Motivating Monday: JOMO

 

JOMO [jo-mo] n. 1) An acronym for The Joy of Missing Out.
Guy #1: I had a great day, went on a hike and didn't check facebook.
Guy #2: Good day?
Guy #1: Yeah pure JOMO.

I came across this article in Parents Magazine and thought it was fitting to share. As a backlash against FOMO - aka Fear Of Missing Out - the term is a rebellion against saying yes to everything, and is about giving yourself the space to think and experience things without freaking out about what you 'should' be doing instead.

My hope with this post is that you will be intentional about embracing the here and now with things that make you happy. Don't get sucked into the devil'ish world of social media that makes you feel like you have to be busier than you are. You all know that feeling. Enjoy your week and try to embrace those JOMO moments.

The header read, "#JOMO is the new #FOMO because #YOLO.

The constant barrage of parenting humblebrags, pin-worthy pedicures and perfectly posed and filtered pics of well dressed, angelic children is causing us to miss out on what's right in front of us. So, bid adieu to that nasty FOMO and embrace JOMO. Let everyone else hustle to keep up with the Joneses while you enjoy the relief of doing your own thing, no matter how un-Instagrammable it may be. Start by:

Just say no -- When everyone's volunteering for a PTA committee but you choose to binge watch Orange is the New Black instead, JOMO! When your friends invite you to Happy Hour but you'd rather since along to the Frozen soundtrack with the kids (again), JOMO! Only say yes to plans that truly excite you. Who cares if you don't get tagged in that photo later?

Keep it real -- Find IRL (in real life) experiences that mimic sites you enjoy most. If you're always pinning craft ideas or recipes, take a cooking class or pick up art supplies and get creative with your kids. Crave connection? Join a mom's group for real life social meet-up.

See the bigger picture -- For each image of a child quietly reading a book, there are hundreds of un-photographed moments where his behavior is...less than ideal. The next time you're staring in awe (and envy) at a photo or status update, remind yourself that you can't compare your insides to someone's outsides. The best moments happen off camera anyway.

Miracle Tennis Shoe Cleaner: Fingernail Polish Remover

 

Why hello!!!!!! Gosh it's been a while. Again. Since June I believe. Whoopsy. Summer absolutely kicked my butt when it came to anything me. Instead I schlepped four kids under six to and from multiple states, tore down and assembled more pack' n' plays than most people do in their entire life, and attended to infant teething twins that refuse to eat anything but Legos and leaves. I can't promise I'm back consistently but I've been dying to tell you about this new cleaning tip so you got me today.

I might be late to the party and I don't doubt this fab secret is old news on Pinterest but if you don't know about it, you're going to love it, especially if your kids brand new school shoes already look like they ran through the mud fields. The dirty part I'm talking about is the white part of the rubber sole and toe. My kids have converse so there's a lot of white rubber exposed and it drives this perfectionist bananas when it's grimy looking.

 

The solution: FINGERNAIL POLISH REMOVER. Put a good amount on a cotton ball or round face pad and rub the white rubber with a decent amount of force. Don't worry the polish won't ruin the material or coloring of the shoes itself. The dirt on the white sole will disappear before your eyes and you'll have a pair of shoes that look brand spanking new.

*If shoes are super dirty, you may need to use a toothbrush to scrub with soap and water first.