Do you have that “FOMO” feeling? That is, the fear of missing out.
I’ll never forget, my first roommate at Smith College, Courtney, refused to miss out. One night, we had both already gotten in our beds and turned out the lights when a commotion stirred up in the hallway. There was laughter and what sounded like music and dancing. Without missing a beat, Courtney sprang from her bed and ran out into the hallway to join in the revelry. I hung back – after all, I was already in bed. Courtney on the other hand had a great time! I think several of the women on our floor hung out for an hour or more, joking around, telling stories, enjoying one another’s company. At the time I was annoyed by the noise; in retrospect, I became annoyed at my own hesitation to participate. I had missed out.
My best friend from childhood, Michele, also refused to miss out. When we were teens, if I had plans with another friend and Michele called to see what I was doing for the day, when I told her that I was getting together with Karen or Beth or whomever, she boldly asked if she could come along. I always thought that was courageous and audacious (in a great way) and wonderful. Truly, the more the merrier!
My point here: Don’t miss out! If you commit to engaging, commit to participating, commit to jumping in, your fears will simply fall away… Sure, sometimes you may need a little down time, but you’ll have little to no FOMO because you will be in the thick of things, in the fray, a part of the action.
Happy Networking!