{"id":364,"date":"2023-01-11T20:18:08","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T20:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getvitaminlab.com\/cms\/blog\/?p=364"},"modified":"2023-06-29T18:52:08","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T18:52:08","slug":"are-new-years-resolutions-harming-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prod-practitioner.getvitaminlab.com\/cms\/blog\/lifestyle\/are-new-years-resolutions-harming-your-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Are New Year’s Resolutions Harming Your Health?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

New Year\u2019s resolutions date back 4,000 years to the ancient Babylonians who were first documented to hold celebrations in honor of the new year, which happened mid-March, when the first crops went in the ground. Part of the ritual involved making promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed. If the Babylonians kept their word, the (pagan) gods would bestow favor on them. If they failed to keep their word, they would fall out of favor with the gods, a place no one wanted to be. Thanks or perhaps, no thanks to the Babylonians, this ritual has since evolved into the act of setting New Year\u2019s resolutions that we know today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a YouGov survey, 37% of us made resolutions going into 2023. 87% of those who set an objective say they are confident they will keep to their resolutions. That number will drop to 9% by the end of the year. This doesn\u2019t mean that setting intentions is a pointless pursuit, they can help to create meaning and provide clarity around which areas of your life you place the most value in at a given time. However, the crucial question we often forget to ask ourselves is why we set the intention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNNECESSARY PRESSURE<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Optimization is everywhere. We are reminded everyday of all the ways we can be better, and it feels especially abundant at this time of year. Studies show adopting new eating habits, exercising, and weight top peoples list of things they hope to fix. While you\u2019ll find being kinder, more spiritual, and worrying less much further down the list. Notice too, that we place value on physical changes that may be harder to attain over mental and emotional changes. Changing yourself is hard work, but we\u2019ve decided an arbitrary date on the calendar signals a new beginning and is just the push we need to \u201coptimize\u201d\u2013\u2013clear the slate and embark on the quest for perfection. To add insult, these resolutions only perpetuate anxiety if we fail to meet the often unrealistic targets we\u2019ve set ourselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BEING PRESENT <\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no bigger buzzkill than ringing in the New Year with loved ones, only to have a list of things you want to change about yourself lingering in the back of your mind. Not only can resolutions take you out of the present moment, but the pressure and expectation to achieve can also negatively impact your relationship with the resolution you\u2019ve set. The problem with resolutions, as we\u2019ve seen, is that they\u2019re usually big lifestyle changes or firm life decisions. Rather than setting small goals, building habits, and taking it day by day, resolutions can cause us to hyper-fixate on the end goal. This hyper-fixation can take us out of our day-to-day and cause us to drift away from our intuition and gratitude for what\u2019s currently present and available to us.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALTERNATIVES TO RESOLUTIONS <\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

If we\u2019ve got you reconsidering the resolutions you made for 2023, here are some things you can do that will add value, rather than stress, to your life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n