Happy New Year, dear nookers! As the Lunar New Year has yet to arrive, I think it’s quite all right to say it on the first of February.
With the new year freshly unraveled, we began this familiar tradition when we utter little promises we seldom keep: New Year’s resolutions. Historically and personally, I’ve never made them. I prefer not to lie to myself, but rather choose to live life one day at a time.
However, thanks to Ti-Fred, I find myself recalling the only time I tried. Surprisingly, the memory of that day is as clear as if it were yesterday.
I was standing there, clad in my unflattering orange uniform (not prison-issued, simply inspired), staring at a pinboard. A question stared back at me. My classmates, for the most part, had answered, some with genuine enthusiasm, others with feigned passion: What are your resolutions for 2011?
I had no clue, nor did I care to fashion any. But I couldn’t admit that to my teacher, Mrs Rousseau. She had an uncanny ability to look at you with such disapproving eyes that you felt like you failed at most things. So, like the dutiful student I was, I wrote something to satisfy her and maybe, subconsciously, myself.
“This year, I’ll work on bettering my relationship with my sister.”
Mrs. Rousseau cooed approvingly behind me. I, on the other hand, was struck by my words. It was true that my sister and I weren’t close, but did I want a better relationship with her? I didn’t know.
It’s now 2026, thus 15 years later. That resolution, albeit forced out of me, is still unresolved….
But you know what they say, better late than never.
So, why do millions of people worldwide think it is appropriate to set goals for themselves at the turn of the year?
As much as it feels like a modern trend, it surprisingly isn’t. According to National Geographic, New Year’s Resolutions date as far back as the ancient Babylonians. Unlike today, however, the new year was a time devoted to the gods, where they promised to repay their debts in exchange for a bountiful harvest.
Throughout the centuries, these traditions evolved. When Julius Caesar gave us the Roman calendar, he established January 1st, and with this, New Year’s Resolutions were cemented in our history.
As it remains true for the world, the traditions have changed over time and spread throughout many religions and many places. Today, we mostly make promises to ourselves rather than spirits, deities, or gods. So in that same spirit, let’s promise to expand our minds for the year 2026.