New Year, New Me?
Think January and New Year resolutions. We all know they happen. We may even participate in them. But do we know why?
It’s a tradition that goes back as far as the Babylonians whose New Year actually took place in mid-March. This coincided with the new crop season. As a result, resolutions at the time often centred around this. Many people made promises to the gods to return tools in exchange for a good crop. Fast forward to the Romans and the New Year tradition continued, but the date changed to New Year as we know it thanks to Julius Caesar. The month of January was named after the two-headed god Janus. This symbolised the idea of looking back and reflecting whilst maintaining a view of the future. The mythology of New Year therefore dates back thousands of years.
Fast forward again to the present day and Christmas plays a huge part in the changes that can so frequently occur in January. Whilst it can be the most magical time of the year for some, it can also be the most difficult for others. Potentially forced socialising, extended periods of time with difficult family or abusive partners, additional financial strain etc may lead to someone realising their life is not how they want it to be. New Year arrives and that spirit of change, fuelled by other feelings of discontent, leads to January feeling quite transformative for some.
The spirit of reflection and change that is synonymous with January hasn’t only evolved for dropping a few pounds or quitting chocolate. It dates back millennia to when a person’s livelihood felt like it depended on it, so we can see the significance someone may find in that, even today. That’s how these changes can really feel to someone; like their lives depend on it.
January sees record numbers of people starting new jobs, ending relationships and enquiring about counselling and mental health support. So if you feel that transformative urge, or see it in someone you know, the first thing I’d say is; January can be an exceptionally difficult month for lots of reasons, so be kind in the pursuit of change. The second thing I’d say is; it's never silly or stupid to want change, no matter how big or small.