perspectives
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The Reality of ResOLUtions
A CHANGE THAT WON’T STICK Text by ALLISON CHANG
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Art by SAMANTHA HO
ASTEBASKETS are the best Psychology Bulletin,” over 55% of New Year’s resfriends of writers and those with olutions are related to health. Approximatly 80% lofty New Year’s resolutions. of people who make New Year’s resolutions drop I wrote my first New Year’s them by the second week of February, according resolution in fifth grade, resolving to hold better to a 2019 study conducted by Strava. A 2016 posture in class. This was during a period when study by The University of Scranton also found I felt uncomfortable being taller than most of that less than 25% of Americans were still commy classmates and slouched to appear shorter. I mitted to their New Year’s resolution after 30 days, hoped my New Year’s resoand a mere 8% actually accomlution would make me more plish them. conscious of my back health. These studies show that My New Year’s But inevitably, I was not sucmaking New Year’s resolutions resolutions have cessful, and to this day, I still is a tradition that rarely works. get back pain from slouchIn our quest to change our bad also turned into a ing over my desk. Although habits or continue our good vicious cycle of my resolutions have changed practices, New Year’s resolutions over the last five years to focus are setting us up for failure. trying to catch up more on health and mental New Year’s resolutions are with the expectawell-being, my commitment designed without considering to them has not. human nature. For most peotions I set the year Between 2012 and 2018, ple, it is difficult to change a prior. I have started off every year long-term habit immediately. As by writing a long list of resmany New Year’s resolutions last olutions. But once the next for the entire year, these yearDec. 31 rolled around, I always end up with the long goals ignore the possibility of relapsing into same list, unable to cross any of the old resolutions our typical routines; Once we fall off of our goals, off and instead adding revisions. Not only are my the tendency is to quit until the new year rolls annual “to-do lists” a constant reminder of my in- around again. ability to succeed, but my New Year’s resolutions There is nothing special about beginning have also turned into a vicious cycle of trying to something new on Jan. 1. For 80% of Americans catch up with the expectations I set the year prior. who plan to start a new diet, starting a significant Over the last five years, I have done extensive lifestyle change on Jan. 1 is completely illogical — research; I have watched TEDxTalks explaining most of us are sleep-deprived and spend the bulk the “correct” process of making a New Year’s reso- of the day sleeping in. Why should we restrict ourlution and read about how to psychologically mo- selves to only change once a year? It is better to tivate myself to accomplish these goals. Yet year take the opportunity to start over at any time. after year, I have continued to fail at turning my Making New Year’s resolutions is a tradition goals into realities. whose structure promises failure. So as 2019 came My experience with the goals and tribulations to a close, I decided to stop making New Year’s of New Year’s resolutions are quite common in resolutions. Because at the end of the year, many the United States. According to a 2016 study pub- of these resolutions were only created to be later lished in science journal “Personality and Social destroyed. v
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