6 Mental Health Resolutions : New Year 2024

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The New Year 2024 is finally here. New Year brings a lot of hopes in our lives. Consequently it also brings a new set of pressures or expectations that we unknowingly set for ourselves. The pressure to change something, be better, to work towards a new goal etc. While there is no hard and fast rule to pursue any of these, forcing or being hard on yourself should not be part of this.

It is great to try and being a better version of oneself and you might be already working on one or all of these but could not achieve them yet. Let us first see the good part of setting a new year resolution. It helps us streamline personal goals that we have been trying to achieve or dreaming since a very long time now. It also helps us set a timeline in mind, which you were not able to set before this and could be one of the reasons of not being able to achieve it. Lastly, this lets you learn something new and gives and enriching experience to your life.

You may have a lot of ideas in mind to set some new year resolutions like being healthier, weight loss, spending time with family, better eating habits, a new path, finish reading some books, breaking certain habit or just getting up early everyday. Researches prove that about 40% of Americans set resolutions at the start of the year, but only less than half are successful in achieving them or working through them after six months. Most of the people tend to give up on their resolutions by the end of February. Giving up or not being able to achieve your resolutions can bring resentments, disappointments and can be be taxing on your mental health. So, it is important that we make them more achievable. Here are few ways to make your new year resolutions achievable:

How to Make Year 2024 Resolutions Achievable?

Be Specific and realistic:

When you create a resolution or goal, it is important that it is specific enough to be achieved. For example, instead of ‘losing weight’, set a goal that says ‘To lose 4 kgs in next 4 months’. This kind of plan is not only specific but will also not suddenly put a pressure on you after 6 months. Hence, direction is important in goals. Making specific goals will give clear instructions to you brain on how to proceed and using the specific methods.

Consistency is the Key:

As said for everything in life, consistency is essential for achieving your new year resolutions. You cannot achieve your goal suddenly in one day, similarly you cannot achieve your goal without regular practice. For instance, if your goal is ‘to be healthier this year’, dieting and workout out for only January and February will not be helpful. If your goal is to ‘eat better’, avoiding fast food for one month is not enough. Consistency is needed for any goal to become achievable. Consistency is also needed for our peaceful state of mind so that our brain does not venture into negative thoughts of not being able to do enough for the goal.

Set Timelines:

Timelines are not just meant for end goals, which is the whole year in our case, but for short term goals. Breaking our goals into shorter goals with the help of setting milestones can make them more achievable. Going back to the goal of ‘Losing weight this year’ or ‘ To lose 4 kgs in next four months’, we can keep a shorter goal of losing 1kg by Jan 31, losing 2kg by Feb 28 etc. Shorter timelines are also very realistic in nature as they seem more achievable than the bigger goals.

Flexibility is as important:

Flexibility is essential for your mental health. Often, people who are unable to achieve their desired resolutions over the year or who give up have a negative impact on their mental health. The process could add a lot of unrealistic expectations on oneself and not being able to achieve one can add to the disappointment. But remember, it is okay to achieved little less than expected. It is okay lose 2kgs instead of 4. It is also okay to have eaten 60% healthy food and 40% fast food. If you did not do well this month, try again next month. The idea is that you tried and made a change happen, at least, you did not give up. Remember, change is gradual and takes time.

6 Mental Health Resolutions for New Year 2024:

1. Look after yourself – Physically

A number of researches prove that being physically fit can keep you mentally fit as they are interdependent. When I say ‘physically fit’ , I do not mean only the outer appearance. Physical fitness can be taken care in three aspects.

Firstly, physical exercise or regular workout can have a huge impact on your mental and physical health. Take up any workout that you like- Dance, sports, swimming, cardio, kickboxing, weight training etc. And set up dedicated time consistently to make sure that this year turns out to be healthier for you. The added advantage could be your weight loss.

Secondly, eating healthier can be of huge advantage beyond just physical fitness. Researches have proven the relationship between your gut health and mental health. Start by dedicating one healthy meal a day to reducing your fast food consumption per week. This year, plan to research new healthier recipes so that your healthy food doesn’t become boring.

Thirdly, regular sleep schedule works magic for our body. Did you know that your upper belly fat is not because of extra calories, but rather because of your irregular sleep hours? Upper belly fat contains visceral fat which is due to our sedentary lifestyle of limited exercise, sugar intake and lack of sleep. Additionally, getting good sleep can help you from depression or trauma recovery. This year, build a sleep schedule with dedicated 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Make sure to get in and out of bed at the same time for transforming this into a habit.

2. Set boundaries for yourself

Often times, holidays bring a lot of stress and anxiety when families get together. This year, make sure that you set boundaries for yourself. Learning to say ‘No’ sometimes will not make you unkind. Your mental health is a priority and nothing should be more important than your peace of mind. But this does not mean that social support is not needed. Building a social support system is essential for your mental health. When times get stressful, these are the people you would rely on and who could help you cope with the emotional toll. As a goal , try to set aside time to reconnect with your friends or check in with your loved family ones at least once a week. Spending time with them can create a positive impact on your mental health.

3. Keep a Journal

Journaling is an excellent medium to ease your depression, stress or anxiety. Take out 5 minutes everyday to write down how you felt during your highs and lows through out the day. It will also help you to identify your triggers and find better ways to tackle them. Writing down your feelings works like therapy for self. You can always come back later to read and learn from your experience. This year, get a journal and make sure to fill in everyday. Try to notice the difference in your mental health a few months after this practice.

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4. Be Kind on Yourself

Many a times, certain challenges or incidents in our lives make us feel worthless. We negatively self talk and hate ourselves. We forget that one of the most important lesson that needs to be learnt is accepting and loving ourselves. This year, stop being so hard on yourself. It is okay to make mistakes. Failures are a part of life, in fact, they only make our life richer and worth learning. Start by writing two nice things for yourself everyday in your journal. For instance,

Today, I appreciate myself for…………………

Practicing self care is another way of loving yourself. Take dedicated time out for yourself, be it in the form of a hobby or simply some me-time.

5. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness helps us practice gratitude and appreciate the present moment. This year, learn to meditate for 10-15 minutes everyday or take up any one task or tool to practice mindfulness. You can also learn meditation using any online free app available on your smartphone.

6. Celebrate your wins

Life is all about celebrating your wins whether big or small. Often, our failures get stuck in our head but successes are forgotten. The idea here is to remember the times when you made it. These were the times when you got through challenges and did not give up. They are your future references for when times get tougher. Your brain might tell you things that are out of fear, but that does not mean that they are real. This year, learn to celebrate your small wins by taking yourself out or having fun with your friends.

While the new year resolutions could be different for everyone, make sure to not beat yourself up for them. You may not be able to achieve all of them. Do not give up on your goal, just because you were unable to go to gym one morning or unable to write in your journal once. Even if you were unable to achieve in two months, try again the third month. You will still have 9 months to achieve them.