KATHIE J

Study reveals New Year’s resolutions may be harder to keep this year

Jan 5, 2026, 6:27 PM | Updated: Jan 6, 2026, 10:43 am

Every year we have resolutions for the new year, but this year might have felt different. Maybe you didn’t even get through one day of your resolution.

You are not alone and it is completely okay. Especially this year.

A study says new research from Dublin City University reveals that New Year’s resolutions may be harder to keep this year due to fatigue, current world challenges, climate anxiety and political instability.

Instead of dramatic reinvention, scientists recommend focusing on small, realistic shifts for a more sustainable change.

It feels harder to keep New Year’s resolutions this year due to lingering stress, financial pressures and general fatigue from past years, making big changes daunting, but success comes from setting small, realistic goals, focusing on your “why,” (like habit stacking), and being kind to yourself, rather than expecting perfection or relying solely on willpower.

Many resolutions fail because they’re too ambitious, but small, manageable shifts within your current constraints are more achievable.

Read more about the resolution conversation here.

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Study reveals New Year’s resolutions may be harder to keep this year