As we head into 2022, many people are simplifying their New Year’s resolutions.
According to Lifeway Research, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused people to shift their expectations and create more manageable goals. Americans are looking to focus on their health, their relationship with God, their finances, and their relationship with family members.
“New Year’s resolutions reflect the changes people aspire to make,” Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said. “The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced or encouraged more people to make changes outside of the annual reminder a new year brings. But a New Year’s resolution is still something most Americans have made at some point in their lives.”
Lifeway’s latest survey, found that for more than 2 in 5 Americans (44%) New Year’s resolutions have focused on their health. More than 1 in 4 resolutions have focused on a relationship with God (29%), improving finances (29%), or bettering a relationship with a family member (26%).
The study found people have also made resolutions dealing with their use of time (22%), their work (18%), or their relationship with a friend (15%). But more than a quarter of Americans (28%) say they haven’t made resolutions about any of these issues.
A 2020 study conducted by Strava, reveals that most people will abandon their resolutions by January 20th, but McConnell believes focusing on God actually gives people more motivation to see their resolutions through.
“Making a New Year’s resolution doesn’t reveal who or what a person is relying on to make that change in their life, nor how successful such resolutions are,” McConnell said. “But higher numbers seen among younger adults, those who attended at least some college, and church-going Christians indicate they have higher motivation to make such changes at least in the form of New Year’s resolutions.”
Bethel worship leader, Melissa Helser, recently took to Instagram to encourage believers to allow God to define their resolutions.
“I prayed for you to not get pulled into a game of pressure-driven New Year’s resolutions but stop and listen to the Voice of God,” she wrote. “He wants to define your coming year and He wants it to be driven by LOVE.”
“May you find strength in His presence today,” Helser continued. “And may healing, body, soul, [and] spirit flood us in 2022.”
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