By EmilyRose Nulty
“So far, only 22% of Irish people are making resolutions, according to a live Journal.ie poll.”
Resolutions can be fun. Making a vision board with your goals, keeping a sacred list to stick to; they also come with some odd pressures we’ve adopted over time.
New Year’s resolutions are more deeply rooted in history than many assume, dating back over 4,000 years as a way to mark reflection and renewal. The Babylonians were among the first to celebrate the New Year. They held festivals which were tied to the spring equinox. It was a time to express gratitude to the Gods for an abundant harvest season. Keeping these promises was crucial as breaking them could result in consequences from the Gods, according to an interview with professor Eckart Frahm in the National Geographic.
Although, The Romans dedicated January 1st as a beginning to a new year. Candida Moss, a professor of early Christianity and ancient history, noted that the Romans had festivals and traditions similar to how the Babylonians celebrated; however, they were also “supernatural and spring-cleaning.” Across cultures and throughout history, these traditions were used to wrap up and begin a new year with a fresh mindset. A habit that is still widely used; today, resolutions now come with new social pressures and expectations.
Over the centuries, resolutions became influenced by societal and cultural pressures as well as by consumerism. Gradually, the way people approached resolutions shifted; it was less religious and more focused on personal goals.
In the 19th century, newspapers and magazines published pieces and cartoons about people’s resolution failures, notes Dr. Louisa McKenzie, an art historian in a CNN Health interview. By the 20th century, New Year resolutions were a deep-rooted tradition; setting goals for self-improvement, health and finances – ones that we are well-acquainted with today. Similar goals of fitness, skills and personal growth persist, the main difference being the consumerism side of resolutions.
By the early 2000s, when diet culture was at its peak, resolutions became more about losing weight, looking better, and crash diets, rather than nourishing the body or exercising for enjoyment. The rise of social media has amplified these pressures, adding public performance and comparison. Side-hustle culture has also reframed self-improvement as constant productivity instead of personal fulfillment. These are just examples, and each person will have individual goals, but the pressure is what needs to change – for our own sake.
It’s easy to even subconsciously get lost in chasing perfection in an aspect of your life. Resolutions should be goals that you truly want to achieve, for yourself, while giving yourself patience to make mistakes even if that means restarting.
Redefining your goals is individual, focusing on goals that bring you genuine happiness and personal growth as opposed to pressure for perfection. Smaller goals can lead to lasting results and building from small steps is progress. This could be starting a creative project, building positive habits and just prioritising what truly matters to you. Resolutions can be a motivating part of life instead of stress.