We relish the chaos. What’s holding you back? Say yes! Progress is associated with an open door, taking the invitation, putting yourself out there. That “it will work out somehow,” that “everything will fall into place” and “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

We scroll through social media feeds of party pictures noting who is and isn’t there. The internet has opened up an ever-present tally of social alignments, of friendships behaving like brand partnerships, of more than a fun night resting on whether or not you attended the party. But what would your life look like had you stayed home?

Add to that, the conceit that we merge business and personal lives completely. Confusing hard work with sacrificing ourselves, we erode our work/life balance to survive.

Why, though, do we not romanticize our preservation? The same matter of chance, of the fleeting nature of fate exists on the other side of the coin. What would have happened if we were better rested, if our energy was better preserved, if we managed our time and said what we really mean? Rarely do we approach whether we get eight hours of sleep with the same guilt as we do whether or not we attended a party, even when, according to sleep expert Matthew Walker, sleep deprivation prevents the brain from remembering information, creating new memories, and sustaining emotional well-being.