Resolutions, Yearly Themes and the Literary/Library Connection

I'm not a huge New Year's Eve person, however I am a ferocious advocate of the new year's idea of a fresh start with all of its attendant resolutions. Maybe it's the intractable American in me that I have to keep discreet on foreign shores but I love a wee chance at any trial of self-improvement. Resolutions, however, is the regrettable go-to term that has Calvinist or Presbyterian overtones. Terminology aside for a moment, what matters is that they stick for each individual (and even if or when they don't stick, that is still valuable information on a personal level). There are a spate of witty New Year's Resolutions articles (Guardian, 2026), particularly with The Guardian set, that give the topic its deserved saltiness (Guardian, 2023). Resolution write-ups have almost, at this point, become a sub-genre of January journalism. Let's dig a little deeper and read what these articles have to say and maybe dip into the podcasts for a listen to some earnest Yoda on his thoughts of this year of the fire horse and how to tame him or just let him run wild. But, first, let's discuss some of these proactive and do-gooder new year's terms and assess how helpful they are.

The Year of the Fire Horse starts on the Chinese Lunar New Year on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
(Photo Credit: Image by Erkut2 from Pixabay)

Resolutions

This is the most eye-rolling term of all because many of us know that most resolutions are soon forgotten or abandoned by the close of the month of Janus, God of gates and transitions (Guardian, 2015). A co-worker asked me what my resolutions were for 2025 and I couldn't for the life of me provide an answer (now thinking about it I can look back with confidence and say I swapped Spotify for the library and read a record twenty-seven books which I had boasted about in a recent blogpost). Accolades aside, the word Resolutions reeks too much of the pre-Alcoholics Anonymous "pledge" that swept Ireland in the 19th century (The Genealogist, 2015) in which pledgees swore they would never touch another drop of the devil water. Resolutions depends too much on willpower and shame rather than science and the efficacy of systems. It's akin to being stuck on a deserted island with no clue of how to build a fire.

Some people can list off resolutions in their sleep, easily stick to them and wonder what the hell is wrong with the rest of us schlepps. They have that genetic or learned elixir called grit which proves elusive to us free spirits.

Don't get me wrong; sometimes old-fashioned grit when approaching resolutions is what is needed especially if one was born a stoic. But for those whose resolve has been historically noodly (Hi. I'm Tommy, Have we met before?), then more surgical interventions are required.

S.M.A.R.T.

This brings us to a workable framework of applicability and stickiness of resolutions or, my preferred term, goals. In short, goals need to be S.M.A.R.T. if they have any chance of reaching the end of next Decemeber. If you have gone through any performance review in an Anglophone office culture , you'll recognise that S.M.A.R.T. stands for actions, resolutions and goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable (or Attainable), Relevant, and Time-bound (‘SMART criteria’, 2025). Not exactly ground-breaking stuff but still perennially helpful and perhaps a new acronym to some of my readers.

These S.M.A.R.T. guidelines are incredibly helpful because the more granular one can get in approaching goals, the easier they are to stick. Generalities blow around like litter in the wind but being S.M.A.R.T. about one's goals can make the difference between losing those fifteen pounds by the Fourth of July or succumbing to a year of eating bon-bons on the couch watching reruns of Judge Judy. Yes, that same Judge Judy, the television firebrand, who penned the book, Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining. Without a roadmap or framework, giving up on one's resolutions can feel devastating, if briefly euphoric.

So Goals is my preferred term; it's somehow more approachable even if you are someone like me who doesn't give a whiff about sports and athletics (aside from the locker room interviews). As important as specificity and timing is when setting goals, another good reason is to check one's motivation by asking Why is this important to me? Enjoyment is key (Scienceblog, 2015) if you are seeking self-betterment. Don't fall into the trap of following someone else's image of the new and improved you. Your heart needs to be in it to win it. Case in point: I loathe exercise but I do love walking, everything from rural rambles to urban hikes. To add to the list I love riding my bicycle, dancing in my living room and at clubs and taking the stairs, jauntily, up and down at work as if briefly possessed on shift by Fred Astaire. Baking these activities into my day seamlessly on a regular basis is a much better use of my time than signing up for a gym membership which we all know is impossible to cancel. 

Goals

Motivation

Time Frames

6. Read harry potter y la piedra filosofal	Education, Language Learning, Challenge	Start reading 23 September and read ten pages a day
7. Read Homer's Odyssey	Education, Ancient Classics, Challenge	Start reading 21 Jun and read ten pages a day
13. Choose Independent and arts-and-crafts businesses over corporate ones	Conscientiousness, Observation	Everyday observations, daily keeping track of spending

                            Three of my thirteen 2026 actions.

Recalibrations

One original thought I have on the matter is that there is a term even more approachable than goals and that north star would be recalibrations. Recalibrations is allowing yourself to stay humble and listen and make small, daily or weekly tweaks that will make life run more smoothly and be more enjoyable. Case in point: I don't leave the house now without a pocket-sized journal or notebook and at least two writing utensils along with a paperback book that can fit into one of my cold-weather jacket pockets (or carried in my backpack during any type of weather). This makes it easier to always have a way to jot down my thoughts and to have something other than my phone to read while in the queue at the bank or the supermarket.

Out of my thirteen actions for 2026, Recalibrations do not have a presence because they are more a dynamic list of tactics that requires frequent updating and daily flexibility. But this leads to my last point, something I recently encountered on NPR's Life Kit podcast (NPR Life Kit, 2026) and it spoke deeply to the reader and writer in me. The mission, starting at minute 15:00, is clear: instead of conjuring up a laundry list of new year's resolutions or goals, it's almost more effective to pocket a theme or a key word or phrase for the year. So here is where Recalibrations finds a home—it is my Chief Officer, my second in command, but my Captain word would have to be Organisation (yes, I'm going for the British spelling as I have been throughout this blogpost!). Having a simple thematic word is the most elegant strategy of all because you don't have to remember rules and timelines and measurements but rather be driven by a central idea that oversees the year like a fairy godmother. Yes, Organisation is mine—if only because it's something foreign. Every year I often end up, unthinkingly, with the theme of Whimsy but that sprite has led me to too many unexpected places. Organisation is a more dependable friend that greets the morning with confidence and helps you balances the books. There's something magical and effective about putting things into their proper place at the perfect time.

Literary Digression 📚

A key phrase or one-word theme doesn't just start and end with a set of new year's resolutions; it has also found its way into some of the world's best literature. One of my favourite novels and one of the best novels penned in the last fifty years centred on just one word, one theme. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, written at one sitting during a four-week stretch concerned itself with the overpowering idea of dignity—dignity as a currency, as an identity, as a tattoo of sorts. Whether Ishiguro employed more tactics like plot logistics, character development, and dialogue dynamism, etc., in the forefront of his conscious writing style—the distillation of dignity is the driving force apparent to any reader. To be fair there were clear and meaty passages where the protagonist talked about the value of dignity with aplomb and gravity—so we knew what we were dealing with. But we also know that readers have a better understanding of the text than the guy or gal who actually wrote it. To live inside Ishiguro's head for an hour would be a wild ride. Maybe someday I'll meet him, especially if I purchase a membership to the famed London Library—but even with income concessions, it's still a steep price to join an elite writers' haunt (London Library, 2026). 

Library Projects

Back in the public library realm where I spend most of my time, New Year, New You has been my most rewarding display to date. There is nothing quite so exciting as getting other people excited to read. I, of course, included some sports and hobbies books for those whose resolutions are more on the social and athletic end. The point is that they move (the books that is, but hey, the customers too!).

One way, unfortunately, in which display titles can suffer is from the physical location of the display furniture. Obviously, the more traffic, the better circulation. That is why I am always pressing to rearrange display locations under my general career keyword theme of Cross-Pollination. You always want to give the customer a chance for a new source of nectar. And being around long enough in the field, you notice people gravitate to their usual activity and same niche. They almost have a pre-determined circuit of where they want to go in the library and how they want to use it. Getting customers (or "patrons" in America) to utilize our full range of services and databases is any librarian's dream.

80% of titles feature pop psychology and positive psychology.

10% of display titles focused on sports, hobbies and outdoors
with another 10% on philosophy and religion.

One of my managers joked that my 2026 flyer was giving TRON vibes (Guardian, 2022).
(Photo Credit: Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock)

A Last Word on a New Year's Themes

So back to 2026 and the topic of actions/goals/resolutions. Like most things I comment on, it's perfectly appropriate to take a both/and/all-of-the-above approach. I can still have my thirteen S.M.A.R.T. actions for the year while including two of the three themes or muses; Organisation and Recalibrations. But because of the trinity and the luck of three, I'll include one more personal theme: Output. It sounds healthy and productive enough. Here's to the year of the fire horse with all its power and drive!

References Cited

Gould, L. (2026). 'Four Realistic Resolutions and How to Keep Them', The Guardian, 2 January. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/02/four-realistic-resolutions-and-how-to-keep-them (Accessed: 10 January 2026)

Burkeman, O. (2023). 'The key to keeping new year resolutions? Don’t make them in the first place', The Guardian, 30 December. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/dec/30/the-key-to-keeping-new-year-resolutions-dont-make-them-in-the-first-place (Accessed: 10 January 2026)

Arnett, G. (2015). 'How long do people keep their New Year resolutions?', The Guardian, 31 December. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2015/dec/31/how-long-do-people-keep-their-new-year-resolutions (Accessed: 10 January 2026)

Darby, N (2015) Nell Darby provides a sobering account of the temperance and teetotalism movements. Available at: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/discover-your-ancestors/bookazine/4/signing-the-pledge-7399/? (Accessed: 10 Jan 2026)

'SMART Criteria' (2025) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria (Accessed: 10 Jan 2026)

Science Blog (2025) 'Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail: Science Says Enjoy the Journey', Science Blog, 17 July. Available at: https://scienceblog.com/why-new-years-resolutions-fail-science-says-enjoy-the-journey/#google_vignette (Accessed: 10 Jan 2026)

NPR Life Kit (2026) How to set resolutions you'll actually keep. [Podcast]. Available at: https://www.npr.org/2026/01/01/nx-s1-5661536/how-to-set-resolutions-youll-actually-keep (Accessed: 8 Jan 2026)

London Library (2026) Become a Member. Available at: https://www.londonlibrary.co.uk/join/join-online (Accessed: 10 Jan 2026)

Rose, S. (2022) ‘Frankly it blew my mind’: how Tron changed cinema – and predicted the future of tech, The Guardian, 5 July. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jul/05/tron-steven-lisberger-interview (Accessed: 10 January 2026)