What are they? Those promises we make to ourselves at midnight every New Year ('No more chocolate for breakfast! This time I’m serious!’)🍫

Why do we make them? The Babylonians started it 4000 years ago, so blame them. But they also invented writing, geometry, astronomy and huge walls, so maybe they were onto something.

What resolutions do people make (year after year)? Common ones include saving money, exercising, and spending more time with family. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 And NOT eating chocolate for breakfast! 🍫

So, everyone improves every year? Nope - about 80% of people quit by February…and only 8% continue for the year.

Ouch! How can I stick with it? It’s not easy. Common advice from psychologists - remove the temptations!
Want to save money? Delete those shopping apps.
Want to stop eating chocolate for breakfast - DON’T BUY IT!’ (or replace it with something healthier.)

🙇🏻‍♀️ Prepare:
- Have an answer ready for when someone asks, ‘What are your New Year’s resolutions this year?’
Avoid saying, “Nothing special.” It’s a conversation killer.💀

🤔 Start the conversation
- "What are your resolutions for the year?"

🔄 Ask follow-up questions
- When someone tells you their resolution, show interest.
Say, “That sounds tough! How do you plan on doing it?”

😆 Say something funny
- “I can’t believe it’s been a year since I didn’t become a better person.”

💡 Drop trivia
- “Did you know people have been making resolutions for 4000 years?”

🧐 Become an expert on the topic
- Read these tips here.

✨Feel confident: No more awkward silences. Just real talk.

👥 Connect easily: Turn strangers into friends. Simple as that.

🙂 Kill that anxiety: Social situations? You'll handle them like a pro.

to call it quits
“After three days of kale smoothies for breakfast, I called it quits. The chocolate was calling my name…🍫

to pack it in
"I tried going to the gym every day, but I packed it in - it turns out Netflix has better opening hours.” 📺

to throw in the towel
"I tried yoga for a week, but I threw in the towel—my downward dog looked more like a lazy cat."🐱

to stick with (it)
"I'm sticking with my resolution to eat healthier, even though the only thing getting thinner is my will to live.”😵

to keep at it
“My alarm clock is now my mortal enemy, but I’m keeping at it with getting up early.” ⏰

And if you want to be supportive and help someone who may be struggling, try saying these:

Hang in there!

You can do it.

I believe in you 🙌

📉 Bad economy - low investment, innovation and productivity.

📈 Immigration backlash - High rates of low-skilled workers and foreign students.

🏡 Soaring costs - Housing prices and the cost of living are through the roof.

🍊Trump Trouble - His weak response to Trump’s tariff threats led to the Deputy PM’s resignation.

😲 Scandals - A list longer than Santa’s beard!

🧔🏻‍♂️ The Beard Theory - Remember when he grew that beard? Beards and politics don’t mix 😜

👁️ The Eye: His distinctive “two-coloured” eyes were caused by a permanently dilated pupil—a souvenir from a fight over a girl when he was 15.

🏳️‍🌈 Trailblazer: In 1972, Bowie came out as gay and later bisexual, making him one of the first major artists to discuss sexuality openly.

💿 Musician: With an estimated 140 million albums sold, he is in the top 40 best-selling artists ever.

🎬 Actor: Bowie starred in 27 films, including cult classics Labyrinth and The Hunger.

👑 A Rebel, Even to Royalty: In 2003, Bowie declined a knighthood from the Queen.

💻 Digital Pioneer: In 1996, he became the first major artist to release a downloadable song online. (It took 11 minutes to download!)

🚀 Spaceman: 'Space Oddity' was playing in the Tesla Elon Musk launched into space in 2018.

41% of employers are planning on reducing their workforce to use AI automation 😨

The biggest losers? Postal service clerks, bank tellers, and data entry workers. 📭📉

AI isn’t just taking jobs—it’s creating them, too! 🚀

70% of companies plan to hire workers to develop and enhance AI tools.

62% of companies are hiring for roles that collaborate with AI.

Jobs like big data specialists, FinTech engineers, and electric vehicle specialists are set to soar. 👨🏽‍💻📈

🐟 Monster Fish: A massive 608 lbs (276kg) bluefin tuna sold for $1.3 million at Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo. That’s as big as a bear or a horse! Or a motorbike. 🏍️ It was bought for a sushi chain…yum. 🍣

🥛 Moo-ve Over Cancer: Want to reduce your chances of bowel cancer by 17%? Then, drink a glass of milk a day, according to new research.

😵‍💫 Tech That Turned: A man got trapped driving in circles in a malfunctioning self-driving taxi in the US. The experience left him ‘dizzy.’

🏆 Watch and Talk: Golden Globes Big TV winners at the 82nd Golden Globes were ‘Shogun’ (Disney+) and ‘Baby Reindeer’ (Netflix.)
I watched them both - they were excellent!👍🏻

What you loved 😄

What you want more of 😆 (or less of 😕)