As we stand on the threshold of a new year, the pursuit of meaningful goals may take center stage as we look back on the past year and look forward to the New Year. Balancing the demands of family, work, church and community commitments, we often find ourselves resolving to make changes that will result in some kind of positive change.
Whether officially making resolutions and setting goals or quietly resolving to change something about ourselves or our lives, many of us enter the New Year with dreams, hopes, aspirations, or intentions. Some boldly declare these as resolutions, while others quietly commit to working towards them. For some, it's a vague, unspoken hope that the coming year will just be better than the last.
Like many other people, you’ve decided to make New Year’s resolutions because you know there are things you’re unhappy with in your life. ~Thibaut Meurisse, New Year’s Resolutions Made Simple
In Canada and the US, surveys suggest that only about 3 out of 10 people officially set resolutions.
According to a 2020 New Plates/Ipso survey in the U.S., younger adults were much more likely to set resolutions (59%) than those older than 55 (19%). Parents with kids living at home were more likely to do so (54% versus 33% of those without kids).
The Changing Trends in Resolutions
In a previous post, I noted that in recent years, resolutions to strengthen one’s character, to be more "religious," or to focus on spiritual growth all but disappeared in the 21st century. This was confirmed by a YouGov survey conducted in Canada in 2019.
In 2022, a poll indicated that just over 14% of Canadians said they didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions at all. Of those who did make resolutions, 22.3% of Canadians were going to focus on their financial goals like saving money, investing, budgeting and/or paying off debt in the new year. Others said they planned to advance their careers (6.6%), improve their relationships (5.3%), travel (4.9%), learn new skills (3.9%), break bad habits (3.7%) and work on spiritual growth (2.9%).
A new survey from Forbes Health/OnePoll of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted in October, 2023 looked at Americans’ attitudes surrounding resolution setting and what types of goals were prioritized.
Interestingly, this survey highlighted that the New Year’s resolution for 2024 most commonly selected was fitness, which contrasts with findings from the previous year. The previous survey in 2022 showed that many people were prioritizing their mental health, rather than their physical health, in their resolutions for 2023.
Of those who responded to the survey, 62% said they felt pressured to set a New Year's resolution, with women (64%) feeling slightly more pressured than men (60%).
Of those setting goals for 2024, 45.5% reported having as many as three goals.
The Lifespan of a New Year's Resolution
If you're one of those who set ambitious goals for the new year only to lose motivation a few months (or weeks) down the line, you're not alone.
The Forbes Health/One Poll survey found that the average resolution lasts just 3.74 months.
Author Unknown
“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.”
According to an Ipsos study, 78% of Canadians reported that they failed to keep all or part of their past resolutions. Just two in ten Canadians (22%) had managed to keep all their resolutions in the past.
Why Don't We Stick to Our Resolve?
Imagine Meg, a busy Christian mom of five young and adolescent children, whom you saw last at a New Year's Eve party. You recall that she enthusiastically shared with you a resolution to deepen her involvement in community outreach through her church. Fast forward to June, and you meet her in an elevator.
You: Hey Meg, how's it going? The last time we talked was at the New Year's Eve party at your place. I remember you really wanted to get more involved in community outreach with your church. I was excited for you, listening to you share your New Year's resolution."
Meg: "Hey! Oh, you know how it goes, busy as ever! So, about that community outreach resolution... well, it's been a bit of a challenge. With the kids' school activities, church events, and just the day-to-day chaos, finding time has been tough. I did manage to volunteer at a couple of events, but it's not as consistent as I hoped. Life just gets in the way sometimes, you know? I'm still trying, though. Maybe when the kids are a bit older, it'll be easier."
You: "That's too bad. I remember you were so excited and you had read some books about prioritizing your goals and aligning them with your core values. I'm curious why that didn't work for you?"
Meg: "Yeah, I remember that New Year's enthusiasm. You know, life just kind of took over. It's hard to stick to the plan when unexpected things pop up all the time. The kids had more activities than I anticipated, my husband's work got busier and, well, it's just a small business with a few employees, but I do the office work, I order supplies, do the invoicing and billing, the payroll and accounts and bookkeeping... and, to be honest, some days I'm just too tired to do much else. I did feel really guilty the other day when the outreach ministry team put out a call for help, and I really felt I had to say yes... but it's like there's always something demanding my attention. We had a sermon the other day about giving more, and I feel like I need to pick up a few more shifts in the hospital. I only work very part-time, but life with five kids is unpredictable, and balancing everything can be a real juggling act."
Alicia Brent, Resolutions & Reflections for the New Year
“You may know them under their more usual name of New Year Resolutions (the capitals show how important they are!); you may also be familiar with the realisation, by the end of January, that you have either forgotten what you had resolved because the list was too long and you’ve mislaid the paper it was jotted on, or that those you do remember were simply unmanageable!
If you always do what you’ve always done, you Always get...better results?
We can all relate to Meg's challenges. Well, apparently, there's some hope for us. We're told (by someone who has it all sorted out?) that the beauty of goal setting is that you can recommit to your resolutions at any time. June 1st is unofficially known by many as “New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day,” giving us another chance to hit the reset button.
But, there's a saying: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always gotten.” (attributed to Henry Ford, Jessie Potter, Tony Robbins, and others)
Meg might commit to the same goal in June with the same sense of excitement and renewed optimism. If she uses the same approach or if it remains an intention or vague hope, it's highly likely that by the next New Year's Eve party in December, you'll experience a sense of déjà vu when talking to her. And Meg might well experience a sense of disappointment and failure.
Wrapping Up: Turning a Fresh Page - Who Writes It?
The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals. ~Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go
The New Year brings a lot of excitement and fresh motivation to many people who make resolutions for themselves. Some people set loud and clear goals, while others keep their resolutions quiet and private. However, not all resolutions are easy to keep, and many fizzle out after a while. Sometimes, our busy lives, unexpected events, or the reality of our circumstances prevent us from achieving our goals.
How can we make our resolutions last longer and turn them into real changes?
And then, as Christians, we might ask: As we turn the page for a fresh start, is the page or the book called 2024 ours to write?
We might have other questions, such as:
- Is it selfish or right to make New Year's resolutions for improving my life or self-improvement?
- How can my goals serve others and contribute to the well-being of my church and community?
- How can I ensure that my resolutions align with my priorities as a Christian, including family, church, and spiritual practices?
- What adjustments might I need to make to maintain a healthy balance between personal goals and commitments to others?
- How can my resolutions reflect an understanding of God's grace and my dependence on Him for strength and guidance?
- How do my goals contribute to my eternal perspective and focus on heavenly priorities?
In my next post, I'll examine how we might take a Christian approach to New Year's resolutions and goal setting. We'll explore how societal trends can subconsciously influence our goals, hopes, dreams and aspirations, and how Christians may struggle with balancing wants and shoulds, needs and obligations. I'll explore the standard advice given to Christians, and I just might offer a unique perspective or surprising twist to how we can approach this topic.
Until then, stay curious.
Resources Referenced
Ballard, Jamie. (Jan. 02, 2020). Exercising more and saving money are the most popular 2020 New Year’s Resolutions. YouGov US. Accessed Dec. 26, 2023 at https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/27111-new-years-resolutions-2020-health-finance?redirect_from=%2Ftopics%2Flifestyle%2Farticles-reports%2F2020%2F01%2F02%2Fnew-years-resolutions-2020-health-finance
Bruce, Graeme. (Jan. 03, 2020). The most popular resolutions among Canadians. YouGov US. Accessed Dec. 26, 2023 at https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/27128-canada-new-year-resolutions?redirect_from=%2Ftopics%2Fsociety%2Farticles-reports%2F2020%2F01%2F03%2Fcanada-new-year-resolutions
Clarkson, Claire. (Dec. 31, 2022). These are Canadians’ New Year’s Resolutions for 2023 and why they might fail. Canada Today. Accessed Dec. 26, 2023 at https://canadatoday.news/ca/these-are-canadians-new-years-resolutions-for-2023-and-why-they-might-fail-209150/
Davis, Sarah. Dec. 18, 2023). New Year’s Resolutions Statistics 2024. Accessed Dec. 26, 2023 at https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-years-resolutions-statistics/
Ipsos Public Poll Findings and Methodology. Accessed Dec. 26, 2023 at https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2020-12/urban_plates_-_nyr_survey_key_findings_12-8-2020.pdf
(Dec. 21, 2010). Canadians Quick to Make New Year's Resolutions, But Slow to See Them Through. Ipsos Reid Canada. Accessed Dec. 26, 2023 at https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/canadians-quick-make-new-years-resolutions-slow-see-them-through
