The other day, one of my girlfriends dropped a gem in our group chat: “Ugh, I have such big mofo.” She meant FOMO, obviously, but her brain, as it often does, had other plans. We lost it. This is classic her; quirky, a little chaotic, the queen of wrong words and rogue emojis. And we love her for it. These are the things that glue us together. The things you miss when you miss the trip.
Which brings me to the very real, very sneaky emotion that catches us all off guard: FOMO. Not the kind you get scrolling through strangers’ curated lives on Instagram. I mean the real one. The ache you feel when it’s your people laughing without you. That’s the one that stings.
The Real Meaning of FOMO
When I say I get FOMO, I’m not weeping over someone’s Euro summer. I can scroll past influencers in Santorini without blinking. Ok, maybe a small blink, I’m human. But when my girlfriends are together, and I’m not there? That’s when I feel it. That’s when the ache sets in.
It’s not about missing a destination. It’s about missing them. It’s knowing there’s a new inside joke I won’t understand, or a story I’ll only hear secondhand. Like our Great Proboscis Monkey Day, a tale so legendary it can’t be shared online, but if you ever come on a Girl Trip, I’ll fill you in. Over wine. With gestures.
The Beauty of Saying Yes
Life will always give you reasons to say no: work, family, logistics, guilt. But the payoff for saying yes? It’s unmatched. These trips aren’t luxuries. They’re little lifelines. You come back buoyed by laughter, connection, and stories you’ll cling to like a lifejacket; keeping you afloat until the next trip pulls you back in.
A 2016 study from the University of Oxford found that spending time with close friends increases endorphins, lowers stress, and improves pain tolerance. Other research shows that strong social bonds—especially among women—boost emotional health and resilience.
Read the study – and then go pack your bag. It’s basically self-care in disguise.
Choose Your FOMO Wisely
Wisdom at our age is recognizing that not all FOMO is created equal. Save that very real emotion for the people who make your life brighter. The ones who laugh with you, not at you. The ones who wouldn’t change your quirks for anything. The ones who keep your seat warm, but only for so long, because next time, you’re coming.
So here’s your permission slip. Book the trip. Block the calendar. Budget for it. Show up. Because the memories? Worth every penny. The inside jokes? Worth every kilometre.
And the FOMO? You don’t know her. Because you were there.
🚨 Don’t Want FOMO?
Book the trip. Block the calendar. Bring your mofo with you.
Claim your spot before it’s someone else’s inside joke
How true is this 🥰
Also FOMO you are either there in spirit or or in person but you’re never out of mind 💓
It’s hard for our girl gang to be all there at the same time but regardless who can make the trip, we all love seeing the aftermath! We are all happy to see the memories made with or without those but darn FOMO is real 😊