⚠️Error 404: Unfound FOMO

I used to think I was immune to FOMO.

Like, truly — who cares what everyone else is doing?

I was the calm cucumber of my group.

People got married? Cute.

Someone bought a house? Congrats — hope your mortgage treats you well.

Pregnancy announcements? Adorable — until my feed turned into a maternity marathon.

And then one day… it hit me.

Not like a lightning bolt — more like a slow Wi-Fi signal finally connecting.

Turns out, I did have FOMO — just the quiet, late-blooming kind.

The kind that whispers, "Shouldn't you be doing something… adult-ish too?”

🌀 The Unfound Becomes Found

FOMO doesn’t knock — it sneaks in.

You scroll through engagement posts at 11 p.m. with a bag of chips, convincing yourself you’re just happy for them. But deep down, a tiny voice asks, “So… what’s your big life update?”

And suddenly, you’re checking LinkedIn like it’s Instagram.

Because apparently, people aren’t just buying houses and having babies — they’re also becoming Senior Somethings and Forbes 30 Under 30s.

Meanwhile, I’m just proud I remembered my Wi-Fi password.

So yes, maybe my unfound FOMO is now found —but I’m also finding myself in the process.

Finding what I want.

Maybe not immediately, but sooner or later.

At some point.

#01: The Timeline Trap

There’s this invisible life plan everyone seems to follow:

Graduate by 21 (with a “good” degree, of course).

If not, get an MBA.

Start working by 23.

Get married by 25.

Start planning kids by 27.

Apparently, that’s the ideal route.

And here I am — at xyz age — not rushing to tick boxes, personally or professionally.

I just graduated.

Some batchmates bagged record-breaking packages.

I, on the other hand, landed something… basic.

Didn’t bother me — until my neighbor uncle dropped by to “discuss” my life and somehow mentioned his son’s salary.

Not to flex, of course — just casually comparing.

That’s when it hit me — a FOMO I didn’t have, now existed.

I had been content with my own path, proud even.

But suddenly, I wished I’d done “better,” without even knowing what better meant — just because someone else had it.

#02: The Wedding Marathon

Life moved on.

New job. New headaches. Decent pace. Decent peace.

Then came wedding season — friends, cousins, colleagues — everyone around my age seemed to be finding their forever. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

I was genuinely happy for them.

And honestly, the best part about attending weddings?

Free food, fancy outfits, endless sweets, and family reunions — what’s not to love?💃

But amidst the fairy lights and laughter, a tiny question popped up:

“Should I be doing something about my love life too?”

The truth?

I wasn’t even looking. I was happy, self-sufficient, comfortable in my lane.

Sure, I want love someday — but not yet.

Still, because the idea was planted — thanks to social media and curious aunties — a FOMO I didn’t even order got delivered to my door.

#03: Ghar🏡 aur Gaadi 🚗

Next chapter — housewarmings and luxury car deliveries.

Everyone’s moving into bigger houses and buying shinier cars.

And there I am thinking —“Am I happy for them, or slightly sad for me?”

Funny thing — I hadn’t even thought about it yet.

Didn’t know if I wanted it yet.

And then it hit me --

Falkland’s Law says:

“When it is not necessary to make a decision, it is necessary not to make a decision.”

And honestly, I’m good with not deciding right away.

But just because someone else did, I started feeling the urge to rush —to chase things I wasn’t even prepared for.

What for?

Would it make me happy even if I get it?

Honestly, am I trying to meet society’s standards or make myself happy?

Chal Kya Raha Hai?

…

To Compare or Not to Compare?

Easier said than done.

Because these aren’t matters of logic — they’re matters of the heart.

Everyone’s life is a different story.

Someone’s childhood was tough.

Someone’s adulthood is confusing.

Someone’s struggling emotionally, financially, or health-wise.

Shoutout to Lord Brahma — who clearly didn’t miss a beat while scripting this chaos.

Everyone got a mix: a bit of joy, a dash of confusion, and a whole lot of “why me?” moments.

So, What Do We Do?

Maybe stop fighting the emotion — and start understanding it.

Accept it. Feel it. But don’t let it define you.

Because truth is, almost everyone feels the same.

They’re just quieter about it.

Questioning why their love hasn’t shown up yet, why their promotion’s delayed, why they weren’t born into generational wealth, or why timing seems perfect for everyone else.

But here’s the thing — perfection isn’t real.

It’s self-defined.

The timeline that fits your friend might not fit you — and that’s okay.

So the next time FOMO sneaks in uninvited, tell it: “Hey, thanks for dropping by, but I’m good where I am.”

PC:

I tell myself — You’re good where you are.

Overthinking and stressing will only help your hair loss, hormonal pimples, and weight gain. Things will come when they have to — when I’m ready for them.

So take it easy, ma’am.(Yes, I talk to myself with respect.)

Because in the end, you define your own perfection —not society, not your uncle, and definitely not someone else’s Instagram story.

✨ Final Thought

A FOMO I didn’t know existed… now I do. (At least, for me!)

Can I stop it? Probably not.

Can I keep it? Not advisable.

But maybe I can understand it.

Maybe it’s not here to ruin me — it’s here to remind me.

To show me a possibility, a path I can choose when I’m ready.

Maybe FOMO isn’t the villain after all —maybe it’s just curiosity in disguise.

Error 404: FOMO found — but maybe it wasn’t an error after all.

Maybe it’s just my system updating.