New Year’s Resolutions for Better Mental Health
Planning can help make your resolutions and dreams become a reality. Take 10 minutes each morning or evening to break them into daily To Do items. Set clear priorities and specific goals, which are comprised of simple, achievable steps that include deadlines. Resolutions can be successful if you are realistic and change one small thing at a time.
If you slip and break your New Year’s resolutions, do not give up. Simply adapt your plans and try again tomorrow. Learn from your setbacks. What contributed to the slip and can you avoid those situations in the future? Write down your thoughts to ease any anxiety you may be feeling and to make tasks seem more manageable.
Employ positive peer pressure. Thirty percent of individuals who meet their fitness goals told them to a friend. When you are concerned about having enough willpower to keep your resolutions, family members, classmates and colleagues can provide encouragement, advice and even help.
In addition to exercising and eating healthily, there are many other resolutions that will benefit your mental health. Consider finally beginning treatment if you have been hesitant to talk to a doctor, therapist or social worker. Do one thing each day that allows you to rest and/or increases your emotional well-being. Live in the present moment rather than dwelling upon the past or fixating on the future. Always speak positively about and treat yourself with respect. Act rather than simply choosing to react to others’ words and actions.
An easy change to adopt in 2019 is to make your bed each morning. It takes a mere minute or two and will give you an instant sense of accomplishment. You can consider it the first success of your day! In addition, eat one more daily piece of fruit. Up to 90 percent of the body’s serotonin is made in the digestive tract. Individuals with depression often have lower than normal levels of serotonin and reducing gastrointestinal inflammation will allow them to produce more.
Rather than being defined by a label, remind yourself that, “I have depression, however, today I will exercise (or see my therapist and/or take my medication, etc.) to help manage that.” Tackle the steps for your resolutions one at a time and celebrate each success on the way to meeting your goals. Little changes can make a big difference to your mental and physical health!