Clinical Research Associates would like to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous New Year, and we appreciate everyone who has made the past year a busy one for us.

January is a fresh start and also a remembrance of the past year. The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of entrances. With two faces, one in front and one in back, he could look forward and backward at the same time. As the New Year rolls around, we usually look back at noteworthy events and also look forward to making the upcoming year the best that we can. This is where New Year’s Resolutions come in.

It is customary to make a resolution, or a commitment that one hopes to fulfill in the coming year.

Popular resolutions in the United States include quitting smoking or drinking, losing weight, and getting physically fit. A common thread among these resolutions is the intention of making a lifestyle change or reforming a habit for the purpose of improving the individual. In Judaism, the New Year that begins with Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect upon one’s wrongs over the past year and seek and offer forgiveness. The concept is similar regardless of culture, religion or geographic location.

While the concept of resolutions is universally similar, cultural differences are clearer. The Chinese have dumplings and set off firecrackers at the Dragon Dance; Indian children make small clay lamps for Hindu goddesses to enter for luck; and in Denmark, people throw their old dishes to break on friends’ doors.

Even in the U.S., regional differences can be seen in what kind of food we make. In the South, many people have black-eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread. In Texas, you would be sure to have cole slaw on your plate, too. In Pennsylvania, which is influenced by the Dutch settlers, the custom is to make pork and sauerkraut.

Whatever the custom is in your family that has been passed down from your ancestors, it is a significant time of year to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. It is a good time to take stock of goals and put systems in place to reach them.