Ten most common new year resolutions

Every year, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions in an attempt to spark positive change. The recurring themes each year include a more active approach to health and fitness, improved finances, and learning new things for personal and professional development. Chances are good that the following 10 most common resolutions will look familiar to you.

• Exercise more
• Lose weight
• Get organized
• Learn a new skill or hobby
• Live life to its fullest
• Save more money or spend less money
• Quit smoking
• Spend more time with family and friends
• Travel more
• Read more

Despite the best intentions, once the glow of a fresh new year wears off, many people struggle to make good on their plans. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 46 percent of people who made New Year’s resolutions were successful, which means that over half of the people who set a goal for the new year will fail. The study also involved non-solvers, people who did not make a New Year’s resolution, but had a goal they wanted to achieve that year. Only four percent of non-solvers were successful at achieving their goals, a far bleaker result than those who did make a New Year’s resolution.