Community Corner

You Say You Got a Resolution? We Want To Know

From dieting to quitting smoking, this is the biggest "I Promise" day of the year. We want to hear what you vow to do - or not do - in 2013.

New Years Day means many things to many people.

For some it's a day to sleep in, for a variety of reasons. For others, it means college football, family and food.

But for many people, the first day of the new year marks the beginning of a new direction, a chance to clean the slate and follow that elusive path to perfection that we are always attempting to achieve.

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I'm talking about a resolution, of course.

According to History.com, the practice of making New Years resolutions has been around for centuries. The website states:

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"The practice of making resolutions for the new year is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot. (They would reportedly vow to pay off debts and return borrowed farm equipment.)"

While there are people who make the same resolutions every year, for example to start dieting or stop smoking, it appears there are actually a number of resolutions made at the start of the year.

According to the website USA.gov, these are the top ten resolutions people make heading into the New Year:

  • Drink Less Alcohol
  • Eat Healthy Food
  • Get a Better Education
  • Get a Better Job
  • Get Fit
  • Lose Weight
  • Manage Debt
  • Manage Stress
  • Quit Smoking
  • Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
  • Save Money
  • Take a Trip
  • Volunteer to Help Others

So, Harborites, we want to know your thoughts on New Years resolutions. Do you believe in them, and if so, what is your vow for 2013? Or do you think the whole idea of resolutions is a bunch of ancient Babylonian hogwash? Either way, let us know in the comments below!

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