Episode 82: The Joy of Missing Out | Reclaiming Presence in a World Designed to Distract You with Elizabeth Ross Holstrom

Written By Kathryn Sandoe

Episode Snapshot:

What happens after we become aware that modern systems are intentionally designed to keep us scrolling, consuming, reacting, and constantly engaged?

Following last week’s conversation (E81 with Dr. Mitika Kanabar) about why these systems are so psychologically sticky, this episode with Elizabeth Ross explores the lived human impact of living in an “always-on” world — and how we begin reclaiming our peace, presence, and humanity within it.

Summary:

In a culture optimized for speed, stimulation, and nonstop engagement, many people feel exhausted, fragmented, overwhelmed, and disconnected from themselves. Yet we often blame ourselves for it — believing we simply lack discipline, balance, or better habits.

Elizabeth Ross invites us to see things differently. Building on the previous episode — which explored the neuroscience and addictive nature of modern attention systems — this conversation focuses on what those systems are actually doing to our daily lives, relationships, nervous systems, and sense of self.

Elizabeth reframes distraction and burnout not as personal failures, but as predictable outcomes of technological and cultural systems designed to keep us constantly engaged. Together, we explore how hustle culture, productivity obsession, constant notifications, and the pressure to always be available slowly pull us away from presence, creativity, rest, and genuine human connection.

But this episode is not anti-technology or fear-based. Instead, it is a hopeful and deeply practical conversation about how we begin coming back to ourselves.

Elizabeth shares powerful insights around nervous system regulation, sensory awareness, intentional pauses, and her “To Me / By Me / Through Me” framework for navigating stress and emotional energy. We also explore the shift from FOMO (fear of missing out) to JOMO (joy of missing out), the growing desire for analogue experiences, and why reconnecting with nature may be one of the simplest ways to reconnect with ourselves.

Ultimately, this conversation reminds us that reclaiming our attention is not just about reducing screen time — it’s about reclaiming our ability to fully experience our lives.

Key Learnings:

  • Burnout and distraction are often systemic issues, not personal failures 

  • Our brains require stillness, boredom, and space to process and create 

  • Presence is a practice that begins with intentional pauses throughout the day 

  • Sensory awareness helps reconnect us to ourselves and the present moment 

  • The “To Me / By Me / Through Me” framework offers a healthier way to navigate stress and emotional energy 

  • FOMO can shift into JOMO when we intentionally reconnect to what truly matters 

  • Nature remains one of the most powerful tools for nervous system regulation and human connection 

Resources:

Guest Info:

Elizabeth Ross is a speaker and master facilitator focused on systems awareness and business evolution in alignment with nature. Her work sits at the intersection of sensory intelligence, energy awareness, and conscious leadership — helping individuals and organizations move out of distraction and burnout and into more regenerative ways of being and working.

With over two decades of mindfulness and leadership experience — and her own stress-induced health collapse as a turning point — Elizabeth speaks from lived experience, not just theory. She creates powerful experiences that reconnect people to their bodies, their senses, and the clarity that emerges when we pause.

She’s also a co-founder of DisruptHR Portland, Conscious Capitalism Portland, and Mindful Employer.

Kathryn Sandoe https://www.katiesandoe.com
Next

Episode 81: The Addictions We Don’t Talk About | Reclaiming Agency in a World Designed to Keep Us Hooked with Dr. Mitika Kanabar