New Year's resolutions could 'do more harm than good', a mental health charity has warned, due to the 'shame' as only one in 10 Brits complete them.
The coming weeks will see millions of Brits set themselves resolutions for the New Year, as they reflect on 2025.
Whether it's signing up for a new gym, quitting smoking, or eating healthier, many people will pledge to make a change for the better.
However, Brits are being warned that setting goals for the New Year can be more harmful than helpful for our mental health.
Mental Health UK has warned that New Year's resolutions can lead to a negative impact on our self-esteem, confidence, and motivation to change.
The charity found that 90% of people do not complete their New Year’s resolutions, with around 25% 'quitting' by the end of the first week.
They said that shame-based motivation, setting resolutions because of tradition, and failing to plan for obstacles are all common reasons why Brits fall at the first hurdle.
The charity warned that setting goals in the New Year can actually do the exact opposite of their intention, and encourage negative changes.
One of the most common of these changes relates to diet culture and weight loss.
While many Brits may feel tempted to overhaul their diet, or take advantage of a discounted gym offer, the charity has warned that this time of year can be extremely distressing for anyone with an eating disorder.
A Mental Health UK spokesperson said: "Rather than encouraging a 'health at every size' approach to fitness, this encourages weight loss for cosmetic sake, often shaming how much we eat over the holiday period.
"We should never be shamed or made to feel guilty for the food we eat.
"While exercise has scientifically proven benefits to health and mood, and may even help toward combatting seasonal affective disorder, we should prioritise movement over weight loss.
"While cheaper joining fees and other incentives make this a great time to join a gym, we need to do so for the right reasons and not because society demands that we lose weight."
How to live longer
The charity is encouraging people to make 'healthier' New Year's resolutions for 2026.
They suggested that people should be encouraged to 'forgive themselves' and 'carry on'.
This means that even if they forget to stick to their planned resolution, they should reframe their resolutions to turn them from a negative into a positive.
A Mental Health UK spokesperson said: "The language we use is also important.
"Rather than saying 'I have to' or 'I must,' try changing your language to 'I get to' or 'I will try.'
"Reframing our resolution from negative to positive, a demand to an opportunity, helps us get into the right state of mind and helps to eliminate the fear of failure."
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How to make New Year's Resolutions that stick
The charity outlined the following changes for people to consider when setting their New Year's resolutions to help create them with a positive outlook:
- I will try to spend less time on my phone, and embrace being more present in my surroundings.
- I will try to listen to my body and give it what it needs to thrive both mentally and physically.
- I will try to remember the happiness that exercise brings me.
- I will try to eat healthier foods, but I will try to practice self-compassion when I struggle with this.
What is your New Year's resolution for 2026?
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