The Surprising History Behind New Year's Resolutions

As the clock strikes midnight and we welcome a brand new year, many of us find ourselves making promises to improve our lives and achieve our goals. But have you ever stopped to wonder where this age-old tradition of New Year's resolutions actually comes from? Believe it or not, the concept has roots that stretch back over 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians! They were the first to make resolutions, pledging to return borrowed tools and repay debts in hopes of gaining favor from the gods for the year ahead. Fast forward a few centuries to ancient Rome, where Julius Caesar established Jan. 1 as the beginning of the new year, named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions. The Romans would offer sacrifices and make resolutions to honor Janus and ensure good fortune in the coming year. Resolutions didn’t stop here, it continued into the Middle Ages, where John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, played a key role in setting a precedent for New Year’s resolutions. According to the article, “The History of a New Year’s Resolution”, Wesley created the Covenant Renewal Service, which “...served as a spiritual event that would celebrate the coming of a new year.” These services allowed people to reflect on past mistakes and make faith-based resolutions for the future. While all these examples demonstrate the usage of goals in our past, the first official documentation of the phrase “New Year's resolution” appeared in a Boston newspaper on January 1, 1813. The article noted that many people spent December sinning with the intention of "wiping away" faults through New Year's resolutions. Today, resolutions have shifted from religious promises to personal improvements. However, by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, resolutions shifted from religious promises to personal improvements. Some common ones today include exercising, eating better, saving money, or learning a new skill.