New Year’s is a time when many of us make resolutions to set ourselves up for success in the coming years. As 2022 approaches, making active efforts to manage our mental health can be the best New Year’s resolution we can make for ourselves.
A New Year’s resolution is like a promise to ourselves; it is a goal that we need to see as a responsibility. Because it is the New Year, we must use a fresh perspective to write a resolution that aims to take back control of our mental health. Here’s a list of some New Year’s resolutions as suggested by mental health experts from all over the world.
Mary Rourke, psychologist and director of Widener University’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology
- Rourke says that as a new beginning, we need to look for new ways to be less busy overall, but also less busy in our everyday lives. Look for peace of mind each day and build in ways so as not to overthink things that come our way.
Monte Drenner, licensed mental health counsellor
- According to Drenner, as a part of our New Year resolution, we just need to think simple and make two resolutions for our mental health. In the first one, we should pursue being joyful over being happy. And in the second one, we should learn to be more content with our surroundings.
Shannon Battle, licensed professional counsellor
- Battle says that money might affect our mental health every year, so include wise budgeting as a New Year’s resolution. She believes that the way we budget our money will be the blueprint for how we budget our time. We should aim at maximising earnings, but never time.
Dr. James Gordon, MD, founder, and executive director of the nonprofit Center for Mind-Body Medicine
- Dr. Gordon says rather than making a New Year’s resolution that concentrates on making something new, try to make a resolution that allows us to change an old habit. For example, we can resolve not to resist change. Every time we notice our body sending us the tell-tale signs of resistance, like defensiveness, restlessness, uneasiness, we should remind ourselves that change is good and should be encouraged.
Clinton Moore, clinical psychologist
- Moore suggests learning a new perspective. If we are able to learn at least one new way of looking at things from even one person, then we learn a new way to connect and also a new perspective. This makes us more empathetic and connected to the real world.
Apart from the resolutions that experts suggest, there are small steps that we can take on a daily basis at home to ensure better mental health. Here is a list of some such steps.
- Focus on what is important. We need to focus on what makes us happy, comfortable, and satisfied.
- This can relax our mind, body, and soul. Stop worrying and take a break. It only takes 10 minutes, and if we stick with it, it can offer long-lasting mental health benefits.
- Write a journal. Writing a journal helps us express our emotions in writing, organize our thoughts and schedules and be prompt with our errands. In the long-run, it helps us stay on track.
- Help people. This is a great way to communicate and create a good relationship with other people. Helping our friend hold a heavy bag, helping a co-worker clean snow off her car, or assisting the old woman across the street can lead to beneficial emotions from social relationships enhancing our mood and keeping our mental health stable.
- Always be grateful. We should practice gratitude for whatever we receive, whether good or bad.
- Seek help from professionals. If we are uncomfortable with what is going on in our minds, we must seek the assistance of a reputable mental health professional, regardless of how minor our symptoms are.
All these resolutions are reasonable when they are in pursuit of managing our mental well-being. The pandemic is still rising, and our version of the new normal is still in question, but as we step into the new year, there are endless opportunities when it comes to managing our mind and body that can lead us to success in 2022.
If you or a loved one needs professional help in dealing with your mental health issues, then get in touch with Athena Behavioral Health. We are the leading mental health treatment center in India with state-of-the-art facility and equipment. Our psychologists are trained by global leaders, and we follow the latest interventions in the mental health treatment landscape. For more information, call 9289086193 or chat live with our representative.
