FOMO and Imposter Syndrome belong to the same insecurity family. If not twins, they’re at least figurative siblings. Both are based on and fueled by a scarcity mindset — the fear that there is only so much to go around.

• FOMO, also known as Fear Of Missing Out, is the feeling that somewhere someone is having more fun, more success, greater relationship satisfaction — something BETTER than what you are experiencing at the moment.

Consider FOMO as a light on your psychological dashboard, inviting you to check in with yourself. You are being given an opportunity to examine your feelings.

• What’s causing it?
• Do you like where you are?
— if the answer to this is yes, dig deeper. Why the FOMO?
— if the answer to this is no, what are you doing to change your situation?

To change the focus from scarcity to abundance, I interpret the acronym to mean Future Opportunity Manifesting Option. Something in your psyche has recognized a possible outcome for you. Whether it’s about a job, a person, an event — FOMO is a sign that there is an unrealized dream nestled in your heart and head. Also, through the act of recognizing this opportunity, you also have within you the tools to reach this goal, should you elect to put forth the effort in pursuing it. You are never given a desire without the capacity to achieve it.

Imposter Syndrome usually represents the fear of being revealed as a fraud. Spoiler alert: true imposters never get imposter syndrome. Some things common to those who experience imposter syndrome:

• We’re usually more critical of ourselves than others are of us
• We base our assessment of our achievement on what others can’t see (our potential — we know when we’re performing under our own capacity/skill level)
• We’re comparing someone else’s “highlight reel” against our own blooper reel

What are some cures for both? Understand a few things:

• Perfection doesn’t exist. It just doesn’t.
• We have our own intrinsic worth solely because we exist.
• The process of growth is constant — we’re always a work in progress.

The process is the point. It’s paradoxically The Journey. Reaching micro-goals throughout our lives represent way stations on our road to evolving into our highest self. Acknowledgement of this is a success in an of itself.

Keep going. You’re doing a great job!

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