Beech Tree News Network

The New Year’s Resolution tradition goes all the way back to 153 B.C.  Legend has it that Janus, a mythical king of early Rome, was placed at the head of the calendar.  Having two faces, Janus could look back as well as ahead. 
The New Year hasn’t always begun on January 1.  And it doesn’t begin on that date everywhere today.  It only begins on that date for those who have a 365 day calendar.  In 46 B.C., January 1 became the beginning of the New Year.  That was when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that reflected seasons more accurately than did others.
The Romans named the first month after Janus, god of the beginning.  Legend has it that, in the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year’s Day to December 25, the birth of Jesus.  They changed it again to March 25th, a holiday called the Annunciation.  In the 16th Century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and New Year’s Day was returned to January 1st. 
Last year I did a column on how different cultures do resolutions and New Year’s. I’m wondering who among us makes resolutions? I have made them in years past, but found that I would break them within days/weeks of making them.  Although, I did make one about 13 years ago to which I’ve stuck. For years, I’ve had a multi-purpose exercise bench that was basically collecting dust in the basement.  In 2000, I vowed to change that. I’ve worked out on the machine three days a week ever since.  I would do about 30 minutes a day.  90 minutes times 52 weeks works out(pun intended) to 4,680 minutes per year. 
Five years ago, I decided to add the treadmill in the mix.  I started with 30 minutes, moving up to 40.  At first I did this on the odd days, when I wasn’t using the bench.  Now I use it for 40 minutes every day.  It takes discipline, which I thank God he’s given.  It also takes a lot of water!
Weight loss and exercise are actually two of the top twenty resolutions people had for 2013, studies show. Managing stress and eating healthy also were high on the list. Do I have any resolutions for 2013? Just keep on being the best me that I can.  Do you have any resolutions you’d like to share? Remember, saying them aloud doesn’t mean they won’t come true.
Hello, my name is Andy Sullivan. I received my bachelor’s degree in business from Mid-Continent University in May 2009. I began writing for Beech Tree News in July 2009.  I enjoy playing guitar, the occasional Wii game, writing, and listening to music. I write a sports blog that can be found at http://andyuk79.tumblr.com
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