goodbye 2012

As the year 2012 draws near, most people will again venture to make their fearless New Year’s Resolutions as part of their annual quest for self-improvement.  Statistics would show that almost 90% fail in their attempts to change for the better but this has not prevented them from continuing with their quest every year.  New Year is associated with new beginnings, new hopes, and new opportunities.

fireworks hello 2013

Historical Background of New Year’s Resolutions

Making New Year’s Resolutions has a religious component to it based on historical records.  It was the time used by ancient Babylonians to promise gods that they will return borrowed objects and pay debts.  The god Janus from which the month of January was named after, had his fill of promises from Romans at the beginning of each year.  Different religions also used the start of the year to reaffirm commitment, reflect on wrongdoings, and seek forgiveness from people they have wronged in some way.

Regardless of belief however, New Year has always symbolized new beginnings and starting anew and thus has been used by people to make new commitments and promises which are aimed at self-improvement.  A list of resolutions is similar to a personal plan for the year and is expected to be positive and beneficial to the person making it and the people surrounding that person.  It has been observed however that modern-day resolutions have a tendency towards superficial matters such as physical appearance rather than intrinsic change.

Most Popular New Year’s Resolutions of all Time

Based on research, the most popular New Year’s Resolutions revolved around improvement of self, finances, education/career, health/well-being, and lifestyle.  Since these areas cover more or less the categories included in this blog, the most popular resolutions per category are listed below:

Self

1. To get rid of or change bad behavior into good ones

2. To give more time to self and self-development

3.  To pursue new interests and hobbies where genuine interest exists

Finances

1. To settle existing debts and start on a clean financial slate

2.  To spend wisely

3.  To save

Education/Career

1.  To study better or more often

2.  To finish a degree or higher learning program/ To learn something new

3.  To find a job that is genuinely liked or preferred/ To aim for promotion

Health/Well-Being

1.  To quit smoking and/or other vices

2.  To take better care of one’s self

3.  To eat healthy/ To lose weight

Lifestyle

1.  To lead a simple, organized and stress-free life

2.  To start green living

3.  To help others more

My Say

Although most resolutions fail in relation to their original intentions, pursuing New Year’s Resolutions is still expected to provide benefits because of the steps undertaken towards accomplishing established goals.  Since many things that are sought to be changed or improved cannot be done in a single swift action, taking small and consistent steps is a welcome course of action.  The accomplishments made for each year equate to solid steps towards achieving the main goal.  The greatest danger lies in backsliding or going back to the old ways after obtaining some benefits.  New Year’s Resolutions will always be part of the human quest for self-improvement whether they are announced or not.