The New Year is a ritualistic benchmark that people for centuries have used to better themselves. Over the years of mankind’s existence the tradition has become known as a New Year’s resolution. According to Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance, New Year’s resolutions are most commonly found in the western hemisphere but our promises for the new year did not originate on our side of the globe.

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The New Year was actually almost a religious holiday for many different groups. For example, the Babylonians were some of the first to participate in the betterment of themselves during this time of reflection. Christians associate this time with Lent and watch night services.  During Judaism's New Year, Rosh Hashanah, through the High Holidays and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), it is designated time to reflect upon wrongdoings over the year and to seek and offer forgiveness. New Year’s resolutions were derived from many religious beliefs in the betterment of society. As years passed, these resolutions became more of a personal goal rather than a religious promise to one’s deity.

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The Babylonians’ resolutions were limited to returning borrowed items and paying off their debt. Now a days New Year’s has expanded their resolutions to basically anything. Some of the most popular resolutions include getting healthy or fit, getting organized, living life to the fullest, and learning a new hobby. Many of these resolutions pop up every year on the most common list. Why? Because we are terrible at seeing them through. Many people choose very broad improvements in their lives like mentioned above- live life to the fullest. This is a great idea for a resolution but it is a tough one to tackle and to know where to start. Getting healthy also is a very open ended resolution that many people make. What does that mean...exercise, eating healthy, stop smoking cigarettes, the world may never know. I think the true problem within our society and the New Year’s promises we make to ourselves is there is no plan whatsoever. It is like we are on a treasure hunt with no map. We expect to get these great rewards by telling ourselves on the 1st of every year that this is the year I do it (whatever it may be), but rarely do we physically do something about it.

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This year let us put more thought into achieving our resolutions rather than setting them. Simple is not necessarily a bad thing. To change one’s life is a process not just a goal we set for ourselves on New Year’s that slowly fades away as months pass. To truly change takes small steps that amount into a large step. So many people jump to pursue something when it is seemingly impossible without a treasure map. Make a treasure map and hopefully you find your gold by next year.