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How To Actually Uphold Mental Health Resolutions Beyond January

How To Actually Uphold Mental Health Resolutions Beyond January

Mental Health

It happens to the best of us – we get inspired to make New Year’s Resolutions in late December and a few weeks pass by and we just lose momentum. We find ourselves making excuses like:

Well, I wanted to train for that half marathon because running really helps with my anxiety, but it’s so cold this winter! I’ll freeze my fingers off!

I know waking up early in the morning to make myself a healthy and yummy breakfast is an act of self-care, but my bed is just too comfortable to get out of…plus who doesn’t love to snooze? Snoozing IS my love language!

Taking the time to journal before bed was helping me navigate my thoughts and emotions, but I keep finding myself watching one more episode of my favorite show instead. Send help!

Listen, I get it. As my Dad says: Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. But there are tried and tested tools to help you keep your excuses at bay and hold yourself accountable to your resolutions all year long.

Questions To Ask Yourself

First off, take a deep breath. If you’re feeling guilty (“I did something wrong)” or ashamed (“I am something wrong”), release that emotion as you exhale. There is nothing wrong with you! I promise. In American culture, there is so much pressure put on us to start the year out sprinting toward the best version of ourselves. We get a clean slate as we ring in the new year and we’ve conditioned ourselves to believe all of our unproductive habits will magically disappear with the dropping of the ball at midnight.

That’s a very tall, unrealistic order for just about anyone so give yourself grace.

Next, bring to mind your mental health resolution for the year. Time to get radically honest. Ask yourself the following questions:

Is this resolution too far of a stretch from my current lifestyle? For example, did you set out to journal for 30 minutes every day even though you’ve never had a consistent journaling practice? If so, take a step or two back. Start with tiny goals that require you to challenge yourself in a realistic way. That could look like you journaling every day for ten minutes for your first week. Then after you accomplish that tiny goal, you can increase it to fifteen minutes if you feel called to do so. Or maybe you find out ten minutes is all you need to feel centered. It doesn’t always have to be so hard to be helpful!

Is this resolution in alignment with my authentic self? Sometimes we don’t realize that we are choosing a goal that has been forced upon us by loved ones, society, or our idea of what we “should” be doing. Maybe your goal is to work harder than you’ve ever worked to get a promotion at your corporate job. But deep down, you don’t really like what you do. Maybe you actually feel called to start your own business selling jewelry, but somewhere along the line someone made you believe it wasn’t possible. If the reason we set resolutions is to feel more fulfilled and tapped into our fullest potential, then we must choose ones that are in alignment with our authentic nature. Otherwise, even if we achieve our goal, it won’t get us to where we want to ultimately be.

How can I cultivate the balance between effort and ease with this resolution? This can be tricky. On one hand we want to “do the work” to become the best version of ourselves, but on the other hand we don’t want to subscribe to grind/workaholic culture. So where is the balance? With your resolution, find the middle ground so you don’t stress yourself out or beat yourself up. For example, if your resolution is to move your body more, perhaps you don’t need to run 5 miles 5 days a week, but instead go for a run 2-3 times and the other days, go for a long walk or spend time stretching. This way you’re pushing yourself while also gifting yourself the pleasure of ease.

One of the main reasons many of us struggle to keep our resolutions for the duration of the year is because we’re trying to be perfect. If we have an off day or an off week, we beat ourselves up and tell ourselves we will never change and therefore, give up on ourselves.

You are not here on this planet to be perfect. You are here to learn and grow and fall down and pick yourself up, over and over and over again. It’s OK to not always get it right – to snooze sometimes instead of going to the gym, to decide you want to have a 5K instead of a half marathon, to go for a long walk and reflect instead of journal every single day. The greatest way to stay with your resolutions is to let go of being perfect and give yourself space to be flexible. You can be impeccable with your word while also giving yourself permission to be fully human.

There is no one solution for every person when it comes to resolutions, so allow your journey to look different than your friends’ journeys. The most important thing is to keep putting one foot in front of the other and show up for yourself in some way every day. You got this!

Contact Us Today

A new year means setting realistic goals and boundaries. Let one goal for the new year be a solid and attainable plan for your mental health needs. Contact us today to set up an appointment at any of our five locations or via telehealth.

When you think of the well-being of a child, you first think of basic needs: food, water, and shelter. Once these needs are met, however, it’s crucial for a child to have emotional and social wellness as well. In this article, we will explore the impact social wellness has on the overall health of a child and great ways for children to garner social support in their lives.

It comes as no surprise that as human beings, we all need connection with others, no matter what stage of life we are in. In fact, having social support is a social determinant of health (SDOH) that significantly impacts the health of an individual. After spending the last few years in and out of isolation due to the Covid-19 outbreak, social support is more important now than ever before. Having social support means having family members and friends you can talk to and seek advice from when life feels challenging and overwhelming. Knowing you’re not alone in your life journey, especially as a child, creates a sense of belonging and empowerment throughout one’s life.

4 Types of Social Support

Emotional Support. This type of support lets you know that people care about you and have empathy for your experiences. Emotional support often looks like people checking in on you to let you know they’re thinking of you, and that they are there if you need anything. As a parent, make sure your child knows you can be a sounding board for them. If you have family members who can also show up for your children in this way, even better!

Practical Help. This type of support is when people give you something tangible or offer a service to help you out. This could be in the form of money, making food when you are sick, or helping to pack when moving. Having family and friends show up in this way shows your child what it looks like to be present for people you love.

Sharing Points of View. This type of support can often come in the form of affirmations and encouragement. For example, pointing out your child’s strengths to them and reminding them they can do anything they put their mind to. It can also look like sharing another perspective if they are being hard on themselves. For example, if they are angry with themselves after receiving a bad grade on a test, you can help them see it as a learning experience and a way for them to grow.

Sharing Information. This type of support is when someone shares what they’ve learned from their own life experiences. For example, if another parent has a child who struggles with socializing, they can share some tips and tricks they’ve learned to help their child find and create social support.

The Importance of Social Groups and Extended Support

Children who are connected to their family, friends, and people in their community have opportunities to learn how to speak, share, and get along with others. When your child feels connected to people in your neighborhood, it often allows them to feel physically safe which can alleviate stress and worry. Simply riding bikes, going on walks, and saying hello to neighbors with your kids can create this sense of security for them.

In addition to engaging with your neighbors, getting involved in local organizations can also create social support for your child. Signing up for a sports team, musical theater, art class or summer camp are all great ways to help your child meet new friends and learn important social skills that can carry them through their lives.

Tips for Helping Kids Make Community Connections:

Spend time outside in your neighborhood playing on the playground, going to a local farmer’s market, or scheduling a playdate with neighborhood kids.

Show your kids that connection is a two-way street. If your neighbors or friends go out of town, offer to get their mail, or water their plants and take your child with you when you go. This will show your child how you show up for people you care about.

Make sure you make time for socializing with friends as well. Your child looks to you first and foremost for how they should act and live their own life.

Encourage your child to step out of their comfort zone and do something they may be scared to do. As a parent, it’s your job to push them into something social for their own well-being at times.