New Year’s Resolutions

With the new year just a couple days away, I thought it would be a great time to discuss New Year’s Resolutions. First, let’s start with the history of them. According to history.com, the ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make New Year’s resolutions some 4,000 years ago. They were also the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year, although for them the new year began in mid-March, not in January.  

 The Babylonians would have a massive 12-day religious festival called Akitu where they crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. They would also make promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any borrowed objects. These promises are what are considered the precursors to modern New Year’s resolutions. Babylonians believed if they kept their promises, their gods would bestow favor on them for the coming, but if they didn’t, they would fall out of the gods’ favor. Luckily, we do not have that much pressure to keep our resolutions. 

Some common New Year’s resolutions center around categories such as health (exercise more, eat healthier, lose weight, sleep better), finances (save money, budget, get out of debt), personal growth (learn a new skill, read more, get organized), and relationships/lifestyle (spend time with family, travel, quit smoking, be happier). These goals often focus on self-improvement, whether physical, mental, or financial, with a strong emphasis on better habits. 

According to recent research, while as many as 45 percent of Americans say they usually make New Year’s resolutions, but only 8 percent are successful in achieving their goals. 

Things to Think About When Creating a New Year’s Resolution 

There are many reasons that individuals are not successful with their New Year’s resolutions. One, they don’t create goals and a plan around their resolutions. Vague resolutions are not helpful and do not set one up for success. Another reason is that they don’t set them with intention. Setting a resolution just because you feel like you need to set a resolution isn’t helpful. If one is not fully invested in the goal, one is not likely to follow-though. Another one that I’ll get into farther down is the timing; January might not be the ideal time to start setting new goals.  

The first thing to think about when deciding on a New Year’s resolution is if you want to set one. I would never tell someone to set a New Year’s resolution, if they are not fully invested in the idea of it. Personally, I’m not one to set New Year’s resolutions as I don’t feel like I need a New Year to set goals and work on growth as I believe it should be constant. But if you find setting New Year’s resolutions helpful, that’s great. 

Next step, decide if you want to set a resolution or set an intention. Here’s the difference. Resolutions are concrete goals or standards you would like to achieve. Intentions are flexible goals or growth edges that you’d like to put more energy and actionable steps into. They both center around self-improvement and ways you’d like to create meaningful changes in the New Year but differ in structure. Some examples of resolutions are “I will read 2 books a month.” or “I will go to the gym 4 days a week.” Some examples of intentions are “I will start to carve out more time for myself to read.” or “I will put more focused energy into my physical health." 

One is not better than the other; there is not a right way to engage in self-improvement and growth. If you have tried one way and it hasn’t worked, maybe try another way. Being flexible with the approach could be helpful. Even if you struggle, you can always restart, thinking in absolutes is rarely helpful.  

If you need help coming up with ways to create specific goals or resolutions, make them SMART goals, meaning; Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). 

Additional things to think about and include in your resolutions and/or intentions.  

Define Your "Why": Understand the core motivation and values behind your goals (e.g. if you want to go to the gym more, why? To be healthier? To lose weight? To keep up with the grandkids?) This can help with your motivation on days when you are struggling with keeping it up. Why is this important? Why is this your goal?  

Engage Supportive People: Who can you reach out when you are struggling to maintain? Do you and someone else have the same resolutions and/or intentions and support each other on the journey? You are more likely to not be successful if you go at it alone. 

Create Micro-Habits: Break large goals into small, manageable daily actions to build momentum. 

Monitor & Adapt: Regularly track progress and adjust strategies as needed, using indicators to measure success. Be flexible with the strategy.  

Is January the best time to make a new resolution? 

Some research states that January may not be the best time to make a new resolution or set a new intention. This could explain the small percentage of successful people. 

One reason that January is not the best time is because of the post-holiday slump. You're often tired, low on Vitamin D, and recovering from financial stress. Another reason is unrealistic expectations. The "new year" mindset encourages overly ambitious, impulsive goals that are hard to sustain. The final reason is out of routine. You're still adjusting from the chaotic holiday period. 

 If you find that you struggle to be successful with your New Year’s resolutions, March might be a better time to set new goals. March marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, a season synonymous with growth, renewal, and beauty. The days grow longer, the weather becomes milder, and nature comes alive with colorful blooms. 

In spring, you’ll likely have a clearer perspective. You've seen what actually happened in January and February, allowing for more realistic planning. With spring, you have renewed energy. Spring brings longer days, more sunlight, and warmer weather, boosting mood and motivation. There is reduced pressure. The pressure of "New Year's Resolutions" fades, allowing for a more genuine, less overwhelming fresh start. There is also seasonal alignment. Spring is symbolic of growth and new beginnings, making it a natural time to implement change. As the seasons change, it’s a natural time for reflecting and refocusing. It's an ideal time to reassess failed resolutions and create a more sustainable plan for the rest of the year. 

Whatever you decide to do regarding New Year’s resolutions, make sure you reflect and be intentional with your decision.