If you thought New Year’s resolutions were a new phenomenon created by the wellness industrial complex, think again.
About 4,000 years ago, ancient Babylonians celebrated the new year (though it was in mid-March) with a 12-day festival called Akitu. They celebrated rebirth in nature and made promises to each other, and to the gods, to better themselves in the months to come.
Julius Caesar changed the New Year to January 1 around 46 BC, when he created the Julian calendar. The first month was named for Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions who is often depicted with two faces—one looking back and one looking ahead. This led to promises of self-improvement in the coming year.
In early Christianity, the day continued to be one of setting goals and eradicating bad habits. John Wesley, founder of Methodism, held Covenant Renewal Services around the New Year beginning in 1755, suggesting it as a time of self-examination and renewed commitment.
Old newspapers show that around 1900, resolutions were popular, and people were already joking about humankind’s inability to keep them. By the 1970s, it was trendy to resolve not to make resolutions at all. But by the 1990s, the pendulum swung back the other way, and articles are full of stories on setting reasonable goals and finding ways to keep them.
Today, almost half of Americans say they make New Year’s resolutions, but only eight percent report success in achieving their goals. Whether you love the ritual or avoid it at all costs, take heart—we’re simply building on 4,000 years of good intentions.
