Fear of Missing Out – FOMO
In the bustling city of Ananth, there lived a young girl named Anandi. Anandi was a bright, vibrant girl, always eager to learn and excel in everything she did. However, she was always curious about what everyone around her was doing. Anandi had the habit of comparing herself with others in academics and also scrolling through social media to find out stories of acquaintances and her friends. This would drain her by the end of the day. Though she had a lot of accomplishments and talent of her own, finding the achievements of her peer groups, a pang of envy and anxiety would wash over her. She felt she was missing the best moments life had to offer. The Fear of Missing Out(FOMO) was very overwhelming with fear and insecurity.
Anandi realized FOMO was making her restless. She could not focus on her studies, and could not sleep easily as she felt she was missing something . Anandi would wake up tired and that affected her performance in her studies, hobbies, and the activities she was involved in. She suddenly felt she did not have enough time.
One fine day, Anandi decided to disconnect herself from all the groups on social media. Anandi decided she would check her social media only at one particular time during the day. She decided to visit the town library, where she was surrounded by books of all kinds. The librarian noticed Anandi , being lost and apprehensive reached out to her.
Anandi being honest, narrated her struggle with FOMO and her visit to the library to overcome it. The librarian said that FOMO is a natural feeling. However, FOMO should not control our life. She then started to narrate a story of a girl Ahana. Ahana was an adventurous girl next door, who loved traveling. She would travel to different places, trekking mountains, visiting exotic lakes and cities and immediately posting her travelogue on social media. One day, she looked at the huge park and playground, where a bunch of children were playing merrily, just being themselves in their laughter and joy. Ahana ran inside the park to join the children merrily playing unaffected by the happenings in the world. Ahana cherished playing with them more fulfilling than traveling places.
The librarian paused and looked at Anandi. Seeing the puzzle on her face, the librarian continued “Each person has their journey of life, and comparing your life with your peers, and friends will only make you unhappy and restless. Cherish the people and surroundings around you with gratitude and keep doing things that bring joy and happiness inside you”.
Anandi thanked the librarian and realized life was not a race to accumulate experiences but a tapestry of moments, each adding its color and meaning.