The year passes by and we sit to promise ourselves to learn from old mistakes and make resolutions to being anew on New Year. “This year I’ll work towards eating out less.” “I’ll quit smoking”. “I’ll save money from my salary and invest properly to secure my future.”

Year after year, we make such commitments with regard to a habit or lifestyle that we wish to bring changes into, on New Year’s Day. And we hope to remain committed till the set goal has been achieved. The idea behind is to leave some old habits to start fresh in the New Year.

Surveys of contemporary New Year’s resolution show health-related goals top the charts every year. This includes pledges to lose weight, exercise more, and quit smoking. A close second are financial resolutions, such as plans to increase savings, conquer debt, and avoid excessive spending. Rounding out any list of today’s common New Year’s resolutions are those pertaining to relationships with friends, family members, trying to be more patient with co-workers, and striving toward better communication skills.

The tradition of taking a resolution at New Year’s Day and fulfilling it in the coming year dates back to the early Babylonians. They believed that what a person does on the first day of the New Year will affect him or her throughout the year. The Babylonian’s most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

The Romans associated the New Year’s resolution with their mythical two-faced king Janus as they believed Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. That is why he became the ancient symbol for resolutions. As a result Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

Even the Chinese New Year, which falls around late January, has seen many moons. Among the several customs associated with the Chinese, the New Year resolution is housecleaning. This continues in the list as one of the most common New Year’s resolutions worldwide.

This year, with the situation of global economic recession breeding insecurity in financial and human relations, and the recent terror attack on Mumbai waking us from the slumber to stand united, the list is also undergoing a change.

According to a recent survey conducted by a website, myGoals.com, the percentage of New Year’s resolutions, which focus on family and finance, should be going up. Similarly, Business Today’s latest list includes a new and unique resolution, “fighting terror”.

The list may be endless, as it varies from person to person and from children to grandparents. Following the Julian and Gregorian calendars based on the movement of sun, January 1 has been universally recognised as the New Year’s Day and we, like others around the globe, practice the universal tradition of making and breaking the New Year’s Resolutions. The countdown has begun.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

Published in merinews.com
Let’s begin anew by Deeya Nayar-Nambiar