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- On Resolutions (and How to Keep Them)
On Resolutions (and How to Keep Them)
Dear Hyphenly Readers,
Happy New Year! After a short two-week hiatus, we’re back; rested, re-energized, and ready to bring you the culture stories you love.
What does a New Year’s celebration look like in your culture? If you’re from the US, New Year’s is probably synonymous with “dropping the ball” – a tradition that dates back to 1907. You’ve likely seen midnight depicted with an energetic countdown where you clink glasses of champagne and perhaps share a kiss with a loved one.
Gloria, from Modern Family, introduced the Spanish tradition of uvas de la suerte to the mainstream, which involves eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
This is not the only food-related New Year’s tradition. In Greece, smashing pomegranates against doorways symbolizes abundance. It is believed that the more seeds that scatter the greater chances you have for prosperity. In Japan, the year ends with a bowl of toshikoshi soba, a dish with whose long strands of buckwheat noodles that symbolize a long life.
But perhaps the most ubiquitous New Year’s tradition is making resolutions. Beginning 2026, many people have already made resolutions to sleep better, hit the gym, and meet their protein goals. In fact, around 12% of new gym memberships start in January, only for half of them to disappear within months. Similarly, according to Association of American Publishers, book sales increase in January, but start to dip later.
The practice of promising to do better in the new year dates back centuries. We keep promising ourselves a “better” year because hope, it turns out, is a hard habit to break. On social media, resolutions have taken on new forms. Many people institute a “dry January” rule. Others insist on a “no-buy” rule.
Some have taken to social media to reject the popular resolutions of going to the gym and spending less and instead established “whimsical” goals. For them, bringing back joy and discovery is more sacred than productivity.
At Hyphenly, our resolution has always been clear: to tell culture stories about immigrants, by immigrants. In our first year, we published 84 original newsletters spotlighting immigrant-owned brands, multilingual music, small businesses, and stories that push beyond the algorithm. And we’re just getting started.
Watching Zohran Mamdani’s inaugural speech reminded us why we wanted to launch Hyphenly in the first place:
“We may not always succeed but never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try.”
So, what’s our resolution for 2026? To keep trying. To keep making space for joy, curiosity, and connection. To help you discover new sounds, new stories, and conversations that offer hope even when the world feels heavy.
Hyphenly has always been about happiness as an act of resistance. We want this newsletter to be something you look forward to and a community you feel part of. Have tips for us to improve? We read every email.
What are your resolutions for 2026? Reply to this email and let us know and we will share your answers on Instagram.
Until next time,
Team Hyphenly
This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.
Hyphenly curates the latest news, art, and businesses from immigrants around the world. Have a tip or story we should feature? We’d love to hear from you.
Visit us at www.immigrantlypod.com