Setting (and Meeting) Goals

By Saffron Caudle

Towards the end of the year many of us take the time out to think about what New Year ’ s resolution we ’d like to make, but have you ever wondered where the tradition began? Some 4,000 years ago, Babylonians acknowledged their new year with an 11-day festival in March, and ancient Egyptians celebrated the advent of their new calendar during the Nile River's annual flood. By 46 B.C., Roman emperor Julius Caesar had moved the first day of the year to January 1, in honor of the Roman god of beginnings, Janus. The origin of making New Year's resolutions rests with the Babylonians, who reportedly made promises to the gods in hopes they'd earn good favor and resolve debt in the coming year.

With so many people making resolutions, what are some good tips on keeping them? Turns out, simply wanting to make changes is not enough; you need to make them stick. One way to do this is to share your resolution with others. When you keep resolutions a secret, no one is going to check up on you. You're only accountable to yourself. In addition, don't overwhelm yourself with a list of "to-do's. " Stick to a few (or even just one) specific goals that are challenging, but manageable. Overly ambitious goals can drain a person's confidence when they're not met. Build on small, observable victories and possibly achieve bigger goals down the line. Don't try and do everything at once; take things on one at a time. Finally, monitor your progress. If your resolution is to exercise more, start slow by taking walks around your neighborhood. If it's to save money, begin keeping a log of where you spend your funds. Monitoring those few goals you set will dramatically improve your success rate.

Whatever your New Year goals, give yourself some time to make them a reality. While most people believe that new habits can be formed in 21 days, new research is suggesting we may actually need an average of 66 days to do something different and stick with it. I wish everyone the best of luck with your New Year ’ s resolutions this year!!