Bien-être 17/12/2025

New Year's resolutions: how to (really) keep them in 2026?

Each new year brings its share of resolutions – an opportunity for a fresh start. Whether we're talking about fitness, diet, finances, or well-being, New Year's resolutions are an ancient tradition: the first traces date back to antiquity. The Babylonians already promised the gods to pay their debts and return borrowed items to start fresh. Later, the Romans dedicated the month of January to the god Janus, a symbol of transition, by making personal commitments for the coming year. Even today, these resolutions are a way to celebrate a new beginning.

But then, why is it so difficult to stick to our resolutions?

And above all, how can we turn them into lasting habits?

Why we don't stick to our New Year's resolutions (and how to fix it)

1 in 4 people abandon their resolutions after 7 days.

45% of resolutions fail before February.

Sticking to New Year's resolutions seems like a major challenge. Primarily because they are too ambitious, poorly defined, or lack a concrete action plan. Worse still, when they are influenced by external pressures rather than intrinsic motivation.

Discover the main reasons for these failures and our tips for sticking to your New Year's resolutions this year!

 

1. Unrealistic or vague goals

Resolutions like "get back in shape" or "eat better" lack precision. Without clear direction, it's difficult to measure progress, and motivation plummets.

Our advice: Rephrase your resolutions using the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
For example: "Run 30 minutes, 3 times a week." This is concrete, structured, and motivating.

 

2. Not taking the time to think about what you really want

Sometimes, we "think" we want something... until we start doing it.

Resolutions made "on a whim" in the euphoria of the New Year are not aligned with our values or needs. And often, they don't correspond to what we really want.

Our advice: Before validating a resolution, ask yourself: "How does this bring me closer to my long-term vision?" and adjust the idea according to your goals and what you truly want.  

 

3. The absence of a real action plan

Without concrete steps, even the best resolution becomes a blurred path. The brain needs micro-goals - small steps - to move forward, but also adequate support to turn a resolution into a habit.

Our advice: Break down the goal into small, simple, repeatable actions and use tools that will simplify the anchoring of this resolution as a habit.

 

4. Lack of intrinsic motivation

Many resolutions come from external sources: social pressure, family expectations, models conveyed on social networks.
The problem: if the desire doesn't come from within, motivation quickly wanes.

This concept comes from self-determination theory: we persevere more when the goal meets a personal need (Deci & Ryan, 2000).

Our advice: You need to ask yourself if this resolution is a personal desire and if you would do it even if no one was watching.

 

5. Lack of patience and loss of motivation

Habits and change take time. It is crucial to be patient and allow time to see changes, even minimal ones. Especially since the initial momentum doesn't last long, and motivation can tend to run out of steam.

This is also where a clear action plan, micro-goals, and repetitions come into play: they highlight progress, which boosts motivation and patience, and they create automatic behaviors, without which a habit cannot be established.

Our advice: Stick to your action plan, use reminders and routines, and conduct regular progress reviews.

 

Case study: Preserving your health in 2026 with our subscription

Let's take a concrete example: preserving your health in 2026.

This is a vague resolution. But if we transform it into "Preserving your health in 2026 with targeted food supplements," it's already clearer.

The first step is to define your health needs and intentions. To do this, there are online aids.

Once the food supplements have been chosen, a SMART objective must be defined for taking these supplements. Generally, it is advisable to opt for daily intake and to define a 3-month course to start, which prevents abandoning too quickly. This also allows you to feel and evaluate, after a certain period, the effects of the course on the body, which helps with motivation.

Certain tools can be mobilized to avoid forgetting daily intake, such as programming a reminder on your phone or in your electronic agenda. This includes a repetitive act to transform the intake into a habit.

However, it is also necessary to think about reordering. This is often a tedious task and a mental burden, as you have to remember to reorder before the previous bottle runs out. To counteract this obstacle, subscription formulas exist. Thus, no need to think about ordering, no interruption in intake, and automated payment.

At Green Ethnies, we offer 3-month subscriptions, where we ship the supplement dispensers for the course to your home in one package – so you already have the products, no risk of forgetting or delay – with staggered payment each month – so no need to pay for an expensive course in one go. 

In addition, this subscription solution offers a 15% discount for life and free shipping.

This is THE economical, effortless, and easy solution to stick to your health resolution this year.

 

Conclusion: a resolution is first and foremost a habit

A resolution is simply a new habit that we decide to adopt at a symbolic moment, such as the beginning of a new year.

Unfortunately, we often give up before even allowing this habit to take root. This is especially the case when resolutions are not well thought out, realistic, motivating, or aligned.

To increase the chances of sticking to your resolutions:

• Choose a well-thought-out, useful, not impulsive resolution;
• Ensure it brings real value to our goals;
• Aim for a motivating AND realistic challenge;
• Maintain our motivation over time;
• Implement an action plan;
• Create an environment that facilitates the habit and use available tools.

 

Sources

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “What” and “Why” of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry.

Kipli, 2024, Why New Year's resolutions can (or cannot) help you change your life. https://magazine.kipli.com/pourquoi-les-resolutions-de-debut-dannee-peuvent-elles-ou-non-vous-aider-a-changer-de-vie/

La Tranchée, n.d. 4 reasons why we never stick to our resolutions. https://www.latranchee.com/4-raisons-pour-lesquelles-on-ne-tient-jamais-nos-resolutions/

Norcross, J. C., & Vangarelli, D. J. (1989). The resolution solution: Longitudinal examination of New Year’s change attempts. Journal of Substance Abuse.

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.