Áine Kenny investigates how to find the right resolutions for the new year - and how to make them stick.
As the end of the year fast approaches, setting New Year's resolutions seems to be everywhere. Whether you are a corporate go-getter setting work milestones as part of your five-year plan, or manifesting and setting intentions with a crystal alter under the full moon, a sense of change is in the air.
Where did this tradition start?
The first New Year’s resolutions are believed to have originated about 4,000 years ago. The ancient Babylonians held New Year celebrations in mid-March, when their crops were planted, during a 12-day religious festival known as Akitu.
The Babylonians promised the gods that they would repay their debts and return borrowed items, as well as crowning a new king or pledging allegiance to their current monarch. Our January 1st New Year was established in 46 B.C. by the ancient Roman emperor Julius Caesar. The month of January was named after the two-faced god Janus, symbolising beginnings, endings, transitions, and time.
Setting New Year’s resolutions is still relatively popular today. A US study from 2020 found that just over one in four Americans set resolutions that year. Almost half of those surveyed intended to exercise more, followed by resolutions to improve diets, lose weight, and save money.
Interestingly, about half of those who were surveyed at the start of the year said they kept some of their resolutions, while 35% claimed they kept all their resolutions.
What makes resolutions stick?
A 2017 Swedish study found that people were roughly 25% more likely to achieve ‘approach goals’, such as starting a new hobby or learning an instrument, than to stick with ‘avoidance goals', such as quitting smoking or social media.
Sarah Doyle, a life coach from The Better Life Project, advises people to ask themselves two fundamental questions when setting New Year’s resolutions: What is the goal motivated by? For example, are you motivated by your values or something that is important to you? "If so, that is a green light," she says.
Secondly, does the resolution add value or bring joy to your life? "Asking these questions helps weed out the resolutions people make because of others’ expectations, or the resolutions they feel they should make."
Finding a realistic timeframe
Sarah says goal setting is an underestimated skill set, one that takes time to hone and develop. She advises setting a realistic timeframe for achieving any resolutions or goals. Studies have suggested that setting a 12-week timeframe increases the likelihood of achieving a goal, she adds.
"It’s not too long, which prevents a person from becoming bored, but it’s also not too short, which prevents a person from becoming overwhelmed."
Breaking the resolution down into manageable steps is also key: "Be very clear on what steps are needed to achieve the goal. Break it down into small actions. For example, if your resolution is to reconnect with all your old school friends, call one friend that week, and aim to meet that person for dinner by the end of the month. Focus on the behaviour needed to achieve the goal."
How to stay on track
If you find yourself deviating from your resolutions, or not reaching your desired milestones, Sarah advises re-evaluating. "You should only set a goal if it works for you, it has to be important to you, and align with your values. Ask yourself: are you ready to achieve this goal, and are you invested in achieving it?"
Resolutions that are misaligned with our own values can begin to feel like work, which can lead to procrastination. Sarah says when feeling disillusioned, people should think about their core values - for example, these can be freedom, friendship, or health - and see if they link to the goal.
"We then need to choose behaviours that align with these values. For example, if your resolution is to become healthier, you need to choose to go out for a walk every day. Give yourself six weeks to get back on track and go from there. After six weeks, if you realise the goal isn’t actually what you wanted, that is okay too."
While there can be a lot of pressure around the New Year to set resolutions and stick to them, Sarah finds there is a sense of camaraderie. "We are all in the same boat and can take inspiration from and encourage each other. At this time, we know we aren’t alone in creating our dreams."
