#96 - FOMO - Lily’s guide to missing out in style

Welcome to the unofficial season of FOMO—where your inbox is quiet, your garden is overgrown, and your friends have mysteriously all developed a passion for yacht life and Aperol Spritzes.

Lily didn’t expect her summer to feel so… empty. It was supposed to be bright, free, spontaneous. Instead, she finds herself stuck somewhere between the laundry room and her half-dead herb garden, watching everyone else sparkle through Instagram filters.

But this isn’t a story about sulking. It’s about a woman, a cute dog, and a garden hose that accidentally became a sprinkler. Let’s go.

Social Media vs. real life – The summer showdown

Lily’s phone has become a dangerous place. A glowing rectangle of salt-in-the-wound updates from her friends and family. There’s her sister Lisa, glowing in Santorini. Noor, sipping something suspiciously turquoise on a rooftop in Barcelona. Even Carol from yoga class is off chasing waterfalls in Iceland.

Lily? She’s standing in her backyard in flip-flops, trying to keep her basil plant alive and squinting up at the sky, wondering if the sun is really showing up today or just teasing. Her phone is a nonstop highlight reel of beaches, cocktails, and glowing sunsets. Meanwhile, her own summer feels like a comedy where the main character keeps waiting for the fun to start—only to realize the party’s been moved to someone else’s Instagram.

And the soundtrack? Mostly the hum of a neighbor’s lawnmower and and Charlie the dog sighing dramatically, like he, too, had bigger summer dreams. The fear of missing out doesn’t just visit—it moves in, makes itself a smoothie, and lounges in a white linen set whispering, “You could have been there too.”

Feeling left out (even with a full calendar)

Let’s be clear: Lily isn’t exactly doing nothing. There are appointments, yoga, birthday gifts to remember. But there’s a difference between being busy and being included. Her kids have vanished into teenage bliss—beach bonfires, city trips, sleepovers that start with TikTok dances and end in breakfast-for-dinner. Her husband is working overtime, chained to a laptop and fueled by lukewarm coffee and ambition.

And her friends? Ghosts. Laughing ones. They’re living large in time zones that require a passport and a good filter. The group chat is now basically a travel brochure: mojitos, infinity pools, legs on loungers, repeat.

So Lily does what anyone does when feeling left behind: she doubts herself. “Did I miss the invite?” “Should I have planned more?” “Am I boring now?”

The FOMO fix — Start your own fun

But here’s where the story takes a delicious turn.

One slightly moody Wednesday—sky grey, mood greyer—Lily snaps her laptop shut and says out loud, “That’s it. No more FOMO. We’re making memories, Charlie.” She slips into her boldest summer dress—the one that screams watermelon with confidence—and grabs her floppy hat like she’s boarding a yacht instead of heading to the park.

Into the basket goes a little picnic magic: juicy grapes, fancy crackers, her favorite cheese that’s usually “for guests,” and a chilled bottle of sparkling elderflower. Charlie wags like he’s been waiting for this moment his whole life.

They arrive at a quiet spot under an old tree. Lily spreads out the blanket, the breeze tosses her hair like she’s in a shampoo commercial, and just as she’s about to open her book… she hears a voice.

“Lily?”

It’s Claire—from two doors down, sunhat askew, holding a coffee and looking both surprised and relieved. She, too, has been ghosted by summer plans and forgotten by group chats. Within minutes, they’re deep in conversation like long-lost travel buddies who forgot to book a trip.

One unexpected ice cream detour later, they’re plotting a mezze-and-rosé night on Lily’s patio. By sunset, the fairy lights are glowing, the playlist is vibing, and laughter is bouncing between the fences like summer decided to crash their party after all.

It’s not Mykonos. But it’s real. It’s hers. And it’s really, really good.

Feeling the FOMO creeping in too?

Join Lily’s Summer Challenge at what-a-story.com. Each week, you’ll get little goals to turn your blah days into woohoo moments. Because summer isn’t a destination—it’s a decision. And the best stories? You write them yourself.