Failed new year’s resolutions? UCalgary expert shares tips for setting realistic recovery goals
By Ilana van der Merwe, February 26 2025—
With two months of 2025 already completed, many once optimistic individuals find themselves spinning narratives as to why they fell out of their planned New Year’s resolutions. It is not uncommon for the concluding week of December to be filled with high consumption gatherings and celebrations, which may highlight to some that perhaps it is time for their resolution to scope substance abuse recovery. Oftentimes it is after indulging in these lavish — and occasionally uncontrolled — substance encouraged environments that individuals construct ‘check box’ resolutions which are rarely as auspicious as intended.
Speaking with registered social worker Naomi Den Haan of the UCalgary Student Wellness Center and Program Manager Chelsie Graham with the UCalgary Recovery Community for insight, this article will examine the reality of ‘check box’ new year’s resolution and the rewards of a recovery based resolution plan for campus goers.
The context of campus consumption
Alcohol consumption has become normalized in formal and informal campus settings. The reality of this is directly impacting students as 13 per cent of alcohol related deaths occur in those between the ages of 20 and 30. With most university funded programs closing or moving to a virtual point of access between semesters, students engaging in unhealthy drinking or substance consumption habits at holiday parties lose their potential support systems.
Speaking on the culture of varsity parties, Den Haan and Graham emphasized that age, freedom and independence are factors influencing the 20-30 age group.
“In the statistics you are referencing, is the age component in the way that people in that emerging adult phase of life are often times in this new found independence. They are in a space where they have more access to different things,” Den Haan said.
Graham added that inexperience with substances also leaves this age group vulnerable to overconsumption.
“I think what plays into the overconsumption of alcohol is that culture. It is that, ‘I am no longer a child, I can go party with my friends’, and a lack of information on what standard drinks are, how much your body can process and that group mentality and cultural expectation that people are going to be drinking to some degree,” Graham said.
Understanding the culture behind student parties and campus life is key to understanding the possible motivators to pursuing a check-box resolution. For the case of this research, a check-box resolution is any goal set up with insufficient structure.
Understanding check-box resolutions
Check-box resolutions are often made on a whim and have the potential to be preformative in nature. Regardless of commitment to the result, little thought is given to how the goal will be achieved, nullifying any motivation one may have for the desired end result — which is seen to have a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ check system to determine success. It is common for check-box resolutions to be shared at parties and exchanged for a type of social credit — making a common origin point for check-box resolutions validation from peers.
Occasionally the goal of a check-box resolution can be something the individual believes those around them would want for them to improve — like drinking habits, weight loss, etc — rather than something they have considered in depth. Check-box resolution has the propensity to fail, and often don’t last beyond a couple of weeks of short term progress. Den Haan spoke on the intersection of realistic recovery and the nature of check-box resolutions.
“I think there is something to be said about check-box resolutions that can come out at the new year. If it does not have substance then it just doesn’t match [the nature of what recovery means],” Den Haan said.
Check-box resolutions against recovery approach goals
With only eight per cent of check-box resolutions being maintained in the long term, these failed resolutions become increasingly concerning if they were made in hopes of curbing unhealthy substance abuse. In contrast to this approach to making changes, the recovery method approach, although seemingly more demanding, resulted in a 72 per cent rate of decreased harmful use of substances.
“The thing that I am keeping in context is the fact that the 72 per cent of participants is a valuable statistic as it speaks to what can happen and the potential outcomes that can be there when we have enough support and systems in place [for recovery],” Den Haan said.
Graham spoke on the culturally standard practice of ‘Dry January’ which sees people give up substances for the first month of the year. Oftentimes this individualistic approach to recovery sees more harm than good. With only a 38 per cent full completion rate and 10 per cent of participants reporting drinking more after failing, Dry January is an individualistic and isolated approach at recovery is unsuccessful.
“We are firm believers that the opposite of addiction is connection. The difference between casually saying, ‘I am going to do Dry January all by myself’, versus, intentionally engaging in a community that is also doing dry January as a program with actionable steps — those are the things that are going to be more successful. With community, actionable steps and accountability, you will always be more successful than independent attempts,” Graham said.
“Regardless of the kind of change a person wants to make, we very rarely can make those changes in isolation or in a vacuum,” Den Haan added.
The thinking behind a check-box resolution
Asking why people turn to check-box resolutions or short term goals with little peer support before recovery based approaches may be a result of stigma, as Den Haan suggests.
“When our ability to be reflective is impacted by stigma, we are talking about individual consequences. The experience of being able to reflect and think openly is being affected by social stigma,” Den Haan said.
Graham shared that oftentimes, those who do not consider recovery a significant step that needs to be taken to combat the risks of overconsumption are linked to a closed mindset. Prompted by the fact that a total of 298,000 deaths due to alcohol-related road crashes being a result of alcohol consumption, Graham argues that people understand the risks, but overlook their participation in them.
“Anecdotally, people think, ‘it can’t happen to me’. People make excuses like, ‘I am a better driver when I am stoned or drunk because I am more focused.’ or ‘I am not an aggressive person.’. People are not oblivious, they are aware of the risks, but there is an impervious sense of false security there. Especially if they are in a place where they are considered safe, like on campus,” Graham said.
Turning a check-box resolution into an achievable goal
Den Haan and Graham spoke on the support and resources required for individuals to turn check-box resolutions into realistic and long term recovery programs.
“Making change is a larger process. It takes multiple iterations of trying it, and trial and error, for any number of contexts — substances, or drinking enough water — to implement change. Trying to implement changes means being aware, and asking yourself questions. In order to do that we need to be in a space that helps us do that and be reflective,” Den Haan said.
Graham further expands on this notion on non-linear growth which is often overlook by check-box resolutions:
“I think, if you are someone who is trying to help someone make a resolution, no matter what it is, the thing that would be the best to let someone know is that this is not a linear path. You are going to take two steps forward, one step back. The stages are a dance, they are not linear. It is not an instant success. [Understand] that if you step back it doesn’t mean you are starting again from square one,” Graham said.
Reformatting a check-box resolution to a recovery based goal is an effective way to make long term progress to a desired goal. Changing one’s mindset about what success looks like and how long it should take for success to be achieved can potentially change an 8% success rate into a 72 per cent likelihood of decreasing harmful behaviour.
“A good beginning does not necessarily lead to a successful conclusion”
-Margot Underwood
A quote by Margot Underwood associate professor of Psychology at Joliet Junior College shares that it takes self awareness and understanding that a successful start won’t always be a successful conclusion — both attributes of the harm reduction method.
“The part about ‘a good beginning does not lead to a successful conclusion’, there is some reality to that in terms of approaching things not necessarily in an ‘all or nothing’ , one or done but as a progressive experience that allows us to adapt as we make change. If we hit a wall, we need to look at things in different timelines. There are days that build up to that point, and hours, and minutes. That is not to say this is going to be a treacherous thing, but it is a reality,” Den Haan said.
While check-box strategies like acknowledging a problem and looking for the best possible outcome are steps to recovery, taking things further by employing recovery-based tactics will make a difference to the success rate. It was this that led Graham to further emphasize that to turn a check-box resolution to a recovery goal, one needs a supporting community.
“With a successful action stage, individuals know they have a problem and take time to plan, research, set up accountability buddies and engage in a community to do these things,” Graham said.
Reframing your resolution
Further merits to add to check-box resolutions is compassion for self, and setting realistic recovery goals.
“A resolution should not be ‘in January I am going to succeed this goal.’ It should be more like, ‘In 2025 I am going to take big steps toward achieving this goal, and if I achieve this goal in December, then that is amazing,’” Graham said.
The reality of new year’s resolutions are unique to every individual, but understanding that steps can be taken to turn a potentially unsuccessful goal into long term change is integral to navigating recovery.
For more information on the UCalgary Recovery Community, access their website or their offices under Yamnuska Hall. For information on the UCalgary wellness center, access their website here.