3…2…1, Happy New Year!
We are weeks into 2024, but you may be saying to yourself, ‘nothing feels different’. The mantra, “new year, new you” always seems to crop back up this time of year. We may even feel pressured to make resolutions that will make us a “better” version of ourselves. Forbes reports that 30% of Americans set some sort of New year resolutions. Those resolutions vary, some respondents want to increase physical health, travel more and get a firm grasp on their financial spending. 36% of respondents state they want to improve their mental health. This increase may be attributed to a perspective shift caused during the pandemic. Americans are beginning to realize that mental health is just as important as physical health; that the two are intertwined. Terms like “burnout” and “self-care” are vocabulary words that more people are placing in their toolkits.
Let’s face it, situations in life can rarely be categorized as pass or fail. When we don’t meet the goals or resolutions, it can cause us to become critical of ourselves and decrease feelings of self-efficacy. This is not to say that goal setting isn’t helpful. In fact, setting goals can be a way to measure our growth; to celebrate how far we’ve come. Resolutions become problematic when we fall short of our goals and chalk it up to a character flaw or failure. What would it look like to lift the expectations of “new year, new you”? What if, instead, we embrace this journey that we are on. Being honest with ourselves, managing expectations; there will be highs and there will be lows.
As the new year kicks off, most of us are back to our regularly scheduled programming. The holidays are behind us. This means returning to work, school, kids are going back to day-care or a combination of all three. I want to challenge you to prioritize your mental health in 2024. This can look differently for everyone. For some, this may mean setting boundaries at work and using some of those PTO hours you kept promising to take. For others, it may mean scheduling your first therapy appointment. Whatever steps you choose to take towards prioritizing mental health, don’t be afraid to celebrate those “wins”, no matter how seemingly small. Listed below are a few ways to improve mental health outcomes this year:
- Meditation/prayer
- Exercise
- Journaling
- Listening to music
- Attending therapy
- Taking time for self-care
- Learn a new hobby
These are just a few suggestions to help you get started, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! Find an activity or hobby that leaves you feeling replenished and not depleted.
References
Davis, S. (2023, January 11). New Year’s Resolutions Statistics 2023. Forbes Health. https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-years-resolutions-statistics/
New Year’s Resolutions May be Harmful to Your Mental Health... 5 Things to Do Instead - Foundation Wellness. (2021). Foundation Wellness. https://foundationswellness.net/mental-health/new-years-resolutions-harmful-to-your-mental-health-5-things-to-do-instead/#:~:text=%5BIndeed%5D%2C%20focusing%20on%20problems
Comments