2025 Yearly Theme

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they’ve consumed too much of something, and they find the very notion of consuming more sickening.

This could be the college student who drank too much vodka and can’t have it anymore. Or the person who ate far too much sushi, got sick, and is now repulsed by it.

Someone who’s seen a movie or TV show so many times they just pick it apart now. Or someone who realized their favorite author just regurgitates the same ideas over and over again.
Beyond overconsumption, sometimes our priorities/tastes/desires shift. I used to play video games daily. Now that ritual is basically reserved for long breaks¹.

My brother used to drink Coke almost exclusively. While he still enjoys it, he opts to drink water most of the time now because he’s prioritized his health.

If you have kids, or have ever been a kid, you know how exciting the anticipation of a huge event can be.

Since November 1st — the day after Halloween — my kids have been excited about Christmas, entirely ignoring the Thanksgiving buffer.

None were more excited that my oldest, who would do impressive math for a 7-year-old to figure out just how many days, events, sleeps, and school days there were until Santa came to visit.

On the day we got our Christmas tree — November 29th — I reminded her: “Be present. Christmas is one day, but it’s up to us to enjoy the season, and all the activities we’re doing.”

I felt like Qui-Gon Jinn telling Anakin to, “concentrate on the moment,” before the pod race.

My point was that I didn’t want her to spend the entire Christmas season anticipating Christmas Day while mentally missing out on everything we were doing. From cutting down our tree, to Christmas concerts, baking cookies, visiting family, and everything else, there are many wonderful things about that time of the year.

But I also realized something: I do a pretty bad job of concentrating on the moment. Instead, I worry about the future. Or I escape into my phone. Or my work.

I try to address problems I worry will happen, and defer solutions to problems I need to address today.

I need to follow the advice I gave my daughter. That’s why my Yearly Theme for 2025 is The Year of Being Present.

But before we get into that, let’s grade my previous yearly theme: The Year of Control.