• Just one in ten Americans describe 2025 as a “great” year, with most calling it mediocre or worse.
• New survey data shows Americans setting multiple resolutions as they look toward 2026.
• Financial security and physical fitness dominate goals after a year marked by disappointment.

WASHINGTON (TDR) — As Americans approach 2026, the prevailing mood is cautious and subdued after a year that failed to meet expectations for most of the country. While optimism has not disappeared entirely, new survey data suggests it has narrowed significantly, replaced by a quiet determination to regain control through personal change rather than external improvement.

According to only 1 in 10 Americans calling 2025 a “great” year, the vast majority of respondents offered far less enthusiastic assessments of the past twelve months. Nearly four in ten described the year as “just okay,” while sizable portions labeled it “bad” or “awful,” signaling widespread dissatisfaction rather than isolated frustration.

The findings were drawn from Talker Research surveying 2,000 Americans, a nationally distributed poll examining how people evaluate 2025 and what they hope to change in the year ahead. Rather than pointing to a single defining setback, the results suggest an accumulation of pressures — financial strain, personal stress, and a sense of stagnation — that collectively dulled expectations.

Turning Disappointment Into Determination

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Despite the gloomy retrospective, many Americans are not resigning themselves to another lackluster year. Instead, dissatisfaction appears to be motivating action. The survey found that 38% of Americans are setting New Year’s resolutions, reflecting a renewed emphasis on personal agency after a year that felt largely beyond individual control.

What distinguishes this cycle from past years is the scale of ambition. Among those setting goals, respondents reported an average of six resolutions for 2026, an unusually high number that suggests urgency as much as hope. Rather than focusing on one area of improvement, many Americans are attempting to address several aspects of their lives simultaneously.

This pattern indicates that resolutions are less about reinvention and more about course correction — an effort to prevent another year from slipping by without progress.

Financial and Physical Stability Take Priority

The survey data shows that financial security and physical fitness lead resolution priorities, reflecting where many Americans feel the greatest pressure. Rising living costs, lingering economic uncertainty, and health concerns exacerbated by stress have pushed these goals to the forefront.

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Saving money, reducing debt, exercising more, and improving daily health habits dominate the list, suggesting a desire for stability rather than transformation. For many respondents, these goals represent defensive strategies — ways to build resilience against an unpredictable environment.

The emphasis on self-improvement also underscores a broader shift. As confidence in broader systems wanes, individuals appear to be narrowing their focus to areas where effort still feels tangible and potentially rewarding.

Expectations Remain Muted

While ambition is rising, expectations for the year ahead remain restrained. The fact that most Americans rated 2025 as mediocre or worse points to lingering skepticism about how much can realistically change. Calling a year “just okay” reflects stagnation, not satisfaction, and the number of respondents labeling the year “bad” or “awful” signals deeper unease.

Still, the data suggests disappointment has not given way to apathy. Instead, Americans are choosing to act where they can, even if optimism about the broader landscape remains limited.

If Americans are placing their hopes in personal change rather than public progress, what does that reveal about confidence heading into 2026?

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