F.O.M.O. Culture

Have you ever heard of this idea behind FOMO? It’s an acronym that stands for “Fear of Missing Out”.

The first time I ever heard of this term was during a “Training Call” when I joined Network Marketing.

We were told to Spread FOMO. During our training calls, we were told to basically show off when we were ordering door dash, or any time we were spending money to quote “make other moms that can’t afford to eat out, feel bad and wish they could”. I know, it’s so horrible. I played along with these tactics, even though I just felt like it was wrong. I believe in helping people save money, helping moms repurpose household items and such things.

Here is the thing, what matters most to all of us is different. We truly shouldn’t be showing off, with the intent to make others feel like they are not enough or that they are not doing enough. We are all on a journey and where you are right now at this moment is exactly where you belong and where you are supposed to be.

Now, I should admit that I haven’t been crazy successful in my first year of network marketing, but I feel there must be another way to build a community that truly wants to help people live their best life, without making them feel like they are lazy, dumb, or not enough.

I mean, if we were going to cancel any type of culture, I feel like it should be this culture of flexing on the gram or any other social media platform, with the intention to prove that you’re doing good, and that business is great and that everything is wonderful when it truly isn’t.

Social media is a wonderful place, but it can very well be the very thing that has tainted this culture as we clearly are losing a sense of what matters.

I said I was going to share my truth, my experiences, and my takeaways from my trip to Vegas. For those that don’t already know, I recently went on a trip that was fully paid for by the company I decided to partner up with back in May 2020. The flight and the hotel room were covered by the company. All I had to take care of was transportation at Vegas and food.

Can I just say that this was my first time in Vegas. I’m thirty years old with four beautiful girls, and I was extremely nervous and excited all at the same time. It was an amazing trip and one that I will remember forever. I learned a hard lesson and I felt like my eyes were opened to what I already knew in my gut. 

Lesson one – What the heck was I doing going to Vegas alone!!

I didn’t know anyone there, and the people that I did know…well, let’s just say that if you’re not a part of their “crew”, you’re only wanted to create content for their social media.

Lesson two – Not everyone is considerate

On the second night, I stood for an hour in the lobby of the MGM Grand. I was waiting for someone who messaged me to hang out, but never showed. It was embarrassing.

Lesson three – It’s okay to just say “No, Thank you”

After I was basically stood up, the people I was going to meet up with, asked if I was still going to dinner with them. This is the part where I wasn’t feeling it, and should had just said “No, thank you”, but instead went against my gut feeling.

Lesson four – who cares what people think.

While at dinner, the same person who stood me up in the lobby also ditched me at dinner and left me as a third wheel, with a couple I had never met before. After eating my meal, I politely excused myself, not caring about what the couple was going to think of me. They were sweet, don’t get me wrong, but I didn’t want to be a third wheel and wanted them to enjoy their time together. I was relieved when I finally took myself out of that awkward situation.

Lesson five – Don’t let people bully you

When I was already back in Miami, I removed myself from several chats and un-followed people, that couldn’t care less about me and that truly are not out here trying to help others.

Here is the thing, while you’re out there in those events, you’re told to share it with the world and create FOMO. I don’t want that to be my purpose. I truly do want to connect and help other moms, just like me. I don’t want to put myself on the pedestal, thinking I’m better than others, and that if people are not doing exactly what I am doing, then they are less than?!

That is NOT what I stand for. I believe you are exactly where you need to be. You are being prepared, trained and when God shows up, you’ll know it’s him. He showed me I was on the wrong path. He showed me love through some other girls that where there from California. Complete strangers - but super humble, caring, and strong women. Is it just me or are Cali girls way nicer than Miami girls?! All jokes aside, God had his angels watching over me as I literally had no idea what I was doing.

I wanted to be with my family. I told myself, next company trip – it’s either my family goes, or I don’t go!!!

I share this story with you to remind you that the grass is NOT always greener on the other side, and to hopefully end this agenda of making people feel like they are missing out in life. I believe the intent should be to inspire and be the best you can be.

You are not missing out on anything.

You already have everything you need to fulfill your purpose in life.

Love you lots,

Alicia Eve Varela.