As soon as the clock struck midnight, your mind probably started racing with everything you want to do this year. Maybe you finally want to book that European trip you’ve been saving for. Perhaps you want to take the next step in your relationship with your partner by moving in together. You likely also have a ton of New Year’s resolutions that you want to work toward.

Many people put pressure on themselves to accomplish New Year’s resolutions, especially when it comes to their health. People often aim to lose a certain amount of weight in the new year or start cutting out fast food. While you shouldn’t wait until January to prioritize your health, people often have a high level of optimism in the new year. It’s important to consider health goals that don’t just benefit your physical health, but your mental health as well.

Mental health is an ongoing journey that involves continuous growth and adaptation throughout life’s various challenges. A person’s mental health journey never truly has a start or finish line. There are constant trials and tribulations that you may experience throughout your life while trying to maintain your overall mental well-being. However, if you’re ready for a do-over after your last roadblock or you want to take an active role in continuously improving your mental health in the new year, there are steps that you can take to reach those New Year’s resolutions.

Whether you’re looking to reduce your anxiety, increase your positive emotions or just boost your overall mental well-being, here are five steps you can take to restart your mental health this year:

• Set SMART goals — What does starting over on your mental health actually look like? It’s a pretty broad goal that can be approached in different ways. You can start by thinking about what you actually want to improve about your mental health. Then, set small goals that can help you work toward those improvements, and ensure they are SMART. A SMART goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.  For example, if you want to boost your self-esteem, you can set a goal to accept the next compliment given to you instead of brushing it off.
• Focus on the present — It can be easy to get caught up and distracted with new experiences and challenges at the beginning of the year. However, when you start to feel overwhelmed or you’re having negative thoughts, grounding yourself in the moment with mindfulness techniques can help. Mindfulness works to help you take a moment to keep your mind and body present in what’s happening around you. It helps you fully acknowledge your thoughts and emotions without judgment. Mindfulness exercises include guided imagery and breathing exercises. 

• Learn breathing techniques — Branching off the previous point, learning breathing techniques is a way that you can address and alleviate overwhelming emotions and thought patterns as they’re happening. Not only can breathing techniques help to slow down your mind, but they also reduce the amount of stress hormones being released in your brain. There are several breathing exercises that can work as a coping mechanism for mental health distress. You can try deep breathing, belly breathing and lion’s breath.
• Find a go-to self-care activity — The importance of self-care can’t be overstated. It also looks different for everyone. The goal of self-care is to prioritize your well-being and what brings you positive emotions in a healthy way. There are different ways to practice self-care, including activities that you can work into your regular routine. Potential options for self-care activities include working out, journaling or doing a craft. Learning a new skill or hobby for self-care can also be a New Year’s resolution.
• Book a therapy appointment — If you want to give your mental health a complete refresh by starting on the right foot this year, consider trying therapy. Whether you have a mental health condition, you’re experiencing persistent mental health distress or you want to work toward becoming the best version of yourself, talking to a psychotherapist can help. Therapy can help you learn about the issues behind your distress and talk through difficult situations. You can also improve skills, such as emotional regulation, active listening and setting boundaries.

You don’t need to completely revamp every part of your life just because it’s the new year. However, deciding to give your mental health a refresh can play a significant role in your overall quality of life. By taking the right steps, you can improve your everyday productivity, relationships and sense of self.

You might need further support beyond self-care or regular therapy sessions, and that’s OK. At Lightfully, our four levels of care can help you with intensive mental health care: Residential Treatment Center, Intensive Outpatient Program, Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (vIOP) and Partial Hospitalization Program.

You can also look into our free online support group if you want to test out mental health treatment for the first time.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.