Do you keep your New Year’s resolutions? I was having fond memories of some of my disastrous attempts in the past and wondered, where did this all start?
Do You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions?
When Did People Start Making New Year’s Resolutions?
Apparently it was the ancient Babylonians who started this whole trend. As well as being among the first to celebrate the New Year (using a different calendar), they were the first to make New Year’s resolutions. They promised the Gods to repay debts and do good deeds in the hope the Gods would look favorably upon them. That was over 4,000 years ago. Just think of all the resolutions made and broken since!
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar introduced a new calendar with the year starting on 1 January. January was named in honor of the God Janus, a God with two faces, that looked back at the old year and forward to the new one. The Romans would make sacrifices to Janus and make all sorts of promises of good deeds and behavior for the coming year.
By the 17th century, making New Year’s resolutions was a relatively common practice.
It is interesting that the history suggests the origin of resolutions was to appease or gain favor with the Gods. In more modern times, resolutions at this time of year tend to be more about self-improvement.
My Experience Of Setting New Year’s Resolutions
I remember with fondness all of the rather mad New Year resolutions I would set for myself in the past. I nearly always set myself up to fail! My resolutions nearly all centered around losing weight, eating healthily, getting more exercise. And I always managed the first couple of weeks and then they went by the wayside.
Lack Of Thought And Planning
I think the main problem was that I had lofty ideas of what might be achievable. So having eaten heavily over Christmas and put on seven pounds, I would then expect to be able to lose 14 pounds in January to compensate. Of course, instead of looking at my eating patterns and analyzing where I was going wrong, I just starved myself. The weighing scales would drop for a few days and I felt motivated. Then they wouldn’t budge and, disheartened, it didn’t take much for me to have an extra snack. By the end of February, sometimes middle of January, I had always given up on the diet and gone back to my usual eating pattern.
Setting Unattainable Goals
The other thing I would do was to set unrealistic, unattainable goals. I remember buying a tracksuit and trainers with the plan to go jogging everyday. But given this was January, the weather was bad and I couldn’t cope with jogging in the rain and snow. Having lost any motivation, the tracksuit sat in my wardrobe for years unused. Now my intention might have worked if it had been summer but honestly I don’t think jogging was ever going to be my thing.
Rather more successful was my intention one year to swim at least once a week, before work, at a local swimming pool. That was easy to do, enjoyable, and I carried on with it.
Successful New Year’s Resolutions
An Unintentional Resolution
About eight years ago, I had to start taking some medication that wouldn’t mix with alcohol. The timing was such that I started the medication in early January. New Year’s Eve was my last chance for cocktails and prosecco. After that the doctor told me it would be a year at least of no alcohol.
I faced this with considerable trepidation. One of my favorite moments involved brandy and prosecco cocktails watching the sun go down. That lump of demerara sugar that gradually dissolved in the bottom that I would scoop out with my finger at the end… sigh.
I would have a couple of alcohol free days each week but I really enjoyed wine with my meal. Not to mention a cool beer on a hot day. Having been forced into this major change, I had no choice but to follow it through. It was amusing how many people thought I was just having a ‘dry January’ or had set my own New Year’s resolution.
I learned a lot from the experience because I had time to sit back and reflect. I was able to view the times I really wanted a drink and realized my attitude was not always positive. For example, I missed my ‘coming home from work exhausted’ glass of wine which was my reward. I also noticed that I really felt that I needed a drink after any unpleasant experience. Interesting that the alcohol was often a sort of reward/compensation reflex for me.
One thing I will say, it was a pain that everyone expected me to do the driving so they could drink! But, seriously, it was good to wake up with a clear head every morning. I have several illnesses including Fibromyalgia and I actually felt that those symptoms improved without the alcohol.
After a year, the main thing I still missed was my sunset cocktail. I had stopped even thinking about the fact that once upon of time I would have had wine with my meal etc. My time on the medication ended and that meant I could go back to drinking. I honestly thought that the first thing I would do would be to make one of those yummy cocktails. But you know, I never have, and I haven’t had a drop of alcohol in all this time. I am not saying I won’t, but I haven’t felt the need to. Being forced into it afforded me time in retrospection about my drinking habits that I would never have got from a goal set by me alone.
I Set My Own Successful Resolution
I didn’t set any resolutions for many years. Then for the New Year 2019 I set myself a goal to not buy any new clothes, shoes or garden plants for 2020. I wrote all about it in my blog entitled I Made A Successful New Year Resolution. In spite of temptations on line (given we spent much of 2020 locked down at home), I met my goal for the year. And saved money in the process! I also managed to carry this resolution through 2021 as well, with the exception of garden plants where I allowed myself some purchases. It is my intention to continue the same through 2022. A resolution that actually became a lifestyle change.
My New Year’s Resolution For 2022
Although still not a great fan of these resolutions, I have actually set myself a goal for January 2022. That is to write a blog per day. I thought long and hard about this as it is quite a commitment but I think it is achievable. All a question of planning, fueled with a bit of inspiration – I hope. Tell me. Do you keep your New Year’s resolutions?
Before you go
My name is Dorothy Berry-Lound an artist and writer. You can find out more about my art and writing at https://dorothyberryloundart.com.
You can follow me on Facebook.
Thank you for reading!
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