The first six weeks of a New Year’s Resolution are all many of us actually do. Even the most manageable and realistic resolutions can seem daunting. Especially when we mess up for the first time — it seems easier to accept that we cannot pull it off for an entire year and completely give up instead of shaking it off and starting over.

Our mental state is commonly overlooked in how we approach and succeed at our resolutions. And, when our new year goal is something that creates a healthier us (such as eating healthier or exercising more often), we need all the help we can get to stick to our resolutions.

We’re going to dive into five mental health resolutions you can make for the coming new year. But first, let’s talk about how you can prepare yourself to succeed.

4 Ways to Mentally Tackle the New Year

1. Be Realistic

The New Year brings us a breath of fresh air. A feeling that anything is possible. However, setting the bar too high, only to fail, can be detrimental to your success. Improving ourselves and developing into better human beings takes time and any setbacks to this may seem discouraging.

Instead of shooting for the stars this new year, try setting ambitious, yet realistic goals. For example, instead of saying you are going to cut out soft drinks altogether, try a more attainable goal of limiting your intake to once a week. Not only does this establish a more healthy pattern, but seeing yourself succeed can set a solid foundation that can be built on.

2. Follow a Routine

Routines are beneficial for many reasons, however, they can be most helpful when you’re attempting to practice a new habit. They are an anchor when things feel uncertain or out of your control. They can provide you with a sense of stability when other aspects of your life appear chaotic.

So, if you want to exercise more often, try to pick certain days of the week and specific times so you can stick to them. Once your routine is established and you feel more comfortable expanding it, changes in your schedule become safer.

3. Honor Your Limitations

Respecting yourself and your limitations can be difficult for some individuals, especially if they are people pleasers. It’s never a bad idea to push yourself out of your comfort zone, however understanding when too far is, in fact, too far isn’t unreasonable. If you are uncomfortable with something, don’t feel as if you have to do something you may regret. Honor yourself by saying “no” when it isn’t an ideal situation for you.

4. Keep the Positives at the Forefront

As cliche as it sounds, you should always focus on the positives. Our brains are hardwired to zero in on negative aspects. It can be nearly impossible to see anything outside of that. This year, think about what you are good at and what uniquely makes you — you! Enjoy those things and celebrate them. It’s time to revel in yourself to get comfortable in your own skin. (Reference 1)

5 Resolutions for Your Mental Health

Keeping the above in mind, here is a list of five obtainable resolutions you can achieve for your mental health in the coming year.

1. Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is one of the most effective and quickest ways for you to increase your overall happiness. In addition, it can encourage resilience and manage any depression. You may decide to keep a mental note or physically write down what you are grateful for — either way, with practice, you can completely change the lens your brain views things.

2. Keep a Journal

Managing a journal is one of the easiest processes to manage anxiety. Not only does it provide you with an outlet to freely express yourself, but it allows you to revisit positive thoughts you’ve had throughout the day, week, month, or year. Moreover, by reexamining the negative thoughts you’ve journaled, you can learn what your triggers have been and decipher ways to manage them in the future.

3. Get Up and Move

Exercise is an excellent form of medicine in helping you to manage your stress, depression, and anxiety. This doesn’t mean that you need to run marathons or even shell out money for a gym membership. However, some form of movement — such as a short walk around the block — can be a valuable source for keeping your mental (and physical) health in premium shape. When you make exercise about endorphins rather than a goal of weight loss, you have a new way of measuring your success due to the focus.

4. Unplug Yourself

Research shows a negative connection between our screen time and overall mental state. Logically, we all know and understand that what individuals post on social media serves as more of a highlight reel rather than an accurate portrayal of their lives, however, we cannot help but compare ourselves to them. After all, comparison is the thief of joy. Give yourself a fast from social platforms and see how it impacts your well-being. You may find yourself relieved by being unplugged.

5. Nourish Your Friendships

We all need alone time now and then. It’s necessary for us to unwind. But being around others is vital for our mental health. It’s important to find the time to carve out special moments to nourish connections that nurture and inspire us.

Keep Your Resolutions

The toughest part of resolutions isn’t coming up with them or even starting them — it’s keeping them throughout the year.

Here are some strategies you can use to help you stick to your resolutions are:

Create a game plan - Be thoughtful and actually create a plan on how your resolution(s) look. Is it exercise Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Do you get up an hour early on those days?

Tandem resolutions - It could seem overwhelming, but sometimes having related resolutions actually help you keep them. For example, eating healthier along with exercise.

Track progress - Hindsight is 20/20. You may not seem like you are making progress day by day. But over time, you will see the results. For instance, if you are trying to lose weight, take progress photos once a week. Results over one week may not seem like much, but when you look back after two months, you can see the pains of your labor.

Make it a habit - Our brains form a habit when we are consistently rewarded for the behavior. Feeling euphoric is the reward from drinking, feeling content is the reward for smoking. Think of ways you can celebrate after sticking to your resolution — whether daily, weekly, or monthly.

Accept failure - We’re all human and we are going to be tempted. We may even fail. And that is okay. Accept that this will most likely happen so that you are not devastated when the time comes. Brush it off and try again. (Reference 2)

The MHT Solution

This year, MHT wants to assist you in helping your patients.

Our diagnostic tool aids physicians in diagnosing:

Depression
Anxiety
PTSD
Substance abuse
Suicidal ideations

…and a variety of other mental health disorders.

In 2023, we are confident that patients — and physicians — are going to ask for the appropriate help needed. And we are here for you both.

Contact us today to talk to one of our knowledgeable team members.

Resources:

Preparing Your Emotional State for the New Year + 5 Mental Health Resolutions