The Internet has brought the world to the tip of our fingers nonetheless we cannot deny that social media exposure has made us feel inferior at some point in our life. All the advertisements saturating our brain that this is the sole thing we need in our life but the reality is it can never convince our gratifications. Desires are natural but letting them deplete your peace and make you feel discontent is something you should take care of.
FOMO ( fear of missing out) It is the emotional distress or reasoning that others are having a lot more fun, dwelling on expensive lifestyles, or attaining better things than you are. It pertains to an intense sense of enviousness and affects self-esteem. It is usually triggered by social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, and whatnot. We are left with dissatisfaction, mood swings, low self-esteem, anxiety.
It can be triggered by randomly watching an influencer go to an aesthetic location or unbox limited edition Nike shoes!!!!! All going in your subconscious mind. People start comparing and judging based on what others are having and what you are lacking in. Rather than pointing to what you lack, try noticing what you have. All these lines seem simple but it's not easy to just quit. Add more optimistic people to your feed; hide people who tend to brag too much or who are not supportive of you.
Every time you open Instagram or Facebook you are bombarded with exclusive launches, brand promotions, and people living a luxurious lifestyle. Increasing fast fashion and the desire to snatch the latest trends is just making us consume more than we need. We are compelled to buy these new launches. We glamorize these brands for their names and at times end up spending more than it is even worth.
Why do people even comply and follow up trends with that petty dance moves or any product just because it has gone viral?
Social media is for fun and can be used to benefit, educate and expand knowledge, business, contacts if used wisely.
Restricting feed that is disturbing you and watching pages and accounts that are relevant to you, motivates you, or cheers your mood up can be a great option for overcoming FOMO. Following some stand-up comedians is never a bad idea though.
We cannot control people and their actions but we can choose to prohibit our virtual life and focus on our real life. It's okay to reach out to your friends and just talk about it. Reflecting on all the times we thought we could not make it and then surviving it. Reminiscing all your little achievements and being grateful for them can release anxiety and fear of missing out on anything.
-Regards Aqsa.khatib
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