Filtered Feed #5 - Commitment Issues: Our Toxic Relationship with Resolutions

Do new year's resolutions really work?

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Commitment Issues: Our Toxic Relationship with Resolutions
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Commitment Issues: Our Toxic Relationship with Resolutions

If you’re anything like us, with the turn of the calendar, you’ve made a commitment to quit a bad habit or begin a good one that you know will be good for you in the long run. A month passes and chances are that you’ve already forgotten about your new year’s resolutions. Why is that? What makes it so hard to make the changes stick?

What’s Inside This Episode?

Time to begin that gym membership that you’re only going to use in January? Quit drinking or smoking? Eat healthier? This week, Filter Feeders explore the psychological root of change resistance, how cultural influences, traditions & festivals of dedicated to inducing change may help more than hinder our chances, and how your favourite self-help guru might just be capitalizing on your clockwork desire to change.

Why This Topic?

At the turn of the calendar is when most of us decide we want to make swooping changes in our lives. During this time of the year, perhaps we reviewed last year and are planning this year. But have you stopped to ask why you feel this urge to reinvent yourself at this exact time? Is it societal pressure,a deep-seated need for renewal, or just clever marketing?

Filter Feeders delve into the psychology and cultural roots behind New Year’s resolutions, exploring why humans gravitate toward these symbolic resets—and why they often fail. From ancient Babylonian rituals to modern social media trends, Filter Feeders examine how tradition, biology, and commercialisation all play a role in shaping this seasonal phenomenon.

“You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King

Key Takeaways

  • New Year’s Resolutions Are Rooted in Tradition
    Global traditions and historical frameworks like the Gregorian calendar, Babylonian Akitu, and Chinese New Year, each reflect renewal or a fresh start in different cultural contexts.

  • Change Is Challenging Due to Inertia and Biology
    Us humans are naturally resistant to change due to our biology, which prioritizes conserving energy. This “change inertia” makes adopting new habits or breaking old ones more difficult unless there’s a compelling personal need.

  • Toxic Positivity Can Be Counterproductive
    Instead of overwhelming, sweeping changes, break goals into small, manageable steps (micro-resolutions) or building habits incrementally (habit stacking) for sustainable progress and long-term success.

  • Commercialization and Social Pressure Shape Behaviour
    Companies often exploit societal norms and insecurities through advertising, especially around the New Year, pressuring individuals to spend money on gym memberships or self-help products. Recognizing these external influences can help mitigate their impact.

Additional Resources

| YearCompass | A free booklet with a set of carefully selected questions and exercises, YearCompass helps you uncover your own patterns and design the ideal year for yourself.

| Atomic Habits | Mark Manson says, "A supremely practical and useful book. James Clear distills the most fundamental information about habit formation, so you can accomplish more by focusing on less."

Looking Forward

By deepening our understanding how human biology and psychology influences our ability to create long lasting change in our lives, by being aware of our own blindspots and tendencies, and by understanding how to build better habits; we give ourselves a higher chance of sticking to our new years resolutions and make the long-overdue and long-lasting changes that we ultimately desire.

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Thoughts?

What’s your biggest challenge you face when trying to make a long lasting change in your life? We'd love to hear from you!

Engage with Us

Head over to The Filtration Station, our Discord server, to share your thoughts on the new year.

For any queries, reach out to us at [email protected]

Missed an Episode?

Don't worry, you can catch up on all our episodes in the links below. If you enjoyed our conversation and want to support us, please subscribe on your listening platform —it'll most definitely help to keep this thing going and it might even make our parents think we're successful!

Tune In, Plan Boldly and Take the First Step!


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