The Beauty of New Year’s Resolutions for 2021

A New Year’s resolution is, simply put, a promise that a person makes to themselves for the new year. Regardless of what resolutions they commit to, the ultimate goal is to improve life in the coming year.

Is this a habit you practice at the end of each December?

Resolutions come in many forms, darling. You might consider making the promise to improve your diet, incorporate more exercise into your daily routine, volunteer out in your community, or even switch all your beauty products over to clean, animal-friendly choices.

No matter what you choose, there is such beauty in the process. The conscious choice to make a promise to oneself has deep roots in history.

Did You Know…

The tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates all the way back to 153 B.C. January is named after Janus, a mythical god of early Rome.

Janus had two faces — one looking forward and the other looking back — which allowed him to look back on the past as well as forward towards the future.

On December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking backward into the year and forward into the new year, which became a symbolic time for the Romans to make their resolutions and forgive enemies for troubles in their past.

In addition, the Romans believed Janus could forgive them for their wrongdoings in the previous year, so they would give him gifts and make him promises with the hope that Janus would recognize their kindness and bless them in the coming year.

And that is how the New Year’s resolution was born! Isn’t it amazing that you’ve likely made resolutions for many years without ever having heard that story?

How to Make Resolutions You Can Actually Stick To

But while many of us have surely made New Year’s resolutions in the past, it’s likely that very few of us have actually kept our promises to ourselves all year long.

Are you guilty of this too? 

Here’s how to make the most of your promises…

Make resolutions (or goals) that you want to accomplish over a short period of time and others that could take longer to achieve. Goal setting is an important practice, so set some, write them down, and then tell your friends about them. This will help hold you accountable!

Speaking of friends, ask friends and family members about New Year’s resolutions they’ve made in the past. Which ones have they kept successfully and which ones were more of a challenge to carry through until December? Ask their advice on how they keep their promises to themselves.

New Year’s resolutions are a chance to think deeply about your hopes and dreams for the new year. Make a list of all your resolutions and revisit them each month for a self-check-in. What could you be doing better?

And finally, be encouraging when you notice someone struggling to maintain their resolutions and celebrate when you notice others succeeding! Because that’s the true beauty of New Year’s resolutions… to come together as a community and embrace your successes, as well as your failures and what you can learn from them, alongside those you love.

Comment Your New Year’s Resolutions Below!

I want to hear all of your New Year’s resolutions! Please share your thoughts in the comments section below! I can’t wait to hear all your lovely plans and goals.