By RACHEL MARICHAL
The beginning of a new year leaves people with a clean slate. It gives everyone a chance to start anew and leave their past behind in the previous year. However, how many people actually stick to their New Year’s resolution after making them? Studies have shown “New Year, New Me”, doesn’t apply to everyone in the long haul.
“I chose not to have a New Year’s resolution this year because I never stick to them,” joked sophomore Lila Elhalawany. “I would say I only stick with it for a month or so then forget all about it or cave in to my old habits. Ironically, I do the opposite. If I tell myself to do something more I’ll end up doing it less.”
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As said in WebMD’s article New Year’s Resolutions, 1 Month Later, “Statistics show that, at the end of January, some 64% of resolvers are still hanging in there; six months later, that number drops to 44%, according to Norcross, author of Changing for Good.”
The Birth of Resolutions
Whether it’s to quit a bad habit, start going to the gym, or to become a bit more tidy, there is no right or wrong resolution.
As legend has it New Year’s resolutions traditionally started during early B.C. the Roman’s believed that their two-faced mythical god, Janus, could use one of his faces to look to the future while the other looked back on the past. They believed that he would grant the Romans forgiveness for their sins and grant them peace for the year to come.
“If you really wanted to make a change in your life, it wouldn’t matter when you do it. I wouldn’t wait for a new year to do so. In the spirit of the season people get excited and usually come up with these things they aspire to do or be,” said junior Nikki Carney.
Top 10 Resolutions of 2015
The top 10 New Year’s resolutions for 2015 were to lose weight, get organized, spend less money, enjoy life to the fullest, stay fit, learn something exciting, quit smoking, help others with their dreams, fall in love, and to spend more time with family, according to staticbrain.com, a statistic verification website.
But according to an article found on Bulletproof: The State of High Performance, an avid self help blog updated regularly by Bulletproof Digital Inc., there are three reasons American’s never accomplish these goals:
- People make unrealistic resolutions.
- People don’t equip themselves with the mental ammunition to fight off doubt and continue with their goals.
- Using guilt or fear as motivation, or resolving to stop doing something.
As February draws to a close, think of the goals you set for yourself this year. If you’ve fallen off of the resolution bandwagon, think of ways you can hop back on and concentrate on ways to accomplish your goal.
I love that you gave a brief history of new years resolutions. An angle you could look at is how new years resolutions change by generation. What were older peoples resolutions compared to the younger generation? I think that would make the story a little bitter but over all great job.