Mentality Monday: Joshua and Niki on FOMO

FOMO (n)

• : fear of missing out : fear of not being included in something (such as an interesting or enjoyable activity) that others are experiencing

On the second episode of The Recess Bell’s Mentality Monday, NikiMarie and I tackled the concept of FOMO -- an phrase/acronym you've probably heard before. FOMO is a feeling that can have significant impact on one's mental health; ESPECIALLY in the social media era of today.

As I noted on this week's episode: despite the great "popularity" of FOMO in today's digital age, it's a relatively new mental health term, as it was first coined by marketing strategist Dr. Dan Herman in 1996. Herman wrote his first dissertation on FOMO in 2001, spreading major awareness about the phenomenon.

Dr. Dan Herman, founder and CEO of the FOMO Authority Institute.

Niki and I took this conversation in a range of directions. We looked internally to figure out if either of us deals with FOMO, with differing results. We discussed the related terms and acronyms under the FOMO umbrella, like FOBO, MOMO, ROMO, JOMO, etc. We also went back & forth on how heavy social media usage can lead to people playing the 'comparison game' with their mutuals' lives & theirs, leading to FOMO and subsequent feelings of depression and low self-worth.

Additionally, Ayesha Curry, celebrity wife of basketball superstar Stephen Curry, went viral (again) for her recent comments on the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast, as she described how her current life as the supportive wife and doting, stay-at-home mother doesn't align at all with what she envisioned for herself as a teenager/young adult, among other topics.

While Ayesha is currently getting "dragged" on social media for her comments, Niki and I attempted to approach the topic with a bit more nuance. Is what Ayesha's expressing a form of FOMO? And, overall: what can be done to combat FOMO once you realize that you grapple with it?

Listen to what we came up with below! Enjoy the episode, and if you enjoy Mentality Mondays or The Recess Bell's content as a whole, please don't hesitate to like, follow, share and subscribe!