Are You Resolution Ready?

KEEPING UP WITH THE NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

- Sandhya Krishnan

2026 has started and so are the resolutions. With the commencement of the New Year, anticipation and excitement of what the year has in store is sky high and so are the long list of resolutions. From losing weight and saving money to learning a new language or finally cleaning out the wardrobe, these promises are born from genuine hope and a desire for self-improvement.

From my experience, personally and professionally, I have seen a predictable pattern: by mid-February, the gym attendance drops, the savings account drying up and the language app is forgotten.

Why does this cycle of high aspiration and quick failure repeat every year?

The core issue isn't a lack of motivation. Resolutions often fail because they are not properly planned and are abstract and impulsive. Most of the resolutions are negatively framed, which means resolutions are framed around something we want to stop doing (e.g., "I will stop eating junk food," "I will stop procrastinating"). Our brain seldom processes a negative command. When you say, "Don't think about a pink elephant," what is the first image that pops up? The pink elephant. Similarly, when you resolve to "stop procrastinating," your brain is repeatedly reminded of the very behaviour you're trying to avoid.

The other major issue as to why the resolutions don't last longer is the expectation of a big overnight change. We tend to treat January 1st as a magical reset button, believing we can instantly transform into a new, perfect version of ourselves. This is a cognitive error known as catastrophizing. You attempt to implement massive change overnight. When you inevitably slip up, the entire resolution feels ruined, triggering the "all-or-nothing" thinking trap.