We said goodbye to 2010 last year, and now it's time to welcome in the New Year. More than 44 percent of us will make a new year's resolution for 2011, according to a recent Marist Poll.

Marist found that those under age 45 are most likely to make resolutions and that men and women are equally likely to make a promise in the new year.

Where does this tradition come from? Historians point to ancient Rome as the origin of this practice.  Romans worshiped Janus, the god of new beginnings, doorways and gates. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Janus was said to have two heads. One head could look to the past and the other to the future, a gift from the god Saturn.

Romans made Janus the head of their calendar, what we now know as January. It was a custom for Romans to look at the past year and reflect on what they did wrong and think about what they could do better in the new year.

Flash many centuries to the modern era and many of us still practice this custom. What are the most popular resolutions? According to the federal government (yes, apparently they are keeping track), there are several common resolutions Americans plan to make for 2011.

• Lose weight and get in better shape
• Quit Smoking
• Pay down debt and save more money
• Volunteer in the community
• Go back to school
• Get a new job
• Manage stress better

Marist reported the top goal for 2011 was quitting smoking, followed by losing weight and then spending less and saving more.

After we make these resolutions, how well do we do keeping them? According to the Marist Poll, 60 percent of those who made a resolution last year kept it for at least part of the year but 25 percent didn't even manage to keep it for a week.

How well will you do with your resolution in 2011?