PARKERSBURG - As one year fades into another, there are many people who make a resolution for the new year only to see that resolution abandoned after a few weeks or, in some cases, days.
Recently, a survey of a few area residents found many still make resolutions or have hope for changes.
For Tiara Delancy, of Parkersburg, and Carrie Queen, of Williamstown, they have decided on a couple of resolutions.
"One is to lose more weight and the other to eat healthier," said Delancy.
"I'd like to stop smoking cigarettes," said Queen. "That's my New Year's resolution."
Both said in the past they have been somewhat successful in sticking with resolutions and obtaining the goal of changing themselves or their lifestyle.
"I've done well with mine," said Queen. "When mine was to stay away from a certain boy."
Some say they do not make resolutions since they have seen others fail at them, so they decided to avoid them.
"Most of the time when you make one, they may keep them for a week or two and that's about it," said Jonathan Graziani, of Parkersburg. "It's kind of a waste of time."
Samantha Bibbee, of Vienna, said she counts herself as among those who do not make resolutions.
"I've made them, but I didn't make it," she said. "I guess it was from a lack to do it or it just didn't seem important at the time since there were other things going on that were more important."
Brad Thomas, of Marietta, said he has made resolutions.
"I think, like most people, I try to keep them," he said.
"Normally I start out with three or four resolutions and hold on to one or two by the end of the year."
Christie Thomas said she made one resolution so far for 2013.
"I've decided to read a book a week," she said.
Both said they had mixed results with past resolutions.
"Life happens," she said. "That's kind of the way we look at it."
Historians have traced setting resolutions to the time of the ancient Romans. The modern month of January is named for Janus, a mythical king of early Rome. As such, he was placed at the head of the calendar.
Janus, the legends said, had two faces, one allowed him to look back on past events and the other allowed him to look to the future. He became the ancient symbol for resolutions.
In 2007, a study by Richard Wisemen, from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, showed 78 percent of those who set resolutions fail.
Men achieved their goal 22 percent more often when they engaged in goal setting, where small measurable goals are being set, while women succeeded 10 percent more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.
