want to look at all the good things! I am really hoping that we get back to a more local food supply, support the small farmers, value time with family, cook home more, and see that we can do without all the extra stuff out there.
This may be tough times but we should always look at the blessings that we have no matter how small they are. Its really nice to be optimistic and contented with what you have. Btw, that brownie looks delicious!
Thanks for sharing this with us
Covid-19 changed the world as we knew it!!
@blueeyes8960,
So much of life is about perspective. Glass half full or glass half empty.
One can't be thankful and depressed at the same time. The choice is more frequently ours than we typically acknowledge.
Quill
💕💕💕
Good one! Thanks for sharing your positive vibes and I'm glad you are enjoying having more time and less stress (in some areas!)
Like everything in life, nothing is complete. The advantages of these times are not lived in normal circumstances and vice versa. But, it is always good to look at the glass as half full and not half empty.
Greetings and a hug, @blueeyes8960! Good post!
I just noticed that I was not following you, unsure why :)
What a fabulous viewpoint for the lockdown! BRAVO for coming up with such a positive, uplifting spin on attitude! You should add #thoughtfuldailypost as your 10th tag! 💜 @wesphilbin should see this!
Great positivity during these times. JOMO sounds good and I could also feel it here and there. Waking up a bit late not rushing for work at home.
Having no guests in the B&B is financially really bad... But... It does mean for the first time in 12 years I can walk around the house in my underwear!
Why wear underwear! LOL, be totally free!
Hi @blueeyes8960. Yes, the old rat race. I knew it well. But in my case, once I retired, I didn't miss it complain. Now with the health crisis situation as it is, people who normally wouldn't have enough time because of outside of the home duties such as work, kids activities, errands, they have more than enough time on their hands to complete any tasks they need to.
But as you say, oddly enough, they clamor for the return to the rat race when there wasn't enough time to do the things needed to be done at home. Was the "not having enough time" an excuse NOT to do them? I think so.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.