A New Year’s resolution is a secular tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere but also found in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self-improvement or something slightly nice, such as opening doors for people beginning from New Year’s Day.
The concep is to reflect upon self improvement annually.
At the end of the Great Depression, about a quarter of American adults formed New Year’s resolutions. At the start of the 21st century, about 40% did.[citation needed
Some examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more environmentally responsible.
Popular goals include resolutions to:
•Improve physical well-being: eat healthy food, lose weight, exercise more, eat better, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, stop biting nails, get rid of old bad habits
•Improve mental well-being; think positive, laugh more often, enjoy life
•Improve finances: get out of debt, save money, make small investments
•Improve career: perform better at current job, get a better job, establish own business
•Improve education: improve grades, get a better education, learn something new (such as a foreign language or music), study often, read more books, improve talents
•Improve self: become more organized, reduce stress, be less grumpy, manage time, be more independent, perhaps watch less television, play fewer sitting-down video games
•Take a trip
•Volunteer to help others, practice life skills, use civic virtue, give to charity, volunteer to work part-time in a charity organization
•Get along better with people, improve social skills, enhance social intelligence
•Make new friends
•Spend quality time with family members
•Settle down, get engaged/get married, have kids
•Try foreign foods, discovering new cultures
•Pray more, be closer to God, be more spiritual
Some New Year’s Resolutions made by local residents are:
Anita Barb, of Parsons, said, “I already eat healthy, but, I would like to improve on exercising.”
Cindy Streets, of Hambleton, laughed, “I didn’t make one because, I know I would break it.”
Pam Nestor, of Parsons, said, “I want to be more healthy.”
Jennie Helmick, of Davis, “I want to have more patience, be kinder, watch what I say and just have more compassion.”
Kathy Helmick, of Leadmine, chuckled, “I didn’t make one, because I never keep it.”
Tammy Michael, of Parsons said, “I have made several. But, am I going to stick to them? That is to be determined.”
Cade Archuleta, of Hambleton, said, “I want to spend more time with my son, friends and family.
Patricia Burns, of Thomas, said, “I want to succeed and make sure my clients are being well satisfied.”
Debbie Hovatter, of St. George, said “I want to be kind and patient to people.”
Kathy Kahler, of Davis, “My resolution is to leave bigger tips.”
A 2007 study by Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail, despite the fact that 52% of the study’s participants were confident of success at the beginning. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set; such as, a pound a week, instead of saying “lose weight”), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.