It is January 17, 2026. If you woke up this morning feeling a strange mix of guilt and relief because you haven't touched a treadmill in four days, there is a very specific reason for that.
Today is National Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions Day.
Honestly, it’s the holiday we all secretly need. By the third week of January, the "New Year, New Me" energy usually hits a brick wall of reality. You’ve probably noticed the gym isn't as crowded as it was on the 2nd. Your fridge, once full of kale and optimism, might now just have a wilting bag of spinach and a leftover slice of pizza.
That’s okay. Statistics from the University of Scranton have suggested for years that about 80% of people fail their resolutions by mid-February. Today just makes it official.
Why January 17 is the "Breaking Point"
Why today? Why not the end of the month?
Psychologically, two weeks is about as long as most people can sustain a massive lifestyle shift based purely on willpower. Willpower is a finite resource. It's like a battery that drains every time you say "no" to a cookie or "yes" to a 5:00 AM alarm. By January 17, most people’s batteries are flashing red.
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There’s also the "Quitters Day" phenomenon. Strava, the fitness tracking app, actually pinpointed the second Friday in January as the day most people stop logging workouts. Since January 17, 2026, falls on a Saturday, we are right in the heart of that "forget it" zone.
The Benjamin Franklin Connection
Ironically, today is also Benjamin Franklin Day.
Ben Franklin was basically the patron saint of self-improvement. He famously kept a little book where he tracked thirteen virtues—things like temperance, silence, and order. He’d focus on one each week. But even the guy who flew a kite in a thunderstorm and helped draft the Declaration of Independence struggled. He admitted in his autobiography that he never quite mastered "order."
If one of the greatest polymaths in history couldn't keep his desk clean, don't beat yourself up over that Duolingo streak you just snapped.
What Else Is Happening Today?
While you’re busy forgiving yourself for the abandoned resolutions, there are actually a few other "holidays" sharing the calendar today. It’s a weirdly busy Saturday.
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- National Use Your Gift Card Day: It’s the third Saturday of January. If you have a $25 Starbucks card from your aunt buried in your junk drawer, today is the day to use it. Retailers love this because it clears their books, but it’s also a win for you.
- National Hot Buttered Rum Day: If you ditched your "Dry January" resolution today, this is a very convenient coincidence.
- National Kid Inventors’ Day: This coincides with Ben Franklin’s birthday (he was an inventor, after all). It’s meant to encourage kids to solve problems. It’s a cool reminder that progress doesn't always have to be about "fixing" yourself; sometimes it’s about creating something new.
- Popeye the Sailor Man Day: He made his debut on January 17, 1929. Maybe eat some spinach? It’s a low-pressure way to be healthy without the "resolution" label.
The Problem With Most Resolutions
Most people fail because their goals are too big. You don't go from "couch potato" to "marathon runner" in seventeen days. That’s not how biology works.
According to behavioral experts like James Clear (author of Atomic Habits), the secret isn't a massive New Year's resolution. It's "habit stacking." You attach a tiny new behavior to something you already do. Instead of "I will work out for an hour every day," try "I will do five pushups after I brush my teeth."
Ditching a bad resolution today isn't a failure. It’s a pivot. It’s an admission that the plan you made while sipping champagne on December 31st wasn't actually sustainable for your real life.
How to Celebrate Ditching Your Goals
Don't just quit and feel bad. Make it an event.
- Delete the App: If that calorie-tracking app is just making you feel like a criminal, delete it. You can always download it later if you actually want to use it.
- Eat the Thing: If your resolution was a restrictive diet, go get a decent burger or a bowl of pasta. Enjoy it without the "cheat meal" label.
- Sleep In: If you’ve been forcing yourself into a morning routine that leaves you exhausted by noon, stay in bed.
- Re-evaluate: Use today to set a "Micro-Goal." Something so small it’s impossible to fail. Drink one extra glass of water. Walk for ten minutes. That’s it.
Looking Forward: Artemis II and History
If you want to feel inspired by something other than your own habits, look up. Today, January 17, 2026, NASA is scheduled to begin the rollout of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission at Kennedy Space Center.
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This is the mission that will carry humans around the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era. While we are down here struggling to eat more salads, there are people preparing to leave the planet. It puts things in perspective, doesn't it?
Historically, January 17 is a heavy hitter. It's the day the first UN Security Council session was held in 1946. It’s the day the Northridge earthquake hit Los Angeles in 1994. It’s even the birthday of legends like Muhammad Ali and Eartha Kitt.
Whether you spend today celebrating your "failure" with a hot buttered rum or watching a rocket roll out to a launchpad, remember that the calendar is arbitrary. You don't need a New Year to change your life, and you certainly don't need a resolution to be a person worth celebrating.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Take 10 minutes to write down one "Micro-Goal" that is 90% easier than your original resolution.
- Check your wallet for any plastic gift cards and commit to spending them at lunch today.
- Forgive yourself for any "failed" goals—National Ditch Your New Year's Resolutions Day gives you the legal right to start over with a cleaner, more realistic slate.