Anyone who knows me, can attest to the fact that I am more than a little nostalgic at times. (Okay okay, a LOT) It probably has something to do with the amount of time I take documenting my life - through this blog, endless photos, Facebook albums, Vlogs of my time spent overseas, Instagram and carefully selected soundtracks & playlists.
I love looking back on all the amazing places I have been and memories. However, sometimes this only gives me more ammo to really miss things, because I so carefully wrote it down and captured it, sometimes the intended keeping of memories works in reverse. It almost hurts my heart to remember things so accurately and vividly. Some say this makes me the writer I am (or a long-winded story-teller as my best friends will tell you) but I say this just plain pisses me off sometimes, as it can distract me from living in the moment, which is what life is all about.
Yep, I have a classic case of FOMO. (Elaborated – Fear Of Missing Out). I always have. I can’t choose just one path in life, I try to do it all. (Which probably explains why I’m so poor & exhausted most of the time). Although, I wouldn’t have it any other way. No amount of “stuff” is ever going to replace the vivid memories that I have accumulated – of what I have done – what I have seen – it overwhelms me sometimes just to think about it. A simple smell can send me back right to that place and time.
Take right now for instance, watching the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. All those phenomenal snowboarders and stunning mountains only make me miss my life in Canada. And the ease of living on a mountain and being able to snowboard whenever I want. Instead of just appreciating the events unfolding in front of me I instantly experience waves of nostalgia.
I’ll hear a song, and like anyone, it will transport me right back to that place & time from when I first heard it.
Now currently residing in Sydney I have #FOMO about everything here AND what I am missing out on back home! Of course, I want to be where my nearest and dearest are, but at the same time I am impatient to visit every bar, every hidden restaurant, every beach cove and every hipster-clothed corner of this awesome and alive city. Even though I live here now and there is plenty of time to see everything, I can’t seem to shake the irrational, impatient feeling of wanting to see it all NOW!
So my new plan of action, or belated NYE resolution if you will, is to not think back so much that it hurts. And try to not have FOMO like a MOFO, to instead focus on the now, get excited about the future, stop taking photos and start jumping in them instead!
It’s cliche but I’m gonna try to 'live in the moment' it doesn’t all need to be documented…
just the really good bits.