JOMO – The Joy Of Missing Out!
I’m sure you have heard of ‘FOMO’ or the ‘fear of missing out.’ Well, let me introduce you to its counterpart: JOMO, or the joy of missing out! No, it’s not something I invented. Both these trendy acronyms were added to the Oxford Dictionary several years ago.
According to the Oxford Lexico Dictionary, FOMO is the “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media.”
We all experience some level of FOMO in our modern lives, due to our constant exposure to online news, streaming services, and social media platforms. Most people are constantly glued to their phones and tablets these days. We feel compelled to have it all at our fingertips, lest we miss something exciting.
But this really does not bring us much joy in the long run. Instead, it is addictive, exhausting, and can lead to increased anxiety, poor self-esteem and even depression. We are missing out on moments that we never can get back.
JOMO however flips FOMO on its head! The Oxford Lexico Dictionary describes it as “pleasure derived from living in a quiet or independent way without feeling anxious that one is missing out on exciting or interesting events that may be happening elsewhere.” JOMO is all about taking time out from all the digital distractions, busyness, and noise around us.
Spontaneous JOMO happens when our cell phone signal is caught in a dead zone with no service, or the internet or cable goes down, and we decide to go for a walk to look at the stars. At first, we might feel awkwardly uncomfortable or even panicked, but then we start to focus on what and who is in front of us, or the environment around us. And suddenly, there is a new sense of peace. Our senses become more heightened. The world is a much calmer, more beautiful place.
Now Is The Time For Health, Wellness And Vitality!
One of the overall themes this year in Astrology and Numerology is the emerging energy for making sustainable, life-enhancing changes in our self-care. The year 2022 is all about nurturing ourselves, each other, and the planet.
Last month, we entered the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Tiger. Earlier this week, we also embarked on a new annual cycle around the zodiac when the Sun entered Aries on March 13th in Vedic Astrology, and March 20th in Western Astrology. The energy and passion of both the Tiger and the Ram is just the fuel we need to inspire us to step with some personal responsibility and take the necessary action.
We will be making important lifestyle choices regarding health and wellness this year. Cleaning up our diet and nutrition and improving our physical fitness will be key aspects to creating a foundation of vitality for body, mind, spirit, and the planet. What better place to begin is with our diet and food choices, as well as our daily activity levels?
Before we begin anything, we must always first look at our why. Anything we want to do, or change comes down to our ‘why.’ What is our motivation or goal?
Is it about losing the quarantine weight, or gaining weight, or even fitting into the summer beachwear you bought in late 2019, but never got to wear? Or maybe it is simply to feel healthier and to move more freely, or to ease allergies, inflammation, gut discomfort, headaches, brain fog, and so on. examples for our family, or other reasons.
For me it is all about feeling good and listening with greater attention to my intuition as to what foods are right for my body at this time in my life. My aim is mainly to achieve optimal health to continue enjoying the things I love, with the people I love.
Numerology Forecast For The 2022 Universal 6 Year
Looking ahead at the metaphysical energy influences we can expect in 2022 one sees a definite positive shift compared to 2021. Although aspects of the pandemic will linger on, spirit says this will be a much brighter year. This hope is further confirmed by both Numerology and Astrology.
The year 2021 was a 5 Universal Year in Numerology, which represents energies of instability, volatility, change, and the unexpected. For this reason, it was a dramatic, somewhat erratic year that seemed to fly by!
The new year 2022 is a 6 Universal Year in Numerology, which represents a very different energy. The energy of a 6 Year is centering, calming and grounding after the unstable, volatile energy of the preceding 5 Year.
Pertinent features of a 6 Year pertains is an increased focus on stability, security, domestic matters, and the sanctuary of home. A 6 Year is also about accepting personal responsibility and a renewed focus on family, social life and relationships.
In 2021 many of us reexamined our jobs, careers, businesses and personal relationships. This was one of the blessings that came from of all the chaos. In 2022, I see energy available to us for making lifestyle choices that will be more fulfilling and in alignment with what we are truly passionate about. But it will be up to us to pursue the opportunities presented to us by the changes presented by the past year.
The number 6 is also The Lovers Card in Tarot which not only speaks of love and romance, but also choices, especially in what calls to our hearts.
Of course, the calculation of the 6 Year is the result of adding up the numbers 2+0+2+2. The repeating numbers 2 represent the powerful energies of intuition, love, marriage, partnership, patience, choices, commitments and contracts of all types, especially when you pair it with the 6 Universal Year.
Looking Back To Move Forward
My favorite quote for this liminal time, at the end of the year and before the beginning of the new year is by self-help author Melody Beattie , who wrote, “The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.” It reminds me that we always have the power to write new chapters and weave new threads into our life tapestry. We truly are the masters of our own destiny.
As a Numerologist I’ve looked at the energy of the vibrations of 2021, a number 5 World Year. It’s been quite the ride as we all know! The energy of the 5 is fast moving, sometimes chaotic, adventurous, dramatic, risky. It is literally ‘mind-blowing’ in many ways as the number 5 is considered to be the ‘mind’ energy in Numerology.
We indeed had to think, and rethink things very deeply over this past year. There have been many starts, stops, pauses, and pattern interrupt, false alarms, recoveries, and amazing breakthroughs.
This year we’ve had to come up not only with a Plan A and B, but also a C, D and even an E. And we had to rekindle our courage and faith. Many of us learned the true meaning of the Serenity Prayer – some for the first time in their life.
God to grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
As we look back on this year, there are many illuminating questions we may ask. Where did our own serenity come from? What things did we have the courage to change, and what things were not ours to change? Did we embrace the spiritual wisdom of release and acceptance? What spiritual insight and personal growth did we gain from this challenging year?
Sleep Restores Body, Mind And Spirit
There is a saying ‘our issues are in our tissues,’ meaning our stress, fears and worries show up in our bodies. Keeping our body, mind, and spirit back in harmony and balance is essential for all of us. It ensures inner peace and well-being.
The restorative power of sleep and dreams has been a specific pursuit of mine in recent months. It has been my mission to reach that sweet spot for my body’s wake-sleep-dream rhythm and I have been discovering more of the magic that sleep and dreams can offer.
I find when I have good sleep, I remember my dreams more often. This not only helps with daily problem-solving, since my mind is at rest and not resistant, but I also receive valuable guidance and spiritual reassurance on matters I am worried about. Sleep and dreaming also help us process our emotions from our experiences of stress and trauma during our waking hours.
The dream state is also a time when we are free to explore and find new inspiration. We are in a world of our own making that belongs to only us. And the possibilities are truly endless; even time travel, prophetic dreams, loved ones coming to visit.
In the Harry Potter book The Prisoner of Azkaban, Dumbledore tells Snape not to wake Harry: “Let him sleep. For in dreams, we enter a world that is entirely our own. Let him swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud.”
I’m a bit of a technology nerd, so that makes sleeping and dreaming even more of adventure. There are many cool technologies available these days to improve our sleep time. There are watches and other devices to create a record of not only time slept, but even quality of sleep, heart rate and other interesting facts. There are also amazing phone apps streaming sleep meditations and white noise.
I keep a journal to write down my dreams before I rise, and I also to jot down before I fall asleep those questions and life challenges I need answers for. It has further been my experience that you can even reach out in your dreams to loved ones who have passed for advice or guidance, especially if they had a passion for something you need help with.
Turn Your Setbacks Into Inspirational Comebacks
A friend recently mentioned she was applying for a new position as a trainer in her company. She was so excited. She had applied for the same job two years ago, but with the events of the Covid-19 pandemic things didn’t work out. He mother was meanwhile diagnosed with cancer and passed away early this year.
The same position was advertised recently, and she applied again. She says she felt it was the right time for her. She has two more years of life experience now and it was also a blessing that she didn’t get the job before, as she probably would have been unable to spend much time with her mom before passing. Everything happens for a reason.
I also watched the Tokyo Olympics recently. The media reported amazing stories of athletes from all around the world who had to overcome many obstacles and setbacks in order to qualify, compete and, in some cases, win medals.
These stories reminded me that we all have ‘comebacks’ in us. The resilience of the human spirit is truly remarkable. Comebacks are so inspirational! To see someone with goals and aspirations fail or suffer disappointment, and then get a second chance to ultimately succeed, is testament to our capacity for inner strength, bravery and courage.
Much good often comes from adversity and setbacks. Life’s obstacles are often a blessing in disguise, or a doorway to greater heights, even if we don’t usually see or feel it at the time. Similar to healing from loss or grief, it takes the time it needs to reveal its true meaning or lesson. Sometimes it is simply not the right time.
Know that there is usually a greater good to every setback. Something better may be coming your way, or somehow you are being protected, shielded or re-directed for your highest good. It may not make sense at this time, but eventually it will.
A New Challenge To Break The Spell
I have been feeling a gentle pull to spend less time on social media and to be more present and engaged in real life, with people and activities I love. Not only has this shift been giving me a greater sense of time and space, but also less ‘noise’ and inner peace. When we are overly engaged in social media platforms, we tend to develop a skewed sense of reality. It also becomes a time thief. Things are not really as good as they look in other people’s lives, neither are they as bad in the world as it may appear online.
We all like to put our best foot forward in life, but on social media it is often pushed to the extreme, tempting the rest of us into futile comparisons, ‘fear of missing out,’ anxiety and poor self-esteem.
Most of all, we are wasting many precious hours of our lives every day in an alternative reality consisting of fake news and filtered photos. The truth is that less is more when it comes to social media. Social media obsession can become like an evil spell or self-inflicted curse. It is a hex that can keep us trapped in a negative mindset and lead us down a destructive mental health path.
According to AddictionCenter.com “social media addiction is a behavioral addiction that is characterized as being overly concerned about social media, driven by an uncontrollable urge to log on to or use social media, and devoting so much time and effort to social media that it impairs other important life areas.”
If you find it extremely difficult to control your daily social media use and think you may be addicted, then please contact a dedicated treatment provider for addiction in your area or a join a support group. If you are simply feeling the need to break away from being overly engaged with social media, then I recommend setting a new goal or challenge for yourself that shifts your daily focus to something else. Continue reading
