We are now one day into the new year, often referred to as 2026, and I suspect those among you who make New Year’s resolutions are feeling pretty smug and confident at this point. Not to rain on anybody’s parade, but 90% of those who make New Year’s resolutions don’t achieve their goals. Most resolutionaries are setting themselves up for failure.
I’ve probably made a handful of these resolutions in my 66 years, but I don’t remember what any of them were, let alone if I ever reached my goal. Probably not.
That’s the problem with New Year’s resolutions: They create unrealistic expectations. There is nothing more magical about Jan. 1 than, say, July 1, but resolutionaries bestow upon the day an unrealistic aura of optimism.
I’ve come to believe that putting much stock in the new year is like installing white carpet in the family room. Sure, it’s pretty when first laid, pristine and flawless. But it doesn’t take long at all to realize it just isn’t going to turn out the way you intended. Babies and cats throw up on it, the dog pees on it, kids and husbands track mud and grime all over it because they have quickly abandoned the “take your shoes off” pledge.
All of these things happen no matter the color of the carpet, but they stand out most prominently against formerly white carpet. Better to have taken the more reasonable approach of going with a beige rug.
I prefer a beige New Year in order to avoid the temptation of burdening it with unreasonable expectations.
I suppose there are among us people who actually do quite well with their New Year’s resolutions, becoming one step closer to perfection with each passing year.
For the rest of us, I think one of the biggest reasons we fail to keep our New Year’s resolutions is because of the weather.
Beginning in January, the weather is at its coldest, and when it’s cold, the only thing I am truly inspired to do is keep the covers pulled over my head and wait for warmer weather. It’s kind of like having a diesel truck: The colder it is, the longer it takes to get it cranked and rolling. By the time I am prepared physically and psychologically to take on a winter’s day, I am grumpy and tired.
It’s not just me, either. Research indicates that winter is the worst season for depression, with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) typically starting in fall, peaking between December and February.
There’s an easy fix available to us – we all agree to change the start of the new year on account of weather. There is currently much talk about either scrapping Daylight Saving Time or making it year-round. If we can fool with the time, we should be able to adjust the new year so that it arrives at a more comfortable time of the year.
As far as we know, the only calendar year written in stone (quite literally) was the Mayan calendar.
For most of the world, there have been no fewer than five distinct calendars over the wide sweep of history, all based on astronomical events. The Gregorian calendar we use today came along in 1582, so we’re due for an update.
It’s not as though Jan. 1 is considered the first day of the year everywhere. The new year in Asian countries such as China and Vietnam comes in February, for example.
To satisfy the nerdy science/astronomy crowd, we could still adopt a calendar based on astronomical events. I suggest we recognize the summer solstice, which comes in late June, as the beginning of the year. For convenience’s sake, we could push the start of the new New Year to July 1.
I can’t see the harm in it. In fact, I think we would be better off with the change.
I bet the rate of successful New Year’s resolutions would jump if the new year started on July 1. I know I’d be more inclined to be “up and at ’em” in warm weather. Give me warm weather and I’ll carpe the heck out of the diem.
If my theory is right, having the new year begin in July instead of January would be good for humanity since more of us would succeed in being better people by keeping those New Year’s resolutions.
I think it’s high time that the ball that drops to signify the beginning of the new year be a beach ball.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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