As the calendar turns to a New Year, many of us are set on the prospect of ‘new year, new me’, thus embarking on the tradition of setting New Year’s Resolutions. These promises to ourselves are often very challenging, focussing greatly on living a healthier lifestyle, such as joining a gym, quitting smoking and healthier eating. Whether the main intent for this lifestyle change may be inherently positive, it seems quite easy to question the negative impacts that these pressures can have on us as individuals, and the main reasons behind the drastic change that is forced upon us in the New Year. Therefore, maybe it is time to reconsider the pressure we place on ourselves in January and to what extent the changes we wish to make are sustainable throughout the year? Are these resolutions effective or empty?
According to Finder.com, two in three Brits will be setting themselves New year’s resolutions in 2024, however only 20% will make it to late February. Why is this? Societal pressure definitely has a substantial impact on why we choose to take part in the year-round change, placing a considerable amount of emphasis on self-improvement and what we ‘should’ be doing. Therefore, the desire to conform to what society expects of us means we set ourselves up to fail, by creating goals which may not be suitable to fit into our lifestyle and are impossible to maintain throughout the year. Popular lifestyle as well as fitness influencers definitely have a lot to do with society’s desire to change. People like Joe Wicks, Anna Archer and Niomi Smart are all incredibly influential individuals, who promote healthier lifestyles, through advertising their workouts, to demonstrating their healthy meal alternatives. Although they possess good intentions, it can lead people to feel that they must conform to the lifestyle change, even when they may not be able to, or know truly why they are doing it. I believe the lack of questioning ‘why’ you are making the changes is therefore one of the reasons why we fail so miserably, in such a small-time frame.
The purpose of these influencers advocating for small lifestyle changes is to showcase the transformative impact of making gradual improvements throughout the year. Despite this, many individuals tend to defer these changes until January, opting for a sudden and drastic change. However, we soon realise that this is not a sustainable way of making these changes, which is why so many Brits fail. It seems that Brits are unable to make changes individually. New year’s resolutions can be traced back to Roman times when people made promises to their gods for the upcoming year. Clearly these resolutions are embedded in our culture, and so I question if it is a part of being in a group, who are all working towards self-improvement and encouraging each other, which makes it more attractive to conform solely in the New Year? Although this seems enlightening and a supportive dynamic, it essentially undermines the focus on individual growth, and instead forces you to start changing aspects of your life which may either not need changing or are not realistic. This can lead to individuals experiencing a sense of failure, as they might internalise this inability to achieve the goal, taking it overly personally, leading to frustration and disappointment.
To establish more sustainable goals during our busy student lives, particularly during the intense exam season, it’s essential to focus on gradual and effective changes throughout the year. Rather than overwhelming ourselves with ambitious resolutions, consider incorporating manageable habits like ensuring we walk ten thousand steps daily or trying out a new healthy dish each week, and incorporating it into our diet. These small adjustments not only contribute to our overall well-being but also eliminate the need for rigorous changes like a gym routine or completely cutting out food groups that we enjoy. Overall though, really ask yourself the question ‘why’? Why do we need to make any changes at all? The majority of us are only at university for three years, and therefore I would recommend stopping putting so much pressure on yourself by constantly changing aspects of your life, and instead just enjoy these years.