Why New Year’s resolutions always seem to fall through

Now that all the Christmas festivities have come and gone, people all over the country are preparing for New Year’s and coming up with resolutions. 

New Year’s has been an annual celebration since 45 B.C. when Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar. 

New Year’s Eve has been celebrated in various countries and in various ways. In the U.S. it’s become a big tradition to watch the ball drop-in New York City’s Time Square, since 1907. 

Traditionally, New Year’s resolutions are also made on Dec. 31 so that people have goals for the upcoming year they can strive to keep.

This tradition started 4,000 years ago with the Babylonians making promises to their gods to pay their debts to receive favor throughout the year. 

Since then, New Year’s has become a day to look at one’s mistakes and make a vow to make it right. 

Taylir Pollock, a freshman at Utah State University, sees this time of year as a valuable time to look at one’s life and reevaluate, but deems the one-time goal to be silly. 

“I think it’s kind of dumb that this is the only time that people think that they can make resolutions and set goals for themselves,” Pollock said.  “But also, if it helps them and they’re actually continuing it, that’s cool and good for them.”

And now January 2022 brings us to another year of resolutions. One stereotypical goal includes going to the gym or eating better. 

Teal Anderson, a manager at the South Davis Recreation Center in Bountiful, said they usually see a 30% increase in people coming to the gym during January. 

Pollock said if she had to make a resolution this year it would also be to continue to go to the gym and become stronger. 

Anderson also noticed that for some unknown reason, people have started coming to the gym before the New Year’s this year.

“It’s still a whole week out,” Anderson said. “I don’t know. It just feels different this year, there are more people.”

According to Anderson the surge of bright-eyed resolution makers normally come through the doors starting the Monday after the New Year’s. That strong 30% starts to trickle off two to four weeks into the New Year.

Psychology Today addresses this issue and explains the lack of motivation to achieve New Year’s Resolutions is real, but it can be combated by a few simple steps. 

These steps include making multiple attempts, choosing the right goal, starting small and planning for obstacles.  

Although, some take a more humorous approach to the frequent failure of goals. 

“I make my resolutions early in November because I know I’m going to break them,” Gerald Carr, a local senior citizen said.  “So, when the New Year does come, I have a fresh start.” 

Brian Calvert, the Supervisor of Culver’s Restaurant in Bountiful commented on the change in the fast-food chain around New Year’s too. 

“Our restaurant, and I would assume most restaurants would answer that it varies year to year when the seasons change,” Calvert said. “That being said, this year most employees’ work schedules and hours don’t change in the new year.” 

Calvert said it’s because regardless of what people’s resolutions are, they stay busy even in January. 

However, salad orders at Culver’s tend to increase. 

But if you are someone who really hopes to follow through on your resolutions, then you can find further tips on how to do so from Knockaround.

-Brielle.Carr@usu.edu