New Year's Goals

A new year often brings new year resolutions. However, on average, less than 10% of people keep those resolutions longer than a few months. The desire to improve our lives is present, yet it seems the follow through is challenging.

In order to facilitate the changes in your life that you desire, it would be better to embrace some broad mental health ideas in addition to your existing list. These can be positioned as goals and be set with purpose and intention. Mental health goals support a mindset or lifestyle shift rather than inflexible resolutions that lack the personal aspect that allows for fulfillment. Approach these goals with authenticity, gentleness, and patience without comparison to others. These goals should promote the growth you want to achieve in the new year. Some possible goals that you could add to your personal list are detailed below.

Boundary Setting: Healthy boundaries are essential for relationships and are vital to your mental and personal health. Understanding characteristics and actions as well as behaviors that make you uncomfortable is a starting point for boundary setting and staying true to yourself. This is most often found in relational and family dynamics but can include boundaries at work as well.

Negative Self Talk: Have you listened to the way you talk to yourself? Usually, we are harder on ourselves than other people. Your inner voice is very powerful. If you can recognize negative belief systems or distortions then you can work on shifting that to a positive self-regard. If not, you may need some additional therapeutic help in changing your personal perspective.

Feel your Feelings: Being present with your emotions without disassociating or distracting from them is imperative to healing and growth. Learning how to sit in that space to feel and process those feelings to work through them is an acquired and valuable skill. This effort can prevent you from coping in maladaptive and unhealthy ways.

Self Care: Rest, reading, meditating, journaling, taking a bath, listening to music, relaxing, being outdoors, yoga, self-compassion, pursuing hobbies, and overall prioritizing your mental health is important and should be a lifelong pursuit.

Above all, remember to be kind to yourself and take note of your victories along the way. Achievement of your mental health goals shapes your life and supports continued growth.

If you have a question you would like to ask or a topic to be addressed in next month’s article, please email jenn@pinkertonpsychotherapy.com. If you would like to schedule an individual appointment, please contact us at 713.800.6999 or www.pinkertonpsychotherapy.com.