Tips for Setting Mental Health Goals for the New Year
Many of us experience disconnection within our personal relationships and within ourselves, individually, when things don’t go as planned. This disconnection may look like tolerating less than satisfying family relationships, romantic relationships, and friendships, loneliness and isolation, lack of motivation, low self-esteem and self-hatred, depression, anxiety, and so much more. When we get the chance to self-reflect and gain clarity about where we’d like to be in life and who we want to become, it’s often blurred with negative self-talk, feelings of shame and guilt, feeling helplessness and overwhelmed, and perhaps blaming others or circumstances outside of our control. A common “hard truth” that comes up in therapy sessions is that we are ultimately responsible for creating meaning in our individual lives. When we search for happiness, purpose, and meaning, we often make the very human decision of searching outside of ourselves for these experiences. While this may sound scary to reflect on and fully accept as truth, we have the power to create purpose and meaning through our mindsets, perspectives, habits and actions, day in and day out. We are officially in the third week of 2024. For those of us who have decided that setting mental health goals would add to our lives and help us grow into better versions of ourselves, the following information is for you!
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures” – F.M. Alexander. We at Supportive Engagement would like to share our tips on setting mental health goals for the New Year in the hopes that you learn to embrace change, focus on what’s in your control, gain the courage to take action consistently, and begin to experience happiness, purpose, and meaning in your life, however that might look for you. To start, it helps to reflect on your current mental well-being, identify areas for improvement and growth, and set clear, achievable goals for the year ahead. With the clarity and direction that comes with intentional self-reflection, the next step is to begin breaking down large goals into more manageable action steps or habits. It can be beneficial to set what’s commonly referred to as “SMART” goals; this stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely goals. Once your goals have been identified and planned out with the habits necessary to succeed, the following and final step is to organize these new habits into routines that can realistically be followed with consistency, over time.
Some additional tips for setting mental health goals and effectively accomplishing them this year include balancing consistent action and discipline with consistent self-care and rest. Furthermore, celebrating small victories along the way and reframing automatic negative thoughts into more neutral or positive perspectives on set-backs or challenges can help maintain experiences of gratitude and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, overall. Lastly, we invite you to choose courage over comfort in building a support network for yourself throughout your journey towards accomplishing your mental health goals. As difficult and uncomfortable as it might feel to openly identify goals and create new habits related to our mental well-being, seeking support and a sense of community in your process of change can be encouraging, validating, and offer reliable sources for accountability. Whether your mental health goal is to begin a counseling journey of your own, learn new and effective strategies for mental health issues impairing your desired level of functioning, or prioritizing self-care, we at Supportive Engagement are hopeful that change is possible and that you are capable of long-term success in the areas that you’d like to experience more fulfillment in this year.
Written By: Karla Moyse, LMHC, CCATP, TF-CBT Certified Therapist