Every year, New Year’s rolls around and millions of people make New Year’s resolutions right when the clock strikes midnight, hoping to spark a positive change in their lives. 

Students strive to stay true to New Year’s resolutions

Students’ New Year's traditions change due to pandemic

Students work for change in the new year

There are recurring themes each year of resolutions each person makes. Some themes include a more active approach to health and fitness, improved finances and learning new things for personal and professional development. 

According to Statista’s Global Consumer Survey, 39% of U.S. adults will have made New Year’s resolutions for 2022. Reviewing the most common resolutions, health is a clear thread running through most of them. “Almost half said they wanted to exercise more in 2022, while eating healthier and losing weight were also the choice of four in 10 respondents,” data journalist Martin Armstrong reported.

Looking at the resolutions for 2022, it’s clear that both mental and physical well-being are still at the top of the list for a significant numbers of people. Due to the global health pandemic and lockdowns, it is no surprise that mental and physical health remain society’s top priorities.

According to Country Living, there are 10 New Year’s resolutions most people tend to have in common. The top 10 New Year’s resolutions for 2022 are to: lose weight, eat healthier or change diet, get fitter and take more exercise, spend more time with family and friends, be more aware and take care of mental health, sort out finances and cut back spending, travel more, take up a new hobby, sport or other interest, be more environmentally friendly, and look for a new job.

One in five people share they want to spend less of their time on social media. However only 46% of people who made New Year’s resolutions were successful.

GoSkills has provided 10 ways to follow through with your New Year’s resolutions. These include: mentally preparing for change, setting a goal that motivates you, limiting resolutions to a manageable amount, being specific, breaking up big goals into smaller goals, writing down your goals, sharing your resolutions with others, automating where possible, reviewing your resolution regularly and if you fall off track, get back on quick.

Junior Jessica Winson had several New Year’s resolutions this year. Her main resolution was to begin to “journal every day so I can look back on the year and reflect and it’s also a really good way to think about what’s happened in the day and be able to say anything you want,” Winson said. 

Winson has begun a strong start to achieve her resolutions. “Journaling is the last thing I do before going to sleep so I just keep my journal on my bed and I write one page before sleeping,” Winson said.

It is important to keep upbeat with your new resolution, so you can use that positive association with last year’s accomplishments to remind you of those good feelings when you are feeling challenged. It is also important to make sure the goal you set is important to you and only you and that there is value or benefit for you in achieving the goal.