The Truth About New Year’s Resolutions
The Truth About New Year’s Resolutions
There is a tradition among us to make New Year’s resolutions. Usually these resolutions focus on change. We need a perspective o how approach change. We need to not just make a New Year’s resolution to have a change in mentality.
Recently (approx 2012) there was a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology. It investigated the standard by which. What are the dynamics of how people make resolutions. What are the top ten resolutions? 1) Spend more time with family and friends. 2) Fit in fitness 3) loose weight 4) quit smoking 5) enjoy life more 6) get out of debt 7) enjoy life more 8) learn something new 9) help others 10) get organized. (http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/holidays/tp/resolutions.htm)
About 45% of the American make New Years resolutions. 17% infrequently make them, that is they do it but not every year. 8% of those who make resolutions actually achieve them. 47% of the resolutions are for self improvement. 38% deal with weight loss. 31% deal with money matters. Many are made concerning relationships. By examining these stats we can see what people are focusing on. We can also see how difficult it is for me people to keep their resolutions. 28% drop out in the first week. 71% drop off in 2 weeks. 64% drop off in the first month. 96% drop off in after 6 months. Very few are left standing after 6 months.
We can see, from the stats that the majority of the people in the year are unsatisfied. They are dissatisfied. They want change. But we also see, with the drop off rates that people are powerless to make the change that they want to happen. They may try to find change by lowering the standard. Mostly people are left with the nagging realization, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to operate. I don’t know where to go.”
Excerpt from Pastor Steve Leston’s message 12-30-12
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