Ever since I graduated from university and started working full-time three years ago, I naturally leaned towards a life of stability and safety. Although I’ve always been an extrovert in nature, going out and staying up late at parties or over-planning my weeks wasn’t something I felt like doing anymore.
I learned how to appreciate moments of nothingness—or more precisely the idea of not having to make the most out of everything everyday. And during difficult times like these, I think we should all embrace the case for doing nothing, unapologetically.
And that’s because by constantly wanting to do more, work more, buy more, post more, in fact just live more, most of us end up feeling overwhelmed and unhappy.
It is accepted that because of “YOLO”, the idea of “making the most of out everything” is our base level. But what is everything and who defines it? Whether it’s commercials or Instagram stories, we are constantly encouraged to do as others do. We are given the illusion of fulfilment and freedom, meanwhile we end up forgetting ourselves.
JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out) is a popular buzzword and movement of people who challenge FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) by deciding to ditch plans and focus on a more genuine and soulful form of self-care. And it turns out that staying home is far from selfish. By refusing the orgy of consumption and productivity; you’re not only doing yourself a favour, but you’re also saving the planet.
During this uncertain and anxious time of pandemic and self-isolation, the question many are helplessly asking themselves is, “how can I fix this?”
Although it’s great to see people feeling so enthusiastic about doing things like starting a podcast, making art, learning a new language, starting a workout challenge, and use social media in ways that are healthy and supportive—it’s also important to remind ourselves we don’t have to make the most out of a pandemic. In fact, we shouldn’t. If we really want to fix our society’s greed and build communities that are conscious of our planet’s ecological limits, it’s time we learn how to do less; not more.
