The Christmas spirit is out and about. Mistletoes are being hung. Pine trees are being decorated. Yule logs and Breudhers are being baked. Every house is getting into the festive mood and people are already pulling out their diaries to make a list of resolutions for 2024. And then there is me, couch-potato-ing, hogging down instant food, walking into 2024 with resolutions that I made in 2012 (in my defence, the world was preparing for Armageddon in 2012, and I forgot to move on). While this may be read by some as lazy or lacking effort, is it a crime to not have resolutions? Does that make you any less of a person? The answer is a plain hard no.
New Year, New Me?
Turning over a new leaf is an extremely healthy goal to have, but what is unhealthy is the amount of pressure individuals put on themselves to achieve it within the first few months of a new year. As jaded as this may sound (I take after the Grim Reaper), time is a social construct. Because with the way that time whizzes by, 2020 felt like it was yesterday and I am still having pandemic whiplash. Whether you achieve your goal at the beginning of 2024 or at the end of 2026, no one is holding you against it. Well, unless it is social media. Most of us are swayed by what we see online, especially TikTok. Influencers started hanging their Christmas wreaths the minute they took down their jack-o-lanterns and threw away their carved pumpkins. Which is completely acceptable. But the minute that they decide to make it a social media trend, that is when the pressure starts trickling down (of course it is not their fault that they are hyped up to start things early! It is just that we should not let it get to us).
Unfortunately, getting an early start to setting goals for the year that is about to dawn has become a trend. “It is November 1st which means only one thing: It is about time to set your 2024 goals”, Kia Commodore, content creator and podcast host mentioned in a TikTok video that she had posted recently. She elaborated by mentioning how as opposed to waiting until the 1st of January to start adding bullet points on your list, starting in November gives you a head start on achieving your goals. Especially to season your mindset well enough to accommodate long-term resolutions that will stick. Kudos to Kia because that is a progressive outlook to have about life. However, in the real world, this translates to keeping up with, not the Kardashians, but the hyper-fast pace of the internet. And if you do not catch up, you automatically become a failure (an addendum that people have adopted, not one that has been told by social media influencers).
Which directions are New Year resolutions mostly headed in?
Health and fitness. A sign that shows that people are finally focusing on working on themselves. However, what is not known is whether health and fitness have become the most liked resolution because it is popular or because they actually want to see a different version of themselves. Either way, people are very keen on keeping their health in check, mentally and physically.
In terms of New Year’s resolutions for 2024, a survey conducted by Forbes Health and OnePoll with 1,000 U.S. adults revealed a notable shift in priorities. Approximately 48% of respondents identified improving fitness as their top priority, compared to 36% focusing on mental health. This is a significant change from the previous year when 45% prioritised improved mental health, and only 39% aimed for enhanced fitness.
While mental health is still a significant concern for many respondents, there is a recognition of the interconnectedness of physical and mental well-being. When asked about the importance of improving mental or physical health in the coming year, 55% expressed that both goals are equally important. Research supports this perspective, with studies indicating that physical activity can have positive effects on mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhancing mood, and improving sleep quality.
Additional popular New Year’s resolutions for 2024 from the survey include improving finances (38.2%), losing weight (33.8%), and enhancing diet (31.6%). Conversely, fewer individuals are prioritising goals such as learning a new skill (8.8%), dedicating more time to hobbies (7.1%), and increasing travel (5.9%).
What is so new about January?
Apart from the fact that it signals the rise of a new year, it is just another month. Apparently, the urge to become an entirely new version of oneself at the very start of a year is psychological. Picturing different versions of change can be exciting, but this mostly remains a dream that is not seen through to the end because either the goals are too ambitious or they lack structure. As mentioned in WebMD, the beginning of a new year serves as a cyclical marker prompting individuals to reassess and reflect on their lives, according to clinical psychologist Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, who is also a professor at New York’s Yeshiva University. This period of reflection activates hope and sets expectations for future achievements. Psychologist Mariana Strongin, PsyD, adds that the new year brings a sense of renewal, prompting people to contemplate improvements or changes they want to make.
And then there pops a question, what about the ones who are not big on New Year resolutions? Are they outcasts? No. Just because someone is not keen on having a list of goals to achieve during the first half of the year, that does not make them any less meticulous. Similarly, if you are someone who needs everything to be written down and is dedicated to having New Year’s resolutions, that does not make you over the top. Whether you wing it or do it with a plan, if at the end of the day (or year in this case) you have achieved what you wanted to, you are good to go. Pressuring someone into doing something that they are not comfortable with, or talking someone out of doing what they love is not how New Year resolutions should roll. And if someone is unable to tick off the list of resolutions they made for 2024, there is always 2025 and more. Resolutions are all fun and uplifting until they become a chore. And that is exactly what needs to be avoided.
(Sandunlekha Ekanayake)