#new-years-resolutions

#new-years-resolutions

The dates don't matter, I wanted to say. It's the 31-day stretch that's important you could do it whenever. But of course this is wrong: we reserve these privations for January on purpose. Despite, or perhaps because of the month's prodigious capacity to disappoint, we go out of our way to make January hard on ourselves. It starts with the tremendously misleading idea of a clean slate.

Then life happens, and suddenly it's June and you can't recall what your resolutions even were. But it doesn't have to be that way. Sometimes the problem isn't a lack of motivation but rather a lack of tools, the kind that can make those goals feel more manageable and easier to achieve. After all, the right gear can help turn good intentions into habits that actually last.

If New Yorkers are known for anything, it's our intensity. Which means this time of year is a real push-pull between the ways we all deal with city life and our perpetual quest for self-improvement (for at least the first few weeks of every new year). And that energy is clearly carrying over into our resolutions, according to a new analysis of Google Search Trends by BetMGM Casino.

January often arrives with a whirlwind of activity, from putting away holiday decorations and returning to work, compounded by the pressure of New Year's resolutions. This first week can feel challenging. However, by taking a moment to gather the right resources, it transforms into an ideal time to strategically map out the months ahead. My past approach involved stressing over starting super strong, precisely on January 1st.

If you want to be more successful with holding onto a positive goal change, current research reports the key will be goal adaptation. Goal adaptation, also known as goal flexibility, refers to the ability to view setbacks with patience and kindness. Approaching your New Year resolution this way allows for wiggle-room, so adjustments can be made to your desired outcome. Goal flexibility also leads to greater feelings of success and well-being.

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products. If you want to get active, organized or more fit in the new year, it never hurts to have the right equipment to help you stay focused.

I'm just going to come right out and say it: I loathe New Year's resolutions. I loathe them, but I still find myself blindly partaking in the charade like everyone else. It's as though a firing gun has somehow started, and January becomes a month of chastisement, intent and ascetic behaviour. "Right, it's time to fix absolutely EVERYTHING!" January announces.

They celebrated the start of January by giving offerings to the month's namesake, Janus - the two-faced god of beginnings and endings - and auspicious gifts (like twigs from sacred trees) to their loved ones. "It was a day to make promises and offerings," McCrossen says. "I think that's the origin of our New Year's resolution, because a resolution is a kind of promise."

Social-media influencers push self-improvement trends year-round: The spring has " glow up" challenges, as does the summer. Soon after, the high-discipline " Great Lock-In Challenge" and " Winter Arc" videos begin, many of them urging people to get ahead of the "new year, new me" crowd. Or you can attempt a slew of other self-betterment regimens, whenever the spirit calls.

Like elsewhere in the world, New Year's resolutions in Germany are a bit like astrology, in the sense that some people take this very seriously, while others might be sarcastic about the whole concept but in the end, it's a great topic for small talk, as everyone has their own very special opinion on the matter. Most people know, of course, that it's also part of the tradition to abandon any New Year's self-improvement plan within the first weeks of January.