JOMO: The joy of missing a night out (and not regretting it)

What if true happiness was in not being there? We'll explain why JOMO is the new form of freedom.

Let's start with the basics: JOMO stands for "Joy Of Missing Out", which can be translated as "the joy of missing something". FOMO, on the other hand, is the "Fear Of Missing Out", which means "the fear of missing something". The concept of JOMO was theorised in 2012 by an American entrepreneur. Having become a father, he started to decline some invitations and realised he didn't feel frustrated, but relieved. Being more selective about going out even brought him an unexpected feeling of joy.

Have you ever been anxious about not going to that party? Stressed about missing everything, the juicy anecdote or the moment people will still talk about in ten years? Have you ever had a knot in your stomach, while travelling, imagining missing THE must-see thing? Have you ever shivered reading your friend's post describing the perfectly blissful evening at the new trendy restaurant while your Saturday night is all about Pizza and Netflix? If so, you seem to lean towards FOMO. But rest assured, it can be sorted. JOMO is here for that.

The invitation is simple: stop playing the "what if" game, scrutinising others' lives through the biased lens of what they share, living with announced regrets. Focus on the present moment and maybe relish the fact of missing out on something. Don't fall into the trap of an invitation in the form of yet another notification, think only of what you (really!) want and make it your ideal plan. Given the number of views (counted in tens of millions) of the hashtag JOMO on social media, it seems you are actually among thousands who prefer a chill programme on Saturday night. No need to be everywhere, with everyone, knowing everything, JOMO advocates the importance of being yourself above all.

So tonight, forget FOMO (and your phone). You'll see: missing out on something has never felt so good. Especially with a pizza and your current series!

(MH with Céline Massart - Photo: © FreePik)