By Angel DeCapua, PsyM
As we enter the new year, we face a valuable opportunity to set intentions that prioritize our overall well-being. Creating thoughtful goals and resolutions focused on our mental health can serve as a stepping-stone to begin making meaningful changes in our behaviors and habits that may lead to increased fulfillment and happiness. However, determining what goals we want to work toward and how exactly to make progress toward these goals can be incredibly challenging and overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you with making mental health a priority this year.
1. Engage in Self-Reflection
It can feel overwhelming trying to sort out where to start with improving your mental health. Take some time to engage in thoughtful self-reflection. Identify areas of strength for you and aspects of your life, behavior, and habits that you are proud of. Consider areas in your life where you’d like to make changes. Ponder your values and what is most important to you – are there certain behaviors you find yourself getting stuck engaging in despite their diversion from your values? By engaging in deep self-reflection, you will be better guided in identifying what goals you’d like to focus on working toward.
2. Set SMART Goals
It’s easy to find ourselves setting vague and ambiguous resolutions, such as “I want to feel better” or “I want to feel happier.” Instead, aim to create a SMART goal – that is, a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Ensure that your goal is specific, can be monitored for progress, is realistic and not too challenging, and is aligned with your needs and values. For example, you may set the goal to engage in more exercise by going for a 20-minute walk in your neighborhood or local park each morning. Or you may set the goal to spend more quality time with others by making plans to have dinner once a week with friends and/or family this month. By developing goals in this manner, we are provided with clear steps we can take each day that do not feel as overwhelming and daunting. We are able to break down our larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps.
3. Monitor Progress and Adjust As Needed
When we set SMART goals, we are more easily able to track our progress toward these goals, and adjust our plan as needed. Using checklists, to-do lists, journals, or any system to stay organized to track your goals is beneficial. This also helps serve as a reminder to keep ourselves accountable. You may also decide to share your goals with a supportive friend or loved one who can check in on your progress and provide ongoing encouragement. By tracking your progress, you may notice your initial goal to be too easy or too challenging – adjust your goals as needed so that they are challenging and achievable.
4. Practice Self-Compassion, Self-Kindness, and Patience
Notably, setbacks and mistakes are likely to occur. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge the difficulty in changing habits. Don’t expect perfection. If you slip up, compassionately acknowledge what happened and adjust your approach. Each day is a new opportunity to make changes. Recognize and celebrate the victories along the way.
When we are able to create meaningful personal goals and begin inching our way toward achieving those goals, we gain a sense of accomplishment and increase our self-esteem. Consider where you’d like to start with making changes in the new year. Start simple, try challenging yourself, be consistent, and, importantly, be kind to yourself.
