Renew that gym membership, because it’s that time of year again. The new year marks millions of resolutions being created by people who are seeking a change in their lives. Unfortunately, these resolutions are notoriously likely to be forgotten or abandoned. The reasons for this are not set, as many circumstances can lead to a failed resolution; everyone lives under different factors, but the fact that many resolutions end in disappointment is across the board.

A new year’s resolution is a pledge to oneself to change an aspect of their life for the better. The goals of said promises are varied from person to person, but a majority of resolutions fall under the same category. A study by Nielsen shows that 37% of people want to be more fit and healthy, 32% want to lose weight, and 28% want to enjoy life to the fullest. It’s easy to see that common resolutions are related to body health, but it’s definitely not uncommon to see mental health featured in someone’s pledge. Sadly, only about 8% of people can claim they reached their goal by the next new year.

The tradition to make new year’s resolutions were first created by Babylonians, who were making promises to their gods at the start of each new year. The idea was commercialized into the holiday we now have today.