We as people are always looking for ways to help us stick to the decisions we make, often when those decisions are headed towards a healthier lifestyle or improvements in our own behaviour, they are hard to stick to. Hence the New Year Resolution is often seen as that line in the sand or point of no return. A nudge to help us stay on track. Lets take a look at New Year resolutions.
A New Trend?
Far from being new, the history of making new year resolutions dates back to the Babylonian Civilisation 2000 years before the birth of Jesus. Babylonian New Year Celebrations were not held at the end of December, but in the middle of March. This was to coincide with the planting phase of the growing calendar. Their celebrations were called Akitu and encompassed more than a celebration of the new year. Kings were chosen and allegiances made at this time. Promises to uphold society’s values were made to their Pagan gods. These could be the first instances of new year resolutions in our world’s history.
More recently, the Christain church saw an implementation of new year resolutions through the work of John Wesley, the English founder of the methodist church. In 1740 he started a church service of Covenant renewal that was held at New Year. Giving a focal point that Christians could mark by making resolutions for a better year to come. Falling after Christmas, but well before Easter, New Year is a natural time to look to the future.
Today’s World
No longer the preserve of religion, New year resolutions are made all over the world by many different cultures. The United Kingdom does not see universal uptake of the tradition, though in the last year the number of people intending to make New year resolutions has increased from 11% in 2020 to 16% in 2021 according to poll data from Yougov.
Keeping Our Resolutions
New year resolutions have a reputation of being hard to keep. This isn’t coincidence, they have a harder time than other decisions that need to be stuck to. The resolutions we make at new Year tend to be sweeping in nature, life-changing often, and painfully hard to stick to. Resolutions involving lifestyle and health top the tree as being the most universally hard to stick to by their makers.
No one likes to fail, so being smart when choosing a new year resolution can help you avoid disappointment. Sweeping changes in diet or exercise routine which we have not naturally gravitated towards, but suddenly set themselves in stone come the 1st of January are understandably unlikely to be adhered to in the long term.
Being realistic with your expectations will lead to better results. For example if a diet change is a resolution you intend to make, be honest with yourself over what you can hope to achieve. Taking your goals and forming a longer-term staged plan can help you be successful. Making changes gradually over time, setting progressive goals with a longer timescale will be easier to stick to in the long run and avoid the utter shock of abrupt change in the shorter term.
New Year Resolutions Begin In January
This will help keep the positive benefits of New year Resolutions and give us opportunities to reward ourselves for each stage of our life improvements as we achieve them.