The Enduring Tradition of New Year’s Resolutions | Pebble Hypnotherapy

The Enduring Tradition of New Year’s Resolutions | Pebble Hypnotherapy

As we start a new year, many of us feel compelled to set ourselves new goals, embark on fresh starts, and reflect on how we can reach our goals in the twelve months ahead. But whether you’re doing this or not, have you ever wondered where this tradition of making New Year’s resolutions actually began?

The roots of the custom go back nearly 4,000 years, to the time of the Babylonians. Their new year began in March, marked by a festival called ‘Akitu’. During this time, Babylonians made promises to their gods, such as repaying debts or returning borrowed items in the hope of earning favour for the year to come.

The Romans later shifted the start of the new year to 1st January, aligning it with Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions. Janus has two faces, looked both forward and back—symbolising reflection on the past and anticipation for the future. On this day, Romans would offer sacrifices and make promises to improve their conduct in the coming year.

Fast forward to the early 1900s, and New Year’s resolutions had taken on a more spiritual tone. People pledged to strengthen their moral character, work harder, and exercise greater self-control, particularly in resisting earthly temptations.

In our modern era, the focus has shifted more towards personal development and self-improvement, now resolutions often revolve around goals like losing weight, getting fit, or boosting our finances.

Recent research from YouGov found that one in five people in the UK plan to make New Year’s resolutions for 2026. The most popular aims? Nearly a quarter want to get fit or exercise more, 17% hope to lose weight, and 11% aim to eat more healthily. Others mention a general desire to ‘be more healthy’.

Financial goals are also high on the list, with 7% wanting to save more or spend less, and 4% seeking to improve their money management. For some, resolutions focus on personal growth, with 5% determined to become better people or improve their attitudes, 4% hoping to spend more quality time with loved ones, and another 4% looking to find a new job or change careers.

The key to setting good goals is to make them aspirational and yet attainable at the same time — something you want to work towards and can honestly see yourself achieving. It’s also a good idea to pick a goal that can be broken down into small steps, that way the task ahead isn’t so daunting and challenges are much easier to overcome. This is where Hypnotherapy can help; the support offered by working with a hypnotherapist can help individuals reinforce positive behaviours, overcome limiting beliefs, and maintain motivation—making it easier to stick to resolutions and achieve lasting change, to break old habits and adopt new ones, whether the goal is to improve health, develop confidence, or make other meaningful life changes.

Whatever your hopes for the new year, it’s clear that the tradition of setting resolutions has stood the test of time. Whatever your goals and plans, looking forward—with a nod to the lessons of the past—remains as relevant today as it ever was.

Candy x

Pebble Hypnotherapy