The phrase FOMO, or fear of missing out, has been bandied around for a while. It is very much a sign of the social media times: we see people ostensibly having a blast on Facebook and feel we must somehow be inadequate. Personally, I was rather relieved to hear recently that a new version has been coined: JOMO, the joy of missing out! Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t about being all bah humbug. Some quick research showed the opposite – JOMO is all about appreciating what you have. It’s about being wrapped up in the moment, enjoying reality so much that you really aren’t too fussed about social media and what may, or may not, be going on there.

When I worked with addicts, we often talked about gratitude. Deep in the mire of addiction, people may not experience a grateful heart. But as healing kicked in, we saw clients sowing seeds of appreciation, thankful for their survival through difficult times and valuing those who had supported them. There was a deep joy in experiencing life after addiction.

I suspect that, in St Albans, we may experience rather too much FOMO. Could we make it a festive challenge to turn our attention to JOMO instead? Might we focus on those around us, rather than those online? Perhaps delete some emails offering us multiple special offers and bargains, valuing what we already have instead. As the saying goes, it is not happy people who are grateful, but grateful people who are happy.