If you’ve drawn up resolutions prior to or
while heading into the New Year’s Eve party, you may take comfort in the fact
that many people around you have followed the same practice. In fact, a good
forty percent of the American population and elsewhere in the Western
Hemisphere do indulge in such activities. The tradition is becoming equally
popular in the Eastern Hemisphere. Regardless of what resolution you commit to,
the goal is to improve life in the coming year.
Resolutions can come in many forms. Some
people make a promise to change a bad habit, such as quitting smoking or eating
less junk food. Others aspire to develop a positive habit, such as starting an
exercise program, volunteering in their community, or recycling more.
The origin of making New Year's resolutions
rests with the Babylonians, who reportedly made promises to the gods in hopes
they'd earn good favor in the coming year. They often resolved to get out of
debt.
Early Romans named January after Janus, a
mythical god with two faces — one looking forward, one looking backward. On
December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking backward into the old year and
forward into the new year. This became a symbolic time for the Romans to make
resolutions for the new year and forgive enemies for past animosities.
The Romans also believed Janus could forgive
them for their wrongdoings in the previous year. The Romans would give gifts
and make promises, believing Janus would see this and bless them in the year
ahead.
And thus the New Year's resolution was born!
This tradition has many other religious
parallels. During Judaism's New Year, Rosh Hashanah, through the High Holidays
and culminating in Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), one is to reflect upon
one's wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness. People can
act similarly during the Christian liturgical season of Lent, although the
motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility. In
fact, the Methodist practice of New Year's resolutions came, in part, from the
Lenten sacrifices.
On the flip side, New Year’s resolutions are
a bit like babies: They’re fun to make but extremely difficult to maintain.
Each January, roughly one in three Americans
resolve to better themselves in some way. A much smaller percentage of people
actually make good on those resolutions. While about 75% of people stick to
their goals for at least a week, less than half (46%) are still on target six
months later, a 2002 study found.
Bad habits are hard to give up —and they're
impossible to give up if we try to break them all at once. Thus, New Year's
resolutions are exactly the wrong way to change our behavior. Willpower, like a
bicep, can only exert itself so long before it gives out; it's an extremely
limited mental resource.
The brain area largely responsible for
willpower, the prefrontal cortex, is located just behind the forehead. While
this bit of tissue has greatly expanded during human evolution, it probably
hasn't expanded enough. That's because the prefrontal cortex has many other
things to worry about besides New Year's resolutions. For instance, scientists
have discovered that this chunk of cortex is also in charge of keeping us
focused, handling short-term memory and solving abstract problems. Asking it to
lose weight is often asking it to do one thing too many.
Instead, we should respect the feebleness of
self-control, and spread our resolutions out over the entire year. The latest
neuroscience research suggests spreading resolutions out over time is the best
approach.
The lesson learned from a number of
psychological and behavioral experiments conducted on humans is that the
prefrontal cortex can be bulked up, and that practicing mental discipline in
one area, such as posture, can make it easier to resist decadent dessert. And
when a dangerous desire starts coming on, just remember: Gritting your teeth
isn't the best approach, as even the strongest mental muscles quickly get
tired.
Agreed that it's hard to keep up the enthusiasm
months after you've swept up the confetti, but it's not impossible.
Instead of resolving to “lose weight” or
“eat healthier,” set a specific goal — say, lose a pound a week. And limit
yourself to one big resolution at a time. If you’re trying to quit smoking or
save money, don’t bother counting how many calories you consume or burn up.
With a finite supply of willpower, it’s tough enough to keep one resolution.
This year, if you haven’t done it already,
just pick one worthy resolution, and stick with it.
• Resolutions
can be goals you want to accomplish over a short period of time (short-term
goals) or goals you want to accomplish over a year or many years (long-term
goals). Whether you want to send more letters to your grandparents, set up a
lemonade stand, spend more time outdoors, or learn something new by visiting
Wonderopolis every day, it's great for you and your friends and family members
to set goals! Make a list of long- and short-term resolutions and keep track of
your progress.
• Ask
friends and family members about the New Year's resolutions they've made in the
past. Which ones have they kept successfully? Which ones have they failed to
keep? Ask them for advice about what types of resolutions to make and how to
succeed in keeping the resolutions you make.
• How
do you and your friends and family members celebrate New Year's Eve and New
Year's Day? Whatever you happen to do this year, take some time to talk to
others about their hopes and dreams for the new year. What resolutions are they
making? Make a list of others' resolutions and revisit them every month or so
throughout the course of the next year. Be encouraging when you notice others
struggling to maintain their resolutions, and celebrate when you notice others
succeeding!
[SUBHODEV DAS]
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