Ever wonder when New Year’s Resolutions were first observed? The ancient Babylonians are the first people to make New Year’s resolutions some 4,000 years ago. They also were the first to celebrate the New Year.
During a 12-day religious festival known as Akitu, a new king or reaffirmed loyalty to the reigning king was made. They promised to the gods to pay their debts and to return any objects they had borrowed. These promises are considered the forerunners of our New Year’s resolutions.
In ancient Rome, Janus, the two-faced God, looked back both to the previous year and ahead to the future.
For early Christians, the first day of the new year became the traditional occasion for thinking about one’s past mistakes and resolving to be better in the future.
Today, we have moved away from religious roots to a more secular approach. Most people make resolutions only to themselves focusing purely on self-improvement. Forty-Five per cent of Americans usually make New Year’s resolutions, while only 8% are successful in achieving their goals.
So let’s see if you can succeed in keeping your New Year’s resolutions.
Source: History.com