Are New Year’s resolutions helpful or harmful? The new year provides a perfect blank slate to create a new goal, but is it worth it? In a recent study done by Forbes Health, they determined that 36% of people in the United States make a new year’s resolution. Even with New Year’s Resolutions popularity, it’s estimated that only 20% last longer than 6 months.
So, are resolutions even worth making if they are likely to fail?
Most experts say yes. At the very least resolutions allow you to evaluate where you are at in your life and what you want to change. The new year can provide a fresh start many people need to start making a change. Forbes’ article by Tracy Brower “4 Reasons to Make New Year’s Resolutions (Even If You Don’t Keep Them)” concluded that even if your resolution fails, realizing you need to make a change in your life is worthwhile.
We asked some of our team members in Birmingham whether or not they will be making a resolution and most will not. Bree Hall, the Assistant Manager at the Greystone Taco Bell said that she thinks resolutions are good for some people but they are not for her. She sees the benefit in having a new year to make a change in one’s life but does not need to make any changes right now. Our team members at the Highway 280 Taco Bell had the same feelings and stated they would not be making any resolutions for the new year.
Janice Crump, Area Coach of both of the Taco Bells we interviewed, stated that resolutions are helpful but can sometimes be too daunting to stick with through the year. Instead, she recommends making smaller changes throughout the year. Janice is making the resolution this year to be better at planning so she can better achieve her goals. Janice’s advice for keeping your resolution is breaking down your goal into “bite-size” pieces that will help you achieve your big goal in the end.
Area Director Carrie Brown agrees that resolutions are for the most part helpful. Carrie said the new year gives you a chance to reflect and refocus on yourself and what you want to change. Carrie’s resolution in the new year is simple: to be better than she was in 2023 and help serve her team so they can achieve their goals as well. Carrie’s advice to those making resolutions is “Do what makes you happy and be kind to yourself. Remember it takes 21 days to build a habit, so one bad day doesn’t break your habit or set you back on your goal.”
So, if you decide to make a new year’s resolution here are some tips from Cultivating Health on sticking with it the entire year:
First, it is recommended to be SPECIFIC with your goals. Writing down attainable goals can lead to big results. Creating a resolution like “lose weight” can be too broad and daunting for some people, so instead try to think through your goals and come up with something more specific. A good example would be to try to “lose 5 pounds a month” instead. Having a realistic goal that you can track the progress of helps you stay with your goal.
Another helpful tip we have found is writing down a PLAN of action to accomplish your resolution. The sixth most popular resolution according to Forbes Health is to make more time for loved ones. A good way to plan this resolution would be to schedule family dinners or call a friend driving home from work once a week! You are more likely to succeed in your resolution if you have a plan to achieve it.
The last piece of advice we have is to be patient with yourself. As Carrie reminded us, habits are not formed overnight. Give yourself time for your changes to turn into habits and have results. A common mistake people make is giving up after not sticking to their resolutions. Mistakes are normal so instead of slipping into that failure use it as a stepping stone to move forward!
Will you be making a resolution for 2024? Please share them with us and we can recognize your achievements throughout the year!
Sources
Davis, Sarah. Hall, Alena. “New Year’s Resolutions Statistics 2024.” Forbes Health, Updated December 18, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-years-resolutions-statistics/. Accessed November 2023.
Brower, Tracy. “4 Reasons To Make New Year’s Resolutions (Even If You Don’t Keep Them).” Forbes, December 31, 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/12/31/4-reasons-to-make-new-years-resolutions-even-if-you-dont-keep-them/?sh=25335b2b66a1. Accessed November 2023.
“7 Tips to Keep your New Years Resolution.” Cultivating Health, December 28, 2022. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/7-tips-to-keep-your-new-years-resolution/2022/12. Accessed November 2023.
