Its the perfect time to starteating mindfullyand becoming more active.
A new year means a new beginning, right?
Why do we do this to ourselves?
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Why Do People Still Want to Keep the Tradition Alive?
Dr. Tong (Toni) Liu MD, physician, cartoonist atDr.
Its a time of the year that reminds us to self-reflect.
Its better to do it with other people.
Our Beliefs Are Tied to Social Norms
There aresocial pressures to fit inwith what everyone is doing.
If you see your peers setting resolutions, you are more likely to establish your own.
“We just assume theyre the ‘right’ way to live because everyone else we know is doing them.
And those success stories can act as a motivator for someone to keep setting them.
Dr. Liu explains, We also make them because sometimes they work!
Where Did New Years Resolutions Come From, Anyway?
New Years Resolutions are a tradition as old as time.
To be precise, theyre about 4,000 years old.
The ancient Babylonians were the first people to make them.
They believed that if they kept their word, the gods will reward them for good behavior.
If they didnt follow through with them, they will be punished.
These beliefs are said to be the earliest practice of New Years Resolutions.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar declared January 1st to be the start of the new year.
The Romans made promises to Janus of good behavior and offered sacrifices.
The types of resolutions have evolved and reflect the current issues society faces.
Its easy to make resolutions but getting specific about them may be more challenging.
Our Brains Make It Very Hard For Us To Change
Human brains are wired to resist change.
Our minds find patterns and streamline all the sensory input around us before we are even aware of it.
Our reticular activating system (RAS) is a group of nerves located in the brainstem.
It acts as the gatekeeper between the information in our sensory system and the conscious mind.
Dr. Liu elaborates on the RAS, It is what has helped our survival in the past.
They will choose the latter every time.
Many resolutions are aimed at long-term benefits but short-term discomfort, which requiresdelaying gratification.
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