Garth Rattray | What’s your New Year’s resolution?

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? It is estimated that [globally] about 38 per cent of adults make New Year’s resolutions. People make New Year’s resolutions in the hope of transforming their lives in a positive way. Very few people only make one resolution, the vast majority makes multiple resolutions.

The most popular resolutions are to lose weight (mostly set by females), to eat healthier, to exercise, to earn more, to spend less, to save more money, and to spend quality time with family and friends. There is jostling between resolving to exercise, to eat healthier, to lose weight, and to manage finances better for the number one spot. However, interestingly, recently, at the beginning of 2023 many people also resolved to improve their mental health. It is good that people are coming to the realisation that mental health is an essential part of their lives. The resolution to improve their mental health was most popular among the 18 to 41 age group. Apparently, they are the most stressed out, and perhaps also the most aware.

There are several other resolutions, they include the need to reduce the use of bad habit-forming practices (like smoking and drinking alcohol), to learn a new skill, to get a hobby, to work more efficiently, to travel more, to become a vegetarian/vegan, to sleep better, and to spend less time on social media.

DETERMINATION

When it comes to determination, 86 per cent of men feel confident that they will stick to their goals, while only 79 per cent of women share that confidence. Despite the very best of intentions, only about nine per cent of people are mostly successful in keeping their resolutions, and only five per cent of people are 100 per cent successful in keeping their resolutions. However, when it comes to keeping their resolution to exercise, 48 per cent are likely to do so!

By as early as the end of the first week in January, approximately 23 per cent of people give up on their resolutions, and, because most people quit by the second Friday in January, it is called ‘quitters’ day’. In fact, 80 per cent of people fail to keep their resolutions by February, and, sad to say that resolutions are usually long forgotten by mid-March.

Obviously, making New Year’s resolutions are often a waste of time. This is because people are so hopeful of improving themselves that they think too big and set unrealistic goals. We also don’t stop to seriously consider why we want to make those resolutions. Additionally, because these goals are set during the excitement of the New Year, when the excitement of the New Year wears off, the excitement of these goals wears off also. Researchers also believe that people fail because they may not be ready or prepared for change.

Grandiose expectations

There are suggestions to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions. It is suggested that you choose your resolutions well. Plan out your resolutions … figure out how you will do it and think through the ramifications and pitfalls. Set very specific goals, not airy-fairy, pie-in-the-sky sort of goals. Don’t have grandiose expectations. Seek out and identify people to whom you will be accountable for whatever resolutions you choose. Rather than rehash old, and failed resolutions, choose new ones. Give your resolution time to become an engrained habit.

My fervent hope is that Jamaicans will seriously consider making New Year’s resolutions that transcend self and mundane and try to do something for the benefit of our nation. It does not have to be something huge, little things can go a very far way. Why don’t we resolve to just be nice to others; to be considerate, think how we would want to be treated before saying or doing anything to others. Would we want to be greeted by a gruff and terse person? Would we feel okay if someone barks at us? Would we want someone to hurl bad words at us or tell us to do nasty things to our relatives? If we would not like it to happen to us, then resolve not to do it to others.

I know a public servant who [literally] made a fortune extorting citizens during the course of his duties. Upon retirement he went into the public transport business but found that he ended up on the receiving end of public servants who extorted him mercilessly until he abandoned the business. Now he knows what it feels like. I wish that others like him would consider the impact that their activities are having on their fellow citizens and make it their New Year’s resolution to stop their corrupt practices.

In the late 1980s, I totally lost my temper on the street. It was so bad that, to this day, I can’t remember exactly what I did. Luckily, somehow, I did not commit assault and/or battery. However, I was so scared of what I might have done that I resolved there and then to never allow my temper to get the better of me. No matter what someone does to us, losing our temper is always a choice. Many domestic murders are due to someone losing his/her temper. Romantic disappointments can lead to serious and deadly crimes of passion … resolve to not allow emotions to take you over.

Think of making resolutions that will benefit our society this New Year’s Day.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.