I don’t believe in new year’s resolutions. There’s nothing magical about the changing of the year that’s something you couldn’t have done in October or July.

But here’s something you can do for the New Year: go out to lunch.

Have a friend you’ve lost contact with? Text him: Long time no see. Want to meet for Chinese on Tuesday?

Same with a family member, or a neighbor, or someone at work you’d like to know better. Lunch is easy, not threatening, and seems vaguely more casual. And if even lunch seems forbidding, maybe meet for something hot at an unpretentious coffee spot.

Meet. Ask questions. Open up your life. It’s only lunch.