New Year’s Resolutions: A Tradition Older Than Time

Every January people around the world pull out journals, planners, and fresh ambitions with the intention of improvement for the new year. Whether the goal is fitness, saving money, traveling more, or even relaxing a bit more, making New Year’s resolutions has become a familiar ritual of hope. But the practice is far older than modern gyms, phone apps, or the self-help culture. In fact, its roots stretch back thousands of years.

One of the earliest known “new year” traditions traces back roughly 3,500–4,000 years ago to ancient Mesopotamia. The Babylonians celebrated a major festival called “Akitu,” which marked the renewal of kingship and the changing of seasons. A part of this observance included participants making vows to the gods, promising to behave justly and fulfill obligations — including repaying debts or returning borrowed goods. While historians can’t definitively say this was the direct ancestor of modern resolutions, it does represent one of the earliest examples of ritualized commitments tied to a new annual cycle.

Ancient Rome, centuries later, followed a similar custom when Julius Caesar reformed the calendar in 46 BCE and established January 1st as the official start of the year. January was named after Janus, the two-faced god of beginnings, a deity who looked simultaneously into the past and future. In honor of Janus, Romans made public promises tied to virtue, loyalty, and better conduct. Many scholars identify this period as a key cultural predecessor of today’s reflective, forward-looking resolutions.

With the onset of the Middle Ages and Christianity, the idea of beginning the year with sincerity and moral focus continued, though with a spiritual emphasis taking precedence over personal achievement. As time passed, year-end reflection became associated less with public promises and more with private conscience. In the 18th century, Methodist founder John Wesley introduced “Watch Night” services — gatherings on New Year’s Eve emphasizing reflection, prayer, and renewed commitment. It reinforced the idea of resetting one’s direction at the turning of the year, though it still differed from today’s varied resolutions.

By the 19th and 20th centuries, as psychology, print media, and eventually consumer culture exploded, resolutions veered toward personal improvement: health, habits, finances, and productivity. Self-help books, advice columns, and even gym marketing helped turn resolutions into familiar lifestyle goals rather than religious or civic pledges.

Of course, making resolutions is one thing — keeping them is another. In fact, January 17th has gained an informal nickname: “Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day.” An informal holiday, this humorous reminder illustrates how good intentions are often fast to fade and hard to keep.

However, despite their mixed success rate, the tradition of resolutions endures because they speak to something universal: the hope of becoming better. Whether rooted in sacred vows, moral renewal, or simple optimism, the turning of the calendar invites each of us to ask a timeless question: “Who do I want to be next?”