Research has shown that calendar events — birthdays, Mondays, and other temporal landmarks — can serve as moments for a mental reset. These occasions prompt people to reflect on their lives and aspire to new goals. The start of a new year has always been considered a significant time for personal change, noted Vlad Gleveanu, a psychology professor at Dublin City University. Over a decade ago, researchers called this the “fresh start effect.”
However, in recent years, many people have been welcoming the New Year with less enthusiasm than before.
What has influenced this perception of the holiday?
Professor Gleveanu pointed out that we live in a world where declining mental health, especially among young people, has become commonplace. Meanwhile, even the thought of change often feels daunting. Climate anxiety, political and economic instability make the “fresh start effect” increasingly unrealistic.
Psychologists have also found that people today quickly tire of anticipated or imposed changes. Due to ongoing emotional exhaustion, individuals often lose the energy or willingness to engage in new initiatives, even positive ones. Instead of inspiring hope, calls for change can lead to skepticism, alienation, or detachment.
As Professor Gleveanu asserts, our ability to envision the future is not limitless. Studies on threat and uncertainty consistently show that when people feel threatened, their future-oriented thinking narrows. We focus less on new positive prospects and more on risks, losses, and worst-case scenarios.
Last year, Professor Gleveanu’s team conducted research at the Center for Possibility Studies at Dublin City University. It focused on what psychologists call “possibility thinking”—how people perceive what could be, explore alternatives, and recognize their capacity to act.
Researchers discovered that these elements are closely interconnected. When people see opportunities but feel unable to act, or feel motivated but cannot envision alternatives, making changes becomes challenging.
The team tested this connection with teacher participants involved in a professional development program aimed at fostering possibility-oriented thinking. During the study, participants learned that they would soon have to move to a new school building because their current school would be demolished. Most teachers reported emotional burnout at the prospect of “starting over.” Instead of enthusiasm, there was a notable decline in motivation, as reported by Science Alert.
While this example pertains to life changes rather than New Year’s, it helps explain why new beginnings may seem more daunting under current conditions. When people feel that changes are poorly supported and could harm them, it undermines their ability to perceive new opportunities.
Long-term research on behavior change has shown that motivation is shaped by context. A lack of time, financial stress, caregiving responsibilities, and institutional constraints all limit the ability to effect real change, regardless of intentions.
How to learn to view changes differently?
Instead of focusing on radical changes, identify small changes that are realistic within existing constraints, Gleveanu emphasized.
For example, a person aware of their limited energy resources might set a goal like: “I will incorporate a 10-minute walk into my daily routine, perhaps after lunch, and adjust the timing based on what truly works for me.”
It’s also important to understand that working towards a better future doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor. This “burden” can be shared collectively. Research has shown that people cope better with changes when responsibility is distributed among groups or individuals.
Ultimately, New Year’s is an important cultural moment that signifies renewal. Renewal can happen when people think differently, work together, and act within realistic limits so positive changes feel possible.
If you want to make the start of the new year truly meaningful but don’t know where to begin, we’ve prepared a practical guide for you. Download our guide. In it, you’ll find specific advice on realistic planning for changes that take your own limitations and resources into account. After all, psychologists say the best changes are those that happen gradually and align with your true capabilities.
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