Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today, I'm going to talk about letting go of the fear of missing out otherwise known as FOMO. So as we go about life these days, most of us are exposed to lots and lots of images and ideas about what a perfect life should look like. You know, as we scroll through social media, watch TV, walk past billboards and flip through the pages of magazines and newspapers, we're shown pictures of perfect bodies, luxury items, fancy cars. And we're told stories of the perfect holiday, the most wonderful marriages, the most successful businesses and so on.

And on social media, everyone looks happy, right? Everyone looks like they're having so much fun. They're doing all these interesting things. And so it can feel like our life, our marriage, our achievements are a bit lackluster in comparison to all of that. And so I think we often have a fear that we're missing out on something better, that the grass is greener on the other side. It's that kind of mentality.

It's this fear that, you know, where we are and what we have is not enough that can keep us perpetually dissatisfied, driven, jealous, ashamed, or anxious. But there are a couple of ways that we can release ourselves from the grip of FOMO. First, we can simply remember that when we're looking at another person's life, whether we're meeting them at a party or seeing their social media feed or whatever, we're only seeing a snapshot of that person's life. It's never the full story, you know. I think we often create these really idealized images of how good other people have it.

But the reality is, is that every single one of us is experiencing at times pain, loss, insecurity, and heartache. No one's life is perfect and no one's life is always exciting and full of love and happiness and achievement. If you pull back the curtain on most people's lives, what you find is that it isn't what it seems on the surface. I think we know this deep inside, but I think we need to remind ourselves because knowing this enables us to let go of the mental fantasies of perfection that we often have, and just allows us to see reality more clearly. Second, let's start to clearly discern the difference between the mental stories that create FOMO in your life and all the suffering that comes with that and the stories that we tell ourselves that create contentment and gratitude and happiness.

All FOMO arises from telling ourselves a story about how the grass is probably greener on the other side and how we should be having more and better. So recognize this mindset when it arises and shift your perspective to being grateful for at least one thing you already have. Maybe it's a loving partner, a roof over your head, a fun plan coming up on the weekend, or a safe neighborhood to live in. Just give yourself the gift of focusing on the goodness that you already have. This will soften your wanting, your restlessness and your discontent and fill you with a sense of abundance and appreciation.

In reality, the grass is not greener on the other side. The grass is greener where you water it. And shifting your mind from what you lack to what you love will water the seeds of happiness, ease and fulfillment, both within and without. As always, thank you for your practice and your presence here with us. And now let's settle in for today's meditation.