The History of New Years Resolutions
The turn of the year invites reflection, a moment to pause and realign with the life we envision for ourselves. For centuries, this time has been marked by the setting of intentions—what we now call New Year’s resolutions.. A lot of us share the same goals after indulging during the holidays: to eat healthier, prioritize health and fitness and be more financially responsible. This reflection on healthier, more mindful habits has been around longer than you might think. While it’s not the only route our resolutions can take, it’s certainly the most common. But resolutions go beyond the physical—they are a way for us to ensure we are living a life of alignment. Setting these goals helps us recalibrate if we’ve been sidetracked by life. This tradition, known as making New Year’s resolutions, feels as timeless as the clock striking midnight. But where did this practice come from? The origins of New Year’s resolutions span thousands of years, intertwining with ancient civilizations, religious customs, and evolving cultural values.
The earliest roots of New Year’s resolutions can be traced back over 4,000 years to ancient Babylon. For the Babylonians, the new year wasn’t marked in the dead of winter but in mid-March, during a 12-day festival called Akitu that coincided with the spring planting season. During Akitu, the Babylonians made promises to their gods, particularly pledging to repay debts and return borrowed items. These commitments weren’t just about self-improvement—they were acts of devotion, meant to curry favor with the divine and ensure prosperity for the year ahead. This early practice underscores a key thread in New Year’s resolutions: the idea of accountability, whether to gods, society, or ourselves.
Fast-forward to ancient Rome, where the tradition took on a new shape. In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar reformed the calendar and established January 1st as the start of the new year. The month of January was named for Janus, the two-faced Roman god of beginnings and transitions, who symbolically looked backward into the past and forward into the future. Romans marked the new year by making offerings to Janus and pledging to improve their behavior. These promises often related to personal conduct—acts of moral alignment rather than the modern fixation on fitness and finances. For the Romans, Janus was a reminder that every beginning is tied to reflection and resolve.
In many cultures, the new year is celebrated as a time of renewal and intention-setting, though not always on January 1st. In China, the Lunar New Year, celebrated between January 21st and February 20th depending on the lunar calendar, involves sweeping the house and settling debts to remove bad luck and prepare for prosperity in the months ahead. During Diwali, which marks the new year for some Hindus and falls in late October or early November, homes are cleaned and adorned to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, with the intention of letting go of negativity and embracing new opportunities.
In Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashanah, celebrated in September or early October, begins a period of deep reflection and repentance, culminating in Yom Kippur, where individuals seek forgiveness and set moral intentions for the year ahead. Japan’s Ōmisoka, observed on December 31st, focuses on decluttering the home and the spirit, followed by hatsumōde, the first shrine visit of the year on January 1st, where prayers for good fortune and self-improvement are offered. Korean Seollal, aligned with the Lunar New Year and typically celebrated in late January or early February, honors ancestors through rituals like charye and encourages gratitude and harmony as the foundation for the year to come.
The concept of resolutions has also been influenced by philosophical and spiritual traditions. In ancient Egypt, the annual flooding of the Nile, which typically occurred between June and September, was seen as a natural reset, prompting rituals to honor the gods and ensure prosperity for the next agricultural cycle. Medieval Europe also saw a version of resolutions in the form of “Peacock Vows,” where knights would renew their chivalric oaths during end-of-year feasts. These customs, though varied in their expression, reflect a shared human impulse to mark the passage of time with reflection, gratitude, and the hope of self-improvement, connecting past generations to our modern-day aspirations for fresh starts.
With the spread of Christianity, New Year’s resolutions took on a spiritual tone. Around the 18th century, John Wesley, founder of Methodism, formalized the practice through Covenant Renewal Services. These gatherings, often held on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, emphasized reflection, repentance, and recommitment to living a righteous life. For early Christians, resolutions were promises to God, focusing on moral integrity and personal responsibility. These services provided an alternative to the more raucous celebrations of the new year, framing the occasion as a sacred opportunity for renewal.
By the 19th and 20th centuries, the focus of New Year’s resolutions shifted from the divine to the personal. Industrialization, individualism, and changing societal norms turned resolutions into goals for self-improvement. People began setting objectives like saving money, losing weight, or learning new skills—resolutions tied to personal fulfillment and productivity rather than spiritual devotion. Today, resolutions are a global phenomenon. Whether it’s a vow to hit the gym, read more books, or finally organize that cluttered closet, these goals reflect humanity’s enduring desire to start fresh, improve, and strive for something better.
At its heart, the practice of making resolutions is a testament to human hopefulness. The transition from one year to the next invites reflection, and in that reflection, we find the seeds of change. While ancient Babylonians sought favor from their gods and Romans pledged moral reform, modern resolutions tap into a universal desire: to live a life that aligns more closely with our ideals. As you set your goals this year, take a moment to connect with the tradition’s roots. Whether you’re guided by spiritual, moral, or personal aspirations, know that your resolution is part of a timeless story—a story of humanity’s enduring belief in the power of a new beginning.