Old tradition in a New Year
Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes
As we approach the New Year many are thinking about making a resolution. Usually these are meant to better our life in some way, but whatever the goal may be, the idea of setting a New Year’s resolution is pretty much ingrained in our society so it might not surprise you that the practice is ancient.
Like so many of our traditions, making New Year’s resolutions has roots in religion. In ancient Babylonia people made promises to their gods and would return borrowed items and pay their debts before the New Year. This practice of clearing the slate still takes place in places like Japan. The Romans made promises to the god Janus and medieval knights vowed to continue their chivalry at this time. The Christian tradition includes Watchnight services and many feel that lent, with its focus on personal improvement, plays into the theme of using a new year as a fresh starting point.
The New Year is definitely symbolic and can be seen as a blank canvas for our aspirations. Not everyone takes advantage of this, but for those who do there is some good news. A 2009 psychology study found that 46% of the people who make common resolutions such as weight loss, exercise, or quitting smoking are ten times more likely to be successful than those who don’t make resolutions but are trying to do the same thing. It must be something about the process that helps steel ones will against failure.
The bad news relates to the percentage of people who don’t follow through with their resolutions. Those numbers are higher to be sure, as much as 90% by some measures, but focusing on that isn’t helpful. Think of the people who manage to quit smoking on their first try when the averages suggest it may take 8 – 14 attempts before the habit is kicked. They managed to buck the odds and there are many people hoping they can have the same fortune when they choose the New Year as their starting point. Deciding that it isn’t worth it because most people abandon their resolutions is not helpful or hopeful, and every day spent trying to be healthier is a victory, no matter what.
The same can be said for all manner of improvements and the challenges we lay out for ourselves. These are often the product of self-reflection which is always good process to go through. Truly, nobody knows you better than yourself and although we can be experts at misdirection, in our hearts we usually know who we are and what we need to do.
Research also suggests that resolutions tend to work best when they don’t encompass huge lifestyle changes. Setting goals that chip away at behaviour you would like to change gives you a better chance at success than trying to adopt huge sweeping changes. There are a lucky few who can change their course on a moment’s notice, but most people are creatures of habit and respond best to incremental change.
Whether you are making a resolution or not I want to take this opportunity to wish you the very best in the coming year.
