Now that it is the beginning of March and 2022 is in full swing, some have given up on or completely forgotten about their new year’s resolutions.

New year’s resolutions have been a tradition for centuries and according to the Almanac, the month of January was named after the two-faced Roman god, Janus. One face looked to the future and while the other looked, reflecting choices and actions once made. 

Today, resolutions reflect a person’s status, wealth, self-discipline, and responsibility, according to medical sociologists.

The estimate of the amount of people who keep their resolutions vary between psychologists. Amy Morln says that only 19% of people keep their resolutions, based on a study done at Scantron University. Another psychologist, John Norcross, claims that it is closer to 40%. Either way, it is known that lots of people struggle with maintaining long term goals.

“My new year’s resolution to be more present in the moment and to enjoy my time at home with my family,”  English teacher Amy Brown said. She is achieving this through putting time limits for certain apps on her phone.

According to Dr. Simon Sherry and his interview with Global News, a resolution is bound to fail five to 10 times before succeeding and becoming an implemented lifestyle change. The excitement of opening a new calendar and thinking about how this new year will pan out is also a contributor. It is just the human brain wanting a perfect circumstance to start reform in life.

Junior Ernesto Vela explains how he approaches his own resolutions.

“Last year I started weightlifting and working out and it was pretty rough to start; not going to lie there were so many times I wanted to give up out of aggravation,” Vela said. “But through hard work and dedication I am getting pretty strong and it made me realize hard work pays off.”

How exactly does one make a successful resolution, though? According to WebMD, using a technique called SMART is the best way to approach a resolution. The acronym stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. If a resolution hits all of these requirements, it is more likely to succeed. 

WebMD also gives some more advice on how to stay on track with your goals. Keeping a positive attitude towards your goal, anticipating that there will be challenges along the way, and reflecting on the past to look ahead are just a few of the pointers given. 

“My advice is to hold yourself accountable by telling others what you are trying to change about yourself,” Brown said.