There was a time—not that long ago—when the worst thing you could be was “out of the loop.”

You didn’t see the post.
You missed the event.
You didn’t know what everyone else was talking about.

That feeling had a name: FOMO. The fear of missing out.

And for a while, it ran the show.

We checked our phones constantly. Scrolled endlessly. Refreshed feeds like we were expecting breaking news from our neighbor’s backyard barbecue. Somewhere along the way, we convinced ourselves that if we weren’t seeing everything, we were somehow falling behind.

But something’s changing.

Quietly, steadily—and maybe a little bit stubbornly, like most good changes around here—we’re starting to see a shift.

FOMO is out.

JOMO—the joy of missing out—is moving in.

There’s been a growing conversation lately about how people are stepping away from social media—not just taking breaks, but walking away entirely.

Reports over the past year have shown that many Americans first tried to “detox” from social media, and now more are simply quitting it altogether. Not cutting back. Not setting limits.

Just…done.

And honestly, it doesn’t feel shocking.

It feels familiar.

Because we’ve been here before.

If you go back to the 1940s and 1950s, cigarettes were everywhere. They were advertised as healthy. Doctors endorsed them. Smoking wasn’t just accepted—it was encouraged.

Then, in the early 1960s, something shifted.

People started asking a simple question:
“Wait…are these actually bad for us?”

That question changed everything.

And right now, it feels like we’re at that exact same moment with social media.

For years, it was sold as connection. Community. A way to stay informed and engaged.

And in some ways, it delivered.

But now doctors and psychologists are starting to say what a lot of people have quietly been feeling:

This might not be good for us.


We’re not just talking about gut feelings anymore—there’s real research behind it.

Mental health professionals have been raising concerns about how excessive social media use can contribute to anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and a constant sense of comparison. When you’re always seeing the highlight reel of everyone else’s life, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling short—even if you’re doing just fine.

And there’s another layer to it.

Social media isn’t neutral. It’s designed to keep your attention. The longer you scroll, the more you see. The more you see, the longer you stay.

It’s not about connection as much as it is about engagement.

And once you start to see that, it’s hard to unsee it.


I’ll be honest—I used to be on Facebook all the time.

Morning, lunch, evening…if there was a free moment, I filled it with scrolling. It wasn’t even a decision. It was just habit.

Now?

Maybe five minutes a day. If that.

And I don’t miss it.

That’s the surprising part. You’d think stepping away would feel like losing something. Instead, it feels like getting something back—time, focus, maybe even a little peace and quiet.

That’s JOMO.

It’s not about being disconnected. It’s about being intentional.

It’s choosing what you pay attention to instead of letting something else choose for you.

And this shift isn’t just personal—it’s showing up in business, too.

We’re seeing it firsthand.

Engagement on social media? Down.
Organic reach? Hard to come by.
Interaction? Less than it used to be.

Meanwhile:

Response to radio? Up.
Response to local newspapers? Also up.

That’s not an accident.

People are gravitating back toward things that feel real. Things that are part of their actual community—not just something that shows up in a feed between ads and arguments.

Local media is different.

It’s accountable.
It’s familiar.
It’s invested in the same towns, schools, and people you see every day.

And maybe most importantly—it doesn’t demand your constant attention.

It respects it.

And I’d argue—it’s better for your mental health, too.


JOMO doesn’t mean you stop caring about what’s happening.

It just means you stop feeling like you have to see everything.

You miss a post? You’ll be fine.
You skip an online argument? Probably better off.
You don’t know what someone had for dinner? Somehow, life keeps moving.

Instead, you gain something else.

You notice what’s right in front of you.

A conversation that isn’t interrupted.
A quiet moment that doesn’t need to be shared.
A sense that maybe—you’re not missing out at all.

You’re just living your life.


So here’s a simple idea.

Try a little JOMO this week.

Put the phone down for a bit. Skip the scroll. Don’t worry about what you might be missing.

Instead, turn on the radio. Pick up the paper. Stop into a place where people are actually talking to each other.

See how it feels.

Because chances are, you’re not missing as much as you think.

And what you gain might be a whole lot better.


Before you put this paper down—or before you pick your phone back up—here’s something I’d love to hear:

How does all of this feel to you?

Are you finding yourself spending less time on social media?
Do you feel better when you step away?
Or are you still trying to figure out what that balance looks like?

We talk a lot in these pages—and on the radio—about community. And this is part of that conversation.

So reach out. Send us a message. Write us a note. Call into the station.

Tell us if you’re feeling a little more JOMO than FOMO these days.

Because chances are, if you’re noticing it…you’re not the only one.

In a world that spent years telling us to stay plugged in, maybe the real shift is this:

We’re finally learning when to unplug.

And around here, that feels like something worth tuning into.

Have a story?