The fear of missing out.

It’s never been easier to let people know what you’re up to (and never easier to make things up, too – see Zilla Van Den Born’s story).  Every possible kind of thing shared, but not everything is real.  Some aim to impress by laving out all the bad stuff, while others get caught in the endless possibility of failing to see the good stuff.

John Ortberg suggests we be careful in a fear of missing out world:

“Never compare your behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlights reel.”

It seems we have, built-in, a need not to miss out.  History tells us we can meet this need in harmful ways or good.

And there’s a difference between missing out on someone else’s life because your not doing what they are and missing out on your own life.  The best and good way is to identify what you want to do with your life for the sake of others – the words in italics transform the first part.  You’re providing yourself with a narrative arc to keep you on track and come back to when you stray:

Am I doing what I MUST do?  Then I will never miss out.

Are you doing what YOU MUST DO?  Neither will you.