Break the mould
January 2026
Welcome back and may 2026 be a source of hope, health and healing. At this time of year there’s the usual discussion about the list of New Year’s resolutions. For me, just like my heroin Bridget Jones, mine were often broken as soon as I’d made them. As such in more recent years I’ve taken not to make resolutions, or at least not wait until January to start something new or work towards a goal. I’ve titled this post, Break the Mould as I’d like anyone feeling the pressure to set new resolutions to be armed with a pinch of history, potted psychology and other factual nuggets that might help your decision making.
The geek in me decided that I’d research the origins of where this ‘tradition’ began and it seems to be as far back as the ancient Babylonians (History.com, is the links to one of the articles that offers more detail) and why ‘high priests’ could be observed slapping the king as part of the festivities! Luckily, no violence is required these days.
This post is not designed to be read and repeated. We all need to do what works for us and feels right for us. Psychologically, resolutions begun in a new year makes sense. They signal a new, even fresh start to goals/objectives that want to be brought into reality, yet according to Casio Education, 80% of new year’s resolutions are a washout by mid-February and by the end of the year only 8% have been successful. So why make them? Feeling ready for change, excitement about the possibilities, feeling that things can’t get worse than the year before. These are some thoughts shared by clients.
Some of the popular resolutions relate to finance, health, career, education prospects, property, socialising more with family, friends or even travel. I’m sure you can add to this. But why are only 8% of resolutions started at the beginning of the year achieved by the end of it? Once again, my inner geek loved this question and my psychology hat went on. I share the findings below:
• Building confidence
• Encouraging us to be a lot more reflective
• Intrinsically motivating which in itself is a powerful incentive to continue
• Enjoying the task or being in a flow state
• Even the planning/preparation to make it a successful outcome
All of the above amounts to the chemical release of dopamine. Dopamine, if you didn’t know, is the neurotransmitter that when secreted makes us experience pleasure, it changes our mood, we are more active, feeling more compelled to keep going and doing more of the same. So, it’s no surprise when our chosen goal/objective is making us feel positive emotions, and so maybe, that’s what it was for that 8% to continue. These then become a habit and lasting change is possible.
There were also many other possible reasons for resolutions to be successful, but I endeavour to list a few and include some links. Some of the list has been tried and tested by clients. All strategies are not in order of value. Instead, like a great Woolworth’s selection of pick and mix, see what you like the look of and if something resonates, give it a go!
1. Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
2. Social support, get an accountability partner, you don’t have to do this alone and if you don’t want to ask a friend, family member, you can always start with using a free online app
3. Start small and build habits – so many articles, but I want to recommend Dr Michael Mosley’s book (which I recommended back in October 2025), or for this post you can hear his voicethanks to BBC Sounds archives, ‘Just One Thing’– he helped remind me that stacking ideas together made achieving habits easier. An excellent book and also on Audible.
4. Be realistic about the time you have available and setting out time to make this a reality, maybe set a reminder on your phone, have post it notes somewhere you can see or write on your calendar/diary – don’t think you need a link to explain this one; see strategies 1 and 3
5. Be flexible – make a broad resolution
If you needed any further cheerleading then, according to James Clear (whose book Atomic Habit’s I recommended earlier in January), advises that on average, it takes 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic and to build a lifestyle change, in turn rewiring your brain. You may want to see if that’s true for you and of course, work within your comfort zone. There’s also a gentle reminder that if a resolution doesn’t pan out as you want, be kind, compassionate and remind yourself that it’s still valuable feedback. It can teach us resilience and that’s pretty powerful to have in our imaginary armoury. Reflect on your goals/objectives and reassess for your EBI (Even Better If).
Whether you make resolutions or not, I want to thank you for making time to read this post and for following me on Instagram. I hope that during this new year, I can improve my technical skills, plus grammar/spelling errors and share content so that you find useful, whether it’s for you, your family or friends. Share the love! In the meantime, I look forward to hearing from you and I’ll aim for a new post in February. Stay warm and wonderful this January, Seetal.
References
History.com - https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-ancient-origins-of-new-years-celebrations
Casio Education - https://education.casio.co.uk/blog/astonishing-stats-behind-new-years-resolutions/
Smart Goals - How to Create New Year’s Resolutions That Last! - Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center
Social Support - https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/are-new-years-resolutions-waste-time (see ‘So what can we do?’ of the article
Dr Michael Mosley – Just One Thing (BBC Sounds archive clips) - https://archive.org/details/justonething-BBC
Broad resolutions - https://allpsych.com/think-big-why-broad-new-years-resolutions-are-the-key-to-lasting-change/
James Clear - https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
