The ancient Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions over 4,000 years ago. Much of the entire population participated in this phenomenon. Today, not only has our calendar changed, but the opinions regarding resolutions have significantly changed. A large group of people commit themselves to resolutions, creating vision boards and encouraging themselves to follow a new lifestyle. Others remain neutral on the discussion of resolutions. Then, on the far end of the spectrum, many despise the popular idea of “new year, new me,” instead insisting that an individual should not wait until a new year to implement new habits into their life. We asked Grier students their views on this popular tradition and found that like the rest of the world, there are plenty of differing opinions.
When asked if they had opinions on New Year’s resolutions, Lucy Buchanan, ‘26, and Rebecca Lucy, ‘27, both replied saying yes. “I don’t have strong opinions, but I have opinions,” said Lucy Buchanan. “I think they are beneficial when it comes down to marking a new start of a person’s life.”
Rebecca Lucy said, “I like the idea of them but dislike that people wait until a new year to begin something new.” She believes, like many, that a person can decide to change their life any day of the year.
Lucy Buchanan does not participate in New Years through resolutions, however, she used to. The decision to stop resolutions was made after realizing they held little importance in her life. “I mean, my resolutions had always been invaluable to me when I did them,” she said. “I would say it to fit in, but it didn‘t mean much in my own life.”
While resolutions do not fit into her life at the moment, Buchanan says she plans to re-implement them when she’s older. Additionally, Buchanan shared an interesting take on New Year’s resolutions regarding the economic state of the world. After describing herself as an “opinionated person” and taking AP Micro Economics, she said that in the absence of resolutions, “the YMCA stocks would plummet.” Beyond predictions of a potential disbandment of New Year‘s resolutions and turmoil for YMCA stockholders if people stopped flooding the gym in January, Buchanan’s insights remind readers that it is okay to not have a resolution, and that prioritizing one’s self can appear in different ways.
Rebecca Lucy has her own notebook that she made a few days before the new year. As a multi-sport athlete, her athletic goals take forefront in her life, in combination with her academics. She views her resolutions as a promise to herself. Just as she wouldn’t break a promise to her friends, she wouldn’t break a promise to herself. “I was successful and would have been upset with myself if not because it was a promise I made to myself,” Rebecca Lucy said. “I don’t break promises to other people, so why would I break a promise to myself?”
This is a beautiful perspective, and an interesting way to look at resolutions. If a person is up for a challenge, they can regard their resolution as a promise to themself. Not only will they complete their resolution, but also grow in their self-trust and confidence.
If a person is looking to transform their life, they have the power to do so. January 1st can be a perfect opportunity to implement life-changing practices. This can be going to the gym more often, or it can be smiling at strangers in public. Everyone’s story is different, and no resolution holds greater value than another.
New Year’s resolutions can be a wonderful thing, but at the same time, a person should never feel pressured to make drastic changes in their life. It’s okay to relax, take it slow, or even remain the exact same. Society can inflect surpluses of pressure onto people. If resolutions are not your thing, that’s okay, and you are not falling behind. A quote that I value in my life, which is also my computer background, is “your direction is more important than your speed.” This new year, I encourage everyone to direct their life toward positivity and find their own path to being their best selves.
