New Year's resolutions

Ringing in a new year comes with a lot of excitement, anticipation and, of course, a whole lot of promises and announcements.

While most individuals do an introspection, look back to the passing year and take certain vows with the intention of making life better, governments, authorities and leaders on their part make various announcements with the intention of making the new year more fruitful and productive. A New Year's resolution is a decision to do or not do something to accomplish a personal goal or break a habit. It comes at a time when people look back at the past year and make an effort to improve themselves as the New Year begins. The tradition of making New Year's resolutions is said to have began in Rome during the reign of Julius Caesar. At that time, New Year's resolutions were of a moral nature, such as being kind to others. Psychologists, while trying to analyse the various New Year resolutions people make, have tried to come to a consensus that by making such resolutions and promises, most people want a second chance to improve the quality of their lives. According to well-known US-based mind-body coach, life coach, and mindfulness expert Dennis P Buttimer, the New Year offers a blank slate — an opportunity to get things right. When one makes New Year resolutions, one utilizes a very important concept called self-efficacy, which means that by virtue of aspiring to a goal and following through on it, one has a sense of control over what's happening in one's life. Psychologists have also stated that when a person makes a resolution and begins to follow through on it, one triggers a very powerful neuro-hormone in the brain known as dopamine. This dopamine contributes towards controlling the brain's reward and pleasure centres and regulates emotional responses. But then, psychologists have also confirmed that though dopamine levels are high as one sets out to accomplish one's resolution, they eventually drop. Moreover, if one does not have a structure in place to keep oneself motivated, the behaviour one is engaging in will tend to trail off, they have warned. Thus, while a New Year's resolution is a great motivator, breaking a resolution on the other hand can cause some people to doubt themselves, which in turn will ultimately stop working toward their goals. Tracy Bower, author of a well-known book called 'The Secrets to Happiness at Work', has in an article in Forbes magazine sometime back said that while many people make New Year's resolutions, it is common that the majority also fail to achieve them. But then, Bower's suggestion is that making resolutions is still a good idea because it has plenty of positive effects in the minds of people. Studies have shown that the most popular New Year's resolutions are about self-improvement. A break-up analysis of the resolutions say that while living healthier has been the most popular New Year's resolution in the past few years with 23 per cent of people making it, getting happy resolutions come second (21 per cent), and losing weight third (20 per cent), followed by exercising (7 per cent), stopping smoking (5 per cent), and reducing drinking (2 per cent). In addition to these, a sizable section of people (about 16 per cent) resolve to meet career or job goals, while another about 11 per cent resolve to improve their relationships. It is not known exactly how many people finally manage to accomplish their resolutions. It is also not known whether any such study has been carried out in India to analyse New Year resolutions. But one US data analysis suggests that while about one-fourths of Americans make New Year resolutions, and while most people (about 20 per cent) think they will be able to accomplish them, the fact remains that only about 8 per cent of them have admitted that they have been able to actually accomplish their resolutions. The best thing about New Year resolutions, as most Western psychologists have suggested, is that they work as a key to improvement, provided one is honest about the intention behind such resolutions. It has been said that being honest with oneself about one's current condition, and being intentional about how one wants to grow and develop, will help one reach one's goals and achieve the results. This intentionality will also contribute to one's happiness and fulfillment. New Year resolutions, it has been pointed out, makes a positive contribution to one's emotional and mental well-being when one moves forward with a clear direction towards accomplishing the resolutions. The best quote, whose author unfortunately has remained unknown so far, is – "Every year you make a resolution to change yourself. This year, make a resolution to be yourself." But then, the "better than the best" quote is attributed to Alfred Lord Tennyson, who had said, "Ring out the false, ring in the true."