Happy New Year: Can we break down what that really means in 2022?
There has been very little “Happy” news over the last two weeks. The Omicron variant has marched across the country, finally making the pandemic a personal experience for everyone. We all now know friends or family members who have contracted COVID-19 – and if you haven’t been infected yet, you’ve likely accepted that it will inevitably happen.
And “New Year”? Doesn’t seem new at all – in many parts of the country, kids are once again doing home schooling, restrictions have been re-applied to businesses and Québec has brought back its overnight curfew. One of the funniest things I saw on Twitter this week was the suggestion this year is actually “2020 too.”
Should we really say “Happy New Year” this year? I may be going out on a limb here, but my answer is yes. The science suggests Omicron is causing less severe symptoms and is not as deadly as previous variants. Almost 30 million Canadians are now fully vaccinated and more than 20 per cent of the population has received booster shots. If I squint, it seems I can see something at the end of the tunnel.
Has the pandemic made it harder for you to commit to a New Year’s resolution? Or are you more motivated than ever this year to achieve a new goal as part of a plan to conquer the pandemic doldrums?
The Conversation devotes a lot of coverage at this time of year to explain the science behind New Year’s resolutions – great advice on healthy eating, exercise, mental motivation and even some explanations why resolutions are so hard to keep. I’ve assembled a few of them below – and be sure to listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast for a preview of some scientific advances for 2022.
So I really do wish you a resounding Happy New Year…and have a happy weekend too. We'll be back in your Inbox on Monday.
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