We’re now two weeks into 2026. 新年の抱負は立てましたか？ 守ることはできていますでしょうか？ (Shinnen no hōfu wa tatemashita ka? Mamoru koto wa dekite-imasu deshō ka?, Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? Have you been able to keep them?)

If you’re still sticking to your diet or keeping screen time to a minimum, you’re doing better than most people. 海外では1月の２週目の金曜日は、抱負が続かなくなる日として知られる「クイッターズ・デー」と言われています (Kaigai dewa ichi-gatsu no ni-shūme no kinyōbi wa, hōfu ga tsuzukanakunaru hi to shite shirareru “kuittāzu dē” to iwarete-imasu, The second Friday of January is known overseas as “Quitter’s Day,” a day when people tend to give up on their resolutions). It’s said that half of all people who make 新年の抱負 (shinnen no hōfu) — which translates literally to “New Year’s aspiration” in Japanese — break them by that point.

新年の抱負を守れなかったからといって、 罪悪感を感じるわけではない (Shinnen no hōfu o mamorenakatta kara to itte, zaiakukan o kanjiru wake dewa nai, Just because you couldn’t keep your New Year’s resolution doesn’t mean you feel guilty). Just take a moment to recalibrate your goals and reflect on whether they’re realistic for you.