It’s nearly impossible to think of January without considering New Year’s Resolutions. As soon as the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, ringing in the start of a new year, millions of Americans will take the opportunity to reset their lives. In fact, 66% of U.S. adults plan to make a resolution this year–up seven percentage points compared to last year. Whether the intention is to improve health, finances, relationships, or any other area of life, January typically means that change is in the air.
However, it’s worth looking at the past before looking to the future. This year, Americans who maintained their resolutions through the first quarter were likelier to stick with them through December.
As the data show, summer marked a downturn in resolution adherence that continued into the fall. July, August, September, and October showed steadily decreasing numbers. But by December, resolution-makers rallied, and 34% of respondents said they were sticking to their goals.
Join the Conversation: How many times in your life have you achieved a New Year’s resolution?
The Shape of This Year’s Resolutions
Among those making resolutions this year, improving food and diet and better fitness and exercise are nearly tied as the most popular categories. While diet resolutions have decreased since last year, fitness resolutions have increased.
This year’s third most popular resolution topic is managing finances–a category that has remained in the background until now. This category jumped six percentage points from last year’s report to snag third place at 19%.
What about you? Do you intend to make any New Year’s resolutions for 2025?
Who’s Making Resolutions in 2025?
This year, as in years past, adults aged 18-34 continue to lead the way with resolution-making. Those 18-24 will prioritize improving their food and diet, while those 25-34 are the most likely to work on their relationships and personalities.
While adults aged 55+ do not lead the push towards resolutions, it’s worth noting that this group is the most likely to prioritize fitness–a trend that the wellness world may want to note.
Regardless of their area of focus, resolution-makers feel more hope than others. Whether the hope precedes the resolution or the resolution inspires this feeling, what’s clear is that the two are correlated.
Resolution-makers are also resilient. The majority of those who made New Year’s Resolutions this year will make them again…even if they didn’t stick to them this year. Could it be that the act of creating the resolution is as important (if not more so) than the act of sticking to it? That may be up to the individual to decide.
In 2025, the increase in overall resolution-makers, combined with the shift in the top two categories and a surprise third place, suggests that Americans aren’t just choosing the same old resolutions; they’re adapting to the ever-changing national–and global–landscape.
Although only about one-third of Americans stick to their resolutions throughout the year, the continued enthusiasm for the practice indicates that completion rate may not be the only goal. Perhaps the hope and positive outlook that creating a resolution brings are the highs many Americans seek.
