It is a new year, a new start. Many people start the year with the resolution to hit the gym more often, cut back on coffee or alcohol, to lose weight or be more mindful of the environment. All are admirable, but no matter how much we tell ourselves this year will be different, most people won’t succeed in their goals.
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So why do we keep trying, and why do we all make such a fuss about making a resolution we probably won’t succeed in?
According to Frederick Grouzet, a psychology professor with the University of Victoria, the answer to that question is part societal and part human nature.
“It’s something that is so natural as a human being, whenever there is a temporal landmark, to think about how things can be done differently,” said Grouzet.
“There are different reasons why we do it. It could be the need for a reset, not erase the past, but take the opportunity to start again, and there is also a cultural influence. At this time of year, everyone is talking about new year’s resolutions, it’s everywhere, which encourages people to make them.”