‘Tis the Season to Make Resolutions

The Christmas ornaments are packed. The menorahs have been scrubbed clean of their candle wax. All that remains of holiday fun are the bills to pay and the excess weight we need to lose. Of course, there are all those pesky resolutions we need to start fulfilling!

What are your resolutions? Exercise more? Eat better? Become more productive? Be kinder? All good goals, no doubt, but here’s a novel resolution — how about doing less and relaxing more?

I read two articles that stayed with me over the holidays.  One was about how adults, unlike children and young people, never get together  and just “hang out.” Think about it. It’s true. When was the last time you went to a friend’s house without a plan — no elaborate dinner arrangements, not for a party or a book club meeting, but simply to sit and talk?

I know when I get together with friends so much planning goes into it, you’d think we were re-staging the Invasion of Normandy.

What day?
What time?
Where do you want to go?
I dunno. Where do you want to go?
How about …? Or how about …?
Oh, not there! I was there last week.

And that gustatory setback then prompts a whole new round-robin of “what abouts?” It’s exhausting!

The second article I read advocated on behalf of JOMO, which is the opposite of FOMO, the fear of missing out on something/anything/everything. It’s what drives many of us to the point of exhaustion.

I’m 100% guilty of FOMO on my treks home to NYC. I push myself to see 14 shows on and off Broadway! Now I love theater but by the end of my show marathons, I’m cross-eyed and back-ached! I’m FOMO-ed to the max.

Resolutions We Need

JOMO, in contrast, stands for the joy of missing out. It’s a call, make that, a plea for people to slow down. And as we get ready to careen and crash into 2025, it may be the best advice ever.

2025 is going to be the start of a roller coaster time, hectic and helter-skelter. We all need to take a deep breath and pace ourselves … socially, professionally, and politically.