Ditch New Year's Resolution Day

Did you make New Year's resolutions this year? There's an unofficial holiday called Ditch New Year's Resolution Day that may interest you.  It's always on Jan. 17 because those resolute experts say that's when we beginning abandoning our New Year's resolutions. According to 'Statistic Brain', nearly 40 per cent of us never make resolutions (I don't), and of those of us who do, only 8 per cent of us actually end up achieving our so called "resolutions." Most New Year's resolutions, about 40%, are already broken by February if the same year.

Hmmm People may not follow through because they're making the wrong kinds of resolutions.  Most people start the New Year with good intentions, but after returning from holidays and getting back into the busyness of life, resolutions have a tendency to be forgotten. And the resolutions are unrealistic. Besides, some people think they have to make the resolutions and have no real desire to fulfill them.

Making New Year resolutions is an age old practice. It can be traced back at least to ancient Roman times when citizens would pledge to the god Janus, after whom January is named. Most Romans resolved to be better neighbors, more honest or more obedient to the gods. Today the resolutions are more personal. like getting another cell phone (The replacement for God Janus for many today) or becoming wealthy. In a 2013 study, some 60% of Americans in early December said they would make a resolution, but only 40% of them actually did by Jan. 1. However, those who did were 10 times more likely to succeed than those with the same goals who didn't make a resolution.

I wonder about resolutions made at other than New Year's time. It would seem to me to be a better time for making them, given the impetus is need as opposed to the ritual of New Year's resolutions. I suspect only certain personality types are good at making and keeping resolutions. Imagine for instance, a politicians making a resolution to vote on the basis of public need rather than the need to be re elected to office. But of the New Year's resolutions the ones that most likely are kept include those that involve self improvement. The vast majority include health; such as losing weight, going to the gym, stopping smoking, money; including reducing debt or getting a new and higher paying job or of relationships; such as being in closer touch with friends and family.

When specific and realistic they may be upheld. New Year's resolutions work best when they are specific, realistic, publicly proclaimed and pre planned, But what's the fun in that? This is the age of the superficial, not the serious. Maybe we should just skip resolutions and just live life as it comes.