Life moves at warp speed these days. Miss a day at work, a chat with family, checking our Twitter account, the daily news, and we’ve likely missed at least one item of value to us. At its extreme, this phenomenon is called FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). I’m here to challenge us all to slow our roll, and enjoy the silence a bit.
Today, I want to talk about what living our lives at this warp speed does to us personally. In short, we know at all times that any time we want to “catch up” we merely need to check out our top social media resources or key contacts. And, so we often do. Again and then in a few minutes, again…
But what is the cost of doing this? For every action there is a converse reaction. In this case, we are missing the moments of free thinking and moments of pure silence in our mind. At this point, you may be asking so what?
Here’s the scoop! It’s often in these free-thinking moments that our creativity lies. This silence gives our minds time to wander into new areas, unexplored paths, and new journeys. It’s moments like this that the light bulb goes off in our mind with a new idea, where the seedlings of our ambitions lie, and where much needed rest for our overworked mind resides.
If we bombard these otherwise quite productive moments of silence with a highlight reel of the day, we are missing out on the moments that will actually have an impact on our own lives. I find this much more important than filling my mind with news that has impacted moreso the lives of others. Yet I am just as guilty of reaching for my phone on a commercial break, checking the headlines before bed, and reading Twitter while chatting with a friend. All habits I’m working on breaking.
The rewards of slowing our roll are definitely there. When I’ve managed to step away from my phone (sometimes this means putting it in another room), I’ve found myself pondering my career, my weekend plans, remembering to call a friend I haven’t in a while… All things that will get me further in my life. This has felt good, productive, and even mentally healthy for me.
By slowing my roll, I’ve truly experienced the moment I’m living in, I’ve had time to think about my own needs (self-care!) and the needs of my loved ones (relationship-building), and the reality is, I haven’t really missed anything “real” by not checking my phone for updates. After all, I can do that all in one big swoop at any time, at a later time, or even not at all. What matters more than the life updates of others is my own updates. And I will only have updates if I learn to slow my roll and experience my life. To give myself the time I need to think about what I want and spend my time focusing on that.
My personal challenge this coming month is to slow my roll every day of February in hopes of making this my new habit. I challenge you all to give it a shot too. If you’ve already done this, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Or, even if you are considering it, I’d love to hear what’s got you thinking about it.
As you do slow your roll, perhaps you will have time to do a little personal shopping. If you do, I’ve got an opportunity for you. Check this out!
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30 January 2020
Great post!!!! I work on being present daily, its the best place to be
Thank you Mika – I am right there with you!
I’ve definitely got FOMO, especially with so much going on in the world right now…I might try to “slow my roll” too, just to be able to be more present in my own life and to concentrate!
That sounds like a great idea Rhea – that’s what I’m going to focus on doing as well.
I’ve definitely got FOMO, so I might try to “slow my roll” as well…just to be more present in my own life and to concentrate. Thanks for sharing!
I’m with you Rhea – thanks for stopping by!
I think I need to do the opposite, and speed my roll up. I spend almost all my time distracting myself with meaningless stuff, that I don’t get anything done that’d actually benefit me. I’m more NFOMO (No Fear Of Missing Out)
You hear so much about FOMO that you never really think that there’s a whole group of people with “NFOMO.” Awareness is everything!
Such a great post. Slowing down is vital, it’s so important to just enjoy life’s journey.
That is so true – we need to learn to enjoy the ride more than just the final destination! Thanks for sharing Heather!
Much needed post. SLowing down has its own significance and need.
It sure does, doesn’t it? Glad you enjoyed the article Manahil!
Good read. I consider my own family to be one of the most “wired” family around where everyone is always on their computers, tablets, phones, etc doing something. Yes, I believe we all need to slow down on these stuff and start doing other things that can actually bond and nurture our human relationships with others in a more personal ways.
Great insights Dan – I completely agree. It can be easier said then done but it’s sooo worth it! 🙂
I love this post. It’s a reminder for me to stop and smell the roses every now and then. Life can get so busy and if we don’t slow down or take breaks, we miss all the things that make life wonderful.
So, so true Corinne! Thanks for sharing!
This article resonates with me because I do not know how to slow down and I’m usually juggling way too many things at once. I have trying to be more intentional about “slowing my roll” and this is a timely reminder.
I hear you Kimberlie – in today’s world, it’s very hard to slow your roll. So much is going on at such a fast past. Maybe using “slow my roll” as a mantra might help when you feel you are in one of those moments? I think I might try that.
This is interesting! We must identify the digital burden on our mind and try to communicate with self. We may find many answers to own problems. Thanks!
Very insightful – thank you for sharing Narasinh!
Great post! I’ve definitely slowed my roll as I’ve gotten older! I get up early and check all my social media feeds. Then I rarely go back to them the remainder of the day. I have notifications set so if my kids or a few personal friends post to FB, but other than that I only answer phone calls or direct messages now. It actually has brought down my stress levels immensely!! 🙂
That is awesome Sharon -it sounds like you have mastered slowing your roll! I hope to get to the same pace you are soon!
Slowing your roll is definitely important! I have been learning to overcome superhero complex lately. It can be hard, but in the end, it’s so beneficial.
It definitely can be hard but as you said, it’s so beneficial. Thanks for sharing Jen!