Why Do I Keep Breaking My New Year’s Resolutions?

The concept of New Year’s resolutions dates back to ancient times. The ancient Babylonians are credited with being the first to make New Year’s resolutions. They would make promises to their gods at the start of each year to earn their favor.

The Romans also made New Year’s resolutions and made promises to Janus, the god of beginnings and endings. In modern times, making New Year’s resolutions has become more widespread. It is now a common tradition in many cultures around the world.

We set New Year’s resolutions for a variety of reasons. For some, it is a way to reflect on the past year and to create goals for the year ahead. Others see it as a chance to make positive life changes, challenge themselves, or try new things.

As it turns out, however, only 9% of people who set New Year’s resolutions successfully keep them. There are many reasons why people don’t keep their New Year’s resolutions. Some common reasons include:

Setting unrealistic goals: It’s important to set achievable and realistic goals. If your goal is too difficult or not specific enough, it can be hard to stay motivated.

Lack of a specific plan: It’s important to have a specific plan for how you will achieve your resolution. Without a plan, getting sidetracked or losing sight of your goal is likely.

Lack of motivation: It can be hard to stay motivated, especially if you don’t see progress or encounter setbacks. Finding ways to stay motivated, such as setting smaller goals or seeking support from friends and family, can help.

Lack of accountability: Having someone to hold you accountable, such as a friend or family member, can help you stay on track with your resolution.

Lack of focus: It’s easy to get distracted or to lose sight of your goal if you don’t focus on it consistently. Set aside dedicated time each day to work on your resolution.

Not being ready to change: People may need more time to prepare to make the changes required to achieve their resolution. It can be helpful to take small steps and to build up to more significant changes.

Not being specific enough: It can be hard to stay motivated if your resolution is not specific enough. So, try to be as detailed as possible when setting your resolution.

Although it can be difficult to keep New Year’s resolutions, it’s important to remember that making mistakes and adjusting your resolution as needed is okay. The key is to stay motivated, set specific and achievable goals, and seek support from friends and family. By taking small steps and being kind to yourself, you can increase your chances of success and make progress toward your goals.