Most Popular New Year's Resolutions: Top 10

The most popular New Year's resolutions in recent US surveys, as of October 2026, are exercising more, being happier, eating healthier and saving money. Close behind come better physical health, weight loss, learning something new, time with loved ones, prayer and reading, a pattern broadly similar to YouGov's polls for 2024 and 2025.

This Finepedia guide ranks the ten resolutions people choose most often, using real survey data rather than guesswork, and explains what each goal involves, why so many attempts fade by February and which evidence-based habits help a resolution survive the year. It is written as of October 2026, ahead of the 2027 new year, so the figures come from the most recent completed survey cycle.

If you have tried and stalled before, Finepedia's guides to why people fail to reach their goals and the most effective steps to successful goal setting pair well with the tips below. This article is general information, not medical, psychological or financial advice.

How We Ranked the Most Popular New Year's Resolutions

Resolution polls vary a lot in who they ask, which answer options they offer and whether people may pick several goals. To keep the ranking transparent, Finepedia used one main yardstick and several cross-checks.

• Main yardstick: a YouGov survey of 1,104 US adult citizens carried out on 9–11 December 2025, which asked which of 25 listed goals people planned to start in 2026. Shares are of all adults, including the 51% who said they would not set a resolution, and respondents could choose more than one option.
• Grouping: closely related options were combined into one entry and the larger share is shown. "Being happy" and "improving mental health" form one entry; "saving more money" and "paying down debts" form another; and the family, friends and relationships options form a third.
• Ties: where rounded shares tie, the entries follow the order of YouGov's published results list.
• Cross-checks: a YouGov follow-up of 1,053 US adults on 2–5 October 2026, which asked people what they actually resolved; a YouGov poll of 2,076 adults in Great Britain from December 2025; a Pew Research Center survey of 5,140 US adults from January 2024; and a Forbes Health/OnePoll survey of 1,000 US adults from October 2023.

Every survey here relies on self-reporting, and most are American. YouGov's online panels are weighted to match the population, and its margins of error are about four percentage points, so a gap of one or two points between entries is not meaningful.

Survey Snapshot

Most Popular New Year's Resolutions at a Glance

1. Exercise More

Why People Choose It

Exercise is the most visible kind of fresh start. A new year arrives straight after weeks of rich food and broken routines, and gyms, apps and sports brands all push the same message in January. Exercise also feels like a gateway goal, because people expect it to improve weight, mood, sleep and energy all at once.

Researchers have a name for this timing: the fresh start effect. In a 2014 study in Management Science, Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman and Jason Riis found that gym visits rose at the start of each new year, but also at the start of each new week and month, suggesting people use calendar landmarks to separate themselves from past lapses.

What the Data Says

Exercising more topped YouGov's December 2025 list at 25%, up from 22% a year earlier, when saving money had been the leading goal. In YouGov's British poll, getting fit or exercising more was again the most common plan, named by 23% of people intending to make a resolution. A Forbes Health/OnePoll survey in October 2023 found 48% of respondents ranked better fitness as a top priority for 2024.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults get 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening work on at least two days. WHO estimates that about 31% of adults worldwide, roughly 1.8 billion people, fall short of the minimum.

Why It Often Fails

• All-or-nothing plans, such as daily hour-long workouts from 1 January, leave no room for a busy week.
• Winter weather, darkness and holiday leftovers make the first weeks the hardest.
• Goals like "get fit" are vague, so progress is hard to see.
• Motivation fades before the activity has become automatic.

How to Make It Stick

WHO guidance stresses that any amount of physical activity is better than none, which makes a small start perfectly respectable. Turn the goal into an if-then plan, such as "after I drop the children at school, I will walk for 15 minutes", and schedule sessions like appointments. Exercising with a friend or a group adds accountability, and logging each session in a calendar or app makes progress visible. Raise the duration only after the routine has survived a few weeks.

Interesting Facts

• In the fresh start study, the chance of a gym visit rose by about 33% at the start of a new week, compared with about 12% at the start of a new year.
• Fitness app Strava's 2018 analysis of 31.5 million January uploads found the biggest dip on the second Friday of January, about 17% below the usual level for that weekday.
• Later Strava analyses named different dates, so "Quitter's Day" is a pattern in app data, not a fixed rule.
• Younger adults are far more likely to make resolutions at all: 43% of Americans under 45 planned one for 2026, compared with 21% of older adults.

2. Be Happier and Improve Mental Health

Why People Choose It

After a stressful year, many people would rather feel better than look different. Being happy is an attractive resolution because it sounds like the point of every other goal: people often hope that fitness, savings or better relationships will eventually make them happier anyway. Interest in mental health has also grown as conversations about stress, anxiety and burnout have become more open.

What the Data Says

Being happy was the second most popular choice in YouGov's December 2025 poll, at 23%, while 16% planned to improve their mental health. In the Forbes Health/OnePoll survey for 2024, 36% named better mental health as a top priority, behind fitness at 48%. WHO reports that in 2019 about 970 million people worldwide were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression the most common.

Long-running research points to relationships as a key ingredient. The Harvard Study of Adult Development began tracking 268 Harvard sophomores in 1938, and its director, psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, told the Harvard Gazette: "The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health."

Why It Often Fails

"Be happy" describes a feeling, not an action, so there is nothing obvious to do on a Tuesday afternoon. People also tend to judge themselves harshly on bad days, which can turn the resolution into one more source of pressure. Mental health conditions are health conditions; willpower alone is not a treatment.

How to Make It Stick

Translate the feeling into behaviours you can repeat: a daily walk in daylight, a regular sleep schedule, a weekly catch-up with a friend or a few minutes of quiet reflection. Phrase each one as something to do rather than something to avoid. If low mood, anxiety or stress persists or interferes with daily life, speak to a doctor or qualified mental health professional, and seek urgent help in a crisis.

Interesting Facts

• Finland ranked first in the World Happiness Report 2026 for a record ninth year in a row, with an average life evaluation of 7.764 out of 10; Finepedia's list of the happiest countries in the world covers the full ranking.
• The Harvard study is one of the longest-running studies of adult life ever carried out.
• Among people planning a 2026 resolution, 63% believed resolutions generally make the year better, compared with 14% of people not planning one (YouGov).

3. Eat Healthier

Why People Choose It

Food is the habit most directly hit by the holidays, so January diets feel like a natural correction. Eating better also overlaps with almost every other health goal on this list, from weight and energy to sleep and long-term disease risk. It can feel like a cheap, home-based change that does not require a gym membership.

What the Data Says

Eating healthier ranked third in YouGov's December 2025 survey at 22% and was chosen by 37% of the people who actually made a 2026 resolution. The fresh start study found that Google searches for the word "diet" rose by about 82% at the start of a new year compared with baseline. A 2020 Swedish study of New Year's resolutions, published in PLOS ONE by Martin Oscarsson and colleagues, found physical health, weight loss and eating habits were the most popular goals when people wrote them in their own words.

WHO advises adults and children over 10 to eat at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables and at least 25 grams of naturally occurring fibre a day, and to keep free sugars below 10% of daily energy, which is about 50 grams for an adult eating around 2,000 calories a day.

Why It Often Fails

Diets built around forbidden foods tend to collapse after the first party or stressful week. WHO notes that in many countries most salt comes from processed foods, and that people are often unaware of how much they eat. Plans that ignore budget and cooking time rarely survive the working week.

How to Make It Stick

Add before you subtract. The Oscarsson study found that approach-oriented resolutions, which aim to do something, succeeded more often than avoidance goals (58.9% vs 47.1% at one year). "Eat a vegetable with every dinner" works better than "never eat sweets". Plan a few simple meals for the week, keep fruit visible and swap the snacks you buy most often; Finepedia's guide to the most unhealthy foods to limit and better swaps gives practical replacements.

Interesting Facts

• WHO's free sugar limit works out at about 12 level teaspoons a day for an adult eating around 2,000 calories.
• For children, WHO's recommended fruit and vegetable amount is lower: at least 250 grams for ages 2–5 and 350 grams for ages 6–9.
• In the fresh start study, interest in dieting also rose at the start of each week and month, not just in January.

4. Save More Money and Pay Down Debt

Why People Choose It

Money goals are often triggered by holiday spending and the first credit card statement of the year. They also feel concrete: a balance either grows or it does not. For younger adults juggling rent, loans and early careers, saving is often the most pressing goal of all.

What the Data Says

Saving more money was the most popular US resolution for 2025 at 26%, and it remained near the top for 2026 at 21%. Adults under 45 were twice as likely as older Americans to plan it (30% vs 14%). Pew Research Center found 61% of Americans who made a 2024 resolution included one about money or finances, and the Forbes Health/OnePoll survey put improved finances second at 38%.

The Federal Reserve's report on household finances in 2025 found that 63% of US adults would cover a hypothetical $400 emergency expense entirely with cash, savings or a credit card paid off at the next statement, unchanged from the year before.

Why It Often Fails

• "Save more" has no number, deadline or method attached.
• Saving whatever is left at the end of the month usually means saving nothing.
• Unexpected costs, such as car or home repairs, can wipe out early progress and motivation.

How to Make It Stick

Decide on a specific amount and purpose, such as a starter emergency fund, and automate a transfer on payday so the money moves before it can be spent. Track spending for one month to find two or three easy cuts, and if you carry debt, list balances and interest rates so you can target one at a time. Small, visible wins keep motivation alive. This is general information; for decisions about debt or investments, consider advice from a qualified, independent professional.

Interesting Facts

• Among Americans who made a resolution in 2026, saving money was nearly as common as improving physical health (42% vs 44%).
• The oldest recorded resolutions were partly financial: Babylonians are said to have promised their gods to repay debts.
• In Britain, "save more or spend less" was named by 7% of people planning 2026 resolutions.

5. Improve Physical Health

Why People Choose It

Improving physical health is the umbrella goal behind many others: more energy, fewer sick days, better blood pressure or simply feeling stronger. It often follows a health scare, a birthday milestone or a doctor's advice. Because it is broad, people of every age can choose it, and Pew found sizable majorities of resolvers in every age group made a resolution about health, exercise or diet.

What the Data Says

YouGov's December 2025 poll put improving physical health at 21%, tied with saving money. Its October 2026 follow-up showed that among people who actually made a resolution, improving physical health was the single most common choice, at 44%. In Britain, 10% of intending resolvers described their goal simply as better health.

Sleep is one of the most overlooked parts of physical health. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 7 or more hours for adults aged 18–60 and links enough sleep to fewer illnesses, a healthier weight, better mood and lower risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Why It Often Fails

Because "improve my health" covers so much, people either try to change everything at once or never decide where to start. Results such as better blood tests or stamina can take weeks or months to appear, which tests patience. Health goals can also clash with work schedules and family demands.

How to Make It Stick

Pick one concrete area first. CDC sleep guidance suggests going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening. Other good starting points are booking an overdue check-up, walking more or cutting back on alcohol. CDC's weight-loss guidance also recommends focusing on two or three goals at a time, which applies well to health resolutions in general.

Interesting Facts

• CDC sleep recommendations change with age: 7–9 hours for adults aged 61–64 and 7–8 hours for those 65 and older.
• CDC suggests keeping a sleep diary if sleep problems persist, noting bedtimes, waking, naps, exercise and caffeine.
• Pew found younger Americans were more likely than older ones to make resolutions about every topic except health.

6. Lose Weight

Why People Choose It

Weight loss is one of the oldest staples of resolution lists. Many people gain weight over the holidays, and January brings a flood of diet plans and programmes. Losing weight also feels measurable, since the scale gives a number to track.

What the Data Says

Losing weight was planned by 17% of US adults for 2026, with women more likely than men to choose it. In Britain, it was the second most common plan, named by 17% of intending resolvers. The Forbes Health/OnePoll survey found 34% of respondents prioritised weight loss for 2024. In Norcross's 2002 study of resolvers, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, weight loss, exercise and quitting smoking were the most common goals.

The CDC says people who lose weight gradually, about 1 to 2 pounds a week, are more likely to keep it off. It also notes that even modest weight loss can improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar; for a person weighing 200 pounds, a 5% loss is 10 pounds.

Why It Often Fails

• Crash diets are hard to sustain and often lead to regain.
• Targets such as losing 20 pounds in two weeks, an example the CDC itself warns against, lead to frustration.
• Focusing only on the scale ignores sleep, stress and activity, all of which the CDC links to healthy weight.

How to Make It Stick

The CDC recommends writing down your reasons, tracking what you eat, how active you are and how you sleep for a few days, then setting specific short-term goals, such as replacing sugary drinks with water or taking a 15-minute evening walk. Find support from family, friends or a professional, review progress regularly and reward milestones with non-food treats. Anyone with a medical condition or taking medication should talk to a healthcare provider before major changes.

Interesting Facts

• The CDC's example of a specific goal is "I will walk 15 minutes, 3 days a week for the first week".
• Weight loss was so common in Norcross's study that it was one of only three goals described as most prevalent among both resolvers and non-resolvers.
• The CDC treats occasional setbacks as expected and advises getting back on track quickly rather than giving up.

7. Learn Something New

Why People Choose It

Learning a language, an instrument, a craft or a work skill offers the satisfaction of visible progress. Some people want a better job; others want a more interesting life or a break from screens. Online courses and videos have made it easier than ever to start.

What the Data Says

Learning something new was chosen by 15% of US adults for 2026, but by almost a third (32%) of people who actually made a resolution. A 2016 Pew Research Center study found 73% of American adults considered themselves lifelong learners, and 74% had done at least one personal learning activity in the previous year. Among those personal learners, 87% said it helped them feel more capable and well rounded, and 64% said it helped them make new friends.

Why It Often Fails

Big ambitions, such as fluency in a language within a year, can feel discouraging once the early excitement fades. Learning also competes with work and family for evening time, and expensive courses can feel wasted after a few missed sessions.

How to Make It Stick

Choose one skill, define a concrete milestone such as finishing a beginner course or playing one song, and schedule short, regular sessions rather than occasional marathons. Learning alongside others, in a class, club or online group, adds structure and social motivation. Pew found people who were open to new opportunities were much more likely to pursue personal learning.

Interesting Facts

• In Pew's study, 80% of personal learners said they wanted to make their lives more interesting and full.
• Pew found personal learning was more often done in physical places, such as libraries or places of worship, than online.
• In Britain, learning a new skill or gaining a qualification was planned by 3% of intending resolvers.

8. Spend More Time with Family and Friends

Why People Choose It

The holidays remind many people how rarely they see the people they care about. Busy jobs, distance and screens can crowd out time with family and friends, so a resolution feels like a way to reclaim it. Many see relationships as the most meaningful goal of all.

What the Data Says

In YouGov's December 2025 poll, 15% of US adults planned to spend more time with family, 13% to improve relationships with friends or family and 9% to spend more time with friends. Pew found 57% of Americans who made 2024 resolutions included one about relationships with family or friends. The US Surgeon General's 2023 advisory on social connection reported that approximately half of US adults experience loneliness, with some of the highest rates among young adults.

Why It Often Fails

Social plans are the first thing dropped when work gets busy, and they depend on other people's schedules. Without a fixed slot, "seeing friends more" quietly turns into "next month".

How to Make It Stick

Make connection a recurring event rather than a hope: a weekly call with a parent, a monthly dinner with friends or a regular walk with a neighbour. Put it in the calendar, as you would a meeting, and keep plans simple enough to happen even in a busy week. Short, frequent contact counts.

Interesting Facts

• The Harvard Study of Adult Development, begun in 1938, found relationships had a powerful influence on health, according to its director.
• The Surgeon General's advisory treated loneliness and isolation as a public health concern, not just a personal one.
• Among resolvers in October 2026, one in four had resolved to spend more time with family.

9. Pray More or Focus on Faith

Why People Choose It

For many people of faith, the turn of the year is a natural moment for reflection, gratitude and renewed commitment. Resolutions of this kind can include prayer, meditation, reading sacred texts, attending services or volunteering through a religious community. The goal often overlaps with wishes for peace of mind and stronger community ties.

What the Data Says

Praying more was chosen by 15% of US adults in YouGov's December 2025 survey, level with learning, family time and reading, while 9% planned to focus on spiritual matters. Pew Research Center's 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study found 44% of US adults pray at least once a day, a share that has held between 44% and 46% since 2021, though it is lower than in 2007.

Why It Often Fails

Spiritual goals are easy to postpone because no one else notices when they slip. Like other resolutions, they also suffer when they are vague, such as "be more spiritual", rather than tied to a time and place.

How to Make It Stick

Attach the practice to something you already do each day, such as morning coffee or the commute, and keep the first version short. Joining a group, a study circle or a regular service adds community and accountability. Whatever your tradition, the same habit principles apply: a clear cue, a small start and repetition.

Interesting Facts

• Watch night services held on New Year's Eve, often spent praying and making resolutions, trace back to John Wesley, the founder of Methodism.
• Pew's survey found 33% of US adults attend religious services at least once a month.
• In ancient Rome, people made promises of good conduct to Janus, the two-faced god who looked back to the old year and ahead to the new, at the start of the year.

10. Read More

Why People Choose It

Reading more is often a reaction to too much screen time. People miss the focus and calm of a good book, want to learn without a screen or hope to set an example for their children. It is also cheap, especially with a library card.

What the Data Says

Reading more was planned by 15% of US adults for 2026 and was chosen by 22% of people who actually made a resolution. A 2025 study in the journal iScience, led by researchers at the University of Florida and University College London, analysed more than 236,000 Americans in the American Time Use Survey and found daily reading for pleasure fell by more than 40% between 2003 and 2023, a steady decline of about 3% a year. Reading with children did not change over that period.

Why It Often Fails

Reading competes directly with phones, streaming and fatigue at the end of the day. Ambitious book-count goals can also turn a pleasure into a chore, especially if people force themselves through books they dislike.

How to Make It Stick

Set a small daily target, such as ten pages, and link it to a fixed moment like bedtime or the commute. Keep a book where your phone usually sits, and give yourself permission to abandon books you are not enjoying. The researchers behind the iScience study suggested more accessible libraries and book groups to make reading a social activity.

Interesting Facts

• The iScience researchers found that people who still read were spending slightly more time reading, hinting at a split between keen readers and non-readers.
• Steeper declines were seen among people with lower incomes or less education and in rural areas.
• In Britain, "less time on phones or screens" was a resolution named by 2% of people planning 2026 goals.

Honourable Mentions

Several other resolutions just missed the top ten in YouGov's December 2025 poll. Shares are of all US adults; the October 2026 column shows the share among people who actually made a resolution.

Quitting smoking deserves a special note. According to the CDC, 67.7% of US adults who smoked in 2022 wanted to quit and 53.3% had tried in the past year, but only 8.8% succeeded in quitting during that year. Using counselling and medication together gives the best chance of success, so anyone with this resolution should ask a healthcare provider or quitline for support.

A Short History of New Year's Resolutions

New Year's resolutions are far older than gym memberships. According to History.com, the ancient Babylonians are said to have made the first ones around 4,000 years ago, during Akitu, a 12-day religious festival held when crops were planted in mid-March. They promised their gods to repay debts and return borrowed objects.

In ancient Rome, Julius Caesar's calendar reform established 1 January as the start of the year around 46 BCE. The month was named after Janus, the two-faced god who looked back to the old year and forward to the new one, and Romans offered sacrifices and promised good conduct.

Christian traditions later turned the new year into a time for reflection. In 1740, English clergyman John Wesley, founder of Methodism, created the Covenant Renewal Service, usually held on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. Today most resolutions are secular promises people make to themselves.

How Many People Keep Their Resolutions

The popular claim that almost everyone fails is not well supported by recent surveys, though results depend heavily on when and how people are asked.

• Making them: 31% of US adults planned a 2026 resolution in December 2025, but only 23% said in October 2026 that they had actually made one (YouGov). Pew found 30% made one in 2024, and in Britain only 19% planned one for 2026.
• Worldwide: in an Ipsos survey of 23,721 adults across 33 countries in late 2024, an average of 75% agreed they would make some personal resolutions for 2025, a much looser question than YouGov's.
• Early weeks: less than a month into 2024, 87% of American resolvers told Pew they had kept at least some of their resolutions, while 13% had kept none.
• Mid-year and beyond: in October 2026, 15% of American resolvers said they had stuck to their resolutions entirely and 50% mostly, while 21% had mostly given up and 8% had given up entirely (YouGov).
• Britain: among people who made 2025 resolutions, 38% said in December 2025 that they had kept all of them, 33% some and 24% none (YouGov GB, small base).
• Research: Norcross's 2002 study found 46% of resolvers were still continuously successful after six months, compared with 4% of people who wanted to change but did not make a resolution. Oscarsson's 2020 study found 55% of responders rated themselves successful after a year.

Interestingly, Americans are far gloomier about other people than about themselves. In the October 2026 YouGov poll, half of all adults thought resolvers had mostly given up, even though most resolvers said they had mostly stuck to their goals. Self-reports can be optimistic, so the truth probably lies somewhere in between.

Key Figures on Resolution Success

Tips to Make Resolutions Stick

The research on goal pursuit is surprisingly consistent. These techniques work across almost every resolution on this list.

• Use SMART goals. George T. Doran introduced SMART objectives in Management Review in November 1981; his A originally stood for assignable, and later versions often use words such as attainable. "Walk 20 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday" beats "get fit".
• Aim at something, not away from it. In the Oscarsson study, approach goals beat avoidance goals by almost 12 percentage points after a year.
• Make if-then plans. A 2006 meta-analysis by Peter Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran, covering 94 tests and 8,461 participants, found these plans, called implementation intentions, had a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals.
• Stack new habits onto old ones. In Phillippa Lally's 2010 habit study at University College London, volunteers tied a new behaviour to an existing cue, such as after breakfast.
• Be patient. In the same study, the time for a behaviour to reach peak automaticity ranged from 18 to 254 days, with a median of about 66, and missing a single day did not materially harm habit formation.
• Track progress. The CDC recommends writing down what you eat, how active you are and how you sleep, then reviewing goals regularly.
• Keep the list short. The CDC suggests focusing on two or three goals at a time.
• Get support. In the Oscarsson study, the group given some goal-setting support did best, and Norcross found successful resolvers used more cognitive-behavioural strategies and fewer emotion-enhancing ones.
• Restart without guilt. The fresh start effect works on any Monday, birthday or first of the month, so a slip in February need not end the year.

Resolutions by Difficulty and Time Needed

The table below is an editorial guide by Finepedia, not survey data. It is meant to help readers choose a realistic combination of goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular New Year's resolution?

In YouGov's December 2025 survey of US adults, exercising more was the most popular resolution for 2026, chosen by 25%. Being happy followed at 23%, then eating healthier at 22%. A year earlier, saving more money was the top choice at 26%, so health and money goals usually swap places at the top.

What percentage of people make New Year's resolutions?

Around three in ten American adults make resolutions. Pew Research Center found 30% made at least one for 2024, and YouGov found 31% planned one for 2026. Rates are higher among young adults. In Great Britain, YouGov found only 19% intended to make a resolution for 2026, with far fewer older adults doing so.

How many people keep their New Year's resolutions?

It depends on timing and definition. Pew found 87% of US resolvers had kept at least some resolutions less than a month into 2024. YouGov found in October 2026 that 65% of resolvers had stuck to theirs entirely or mostly. Older research found 46% of resolvers still succeeding at six months, compared with 4% of non-resolvers.

What is Quitter's Day?

Quitter's Day is a name popularised by fitness app Strava for the January date when activity uploads dip most. Its 2018 analysis of 31.5 million activities pointed to the second Friday of January, about 17% below normal. Later analyses produced different dates, so treat it as a reminder to plan ahead rather than a fixed deadline.

How long does it take to form a new habit?

Far longer than the popular 21 days. In a University College London study published in 2010, the time for a daily behaviour to become as automatic as it would get ranged from 18 to 254 days, with a median of about 66 days. Missing one day did not derail the process, so consistency matters more than perfection.

Where did New Year's resolutions come from?

The custom is often traced to ancient Babylon about 4,000 years ago, when people promised their gods at the Akitu festival to repay debts and return borrowed items. Romans made promises to Janus at the new year, and in 1740 John Wesley created the Covenant Renewal Service for reflection and renewed commitment.

Is it better to make one resolution or several?

Research does not give a single answer, but focus helps. The CDC advises working on two or three goals at a time, and many of the most effective strategies, such as if-then plans and habit stacking, are easier with fewer goals. A good approach is to start with one main resolution and add another once it feels routine.

Conclusion

As of October 2026, the most popular New Year's resolutions remain remarkably familiar: move more, feel happier, eat better and get on top of money, followed by broader health, weight, learning, relationships, faith and reading. Survey data from YouGov, Pew and others shows only about three in ten adults make resolutions at all, but those who do are more successful than the popular myths suggest.

The difference between a resolution that fades by February and one that lasts is usually not willpower but design. Specific, positive goals, if-then plans, small starts, tracking and support all have research behind them. Whatever you choose for 2027, start small, expect a few slips and treat every new week as another fresh start.