Exploring New Year’s Resolutions Through a Mental Health Lens

As the 2026 calendar year approaches, many of us feel the familiar pressure to reinvent ourselves and put into place resolutions for the year. The idea of “New Year, New Me” pops up everywhere. However, when it comes to mental health, resolutions aren’t about becoming a new person, but instead, they’re about caring for the person you already are.

This year, instead of chasing perfection or harsh self-improvement goals, consider exploring resolutions that support emotional wellness, inner peace, and healthier daily habits. Mental health resolutions don’t need to be over the top, in fact, the simpler they are, the more likely they are to stick throughout the year.

Here are some ways to approach New Year’s Resolutions while keeping your mental health a priority:

1. Shift your Mindset: Many traditional New Year’s resolutions put pressure on ourselves and come with comparison to others around us, whereas mental health resolutions come from a place of compassion.
   • Instead of: “I need to stop being so anxious”, say “ I want to learn skills that will help me feel grounded and calmer when I experience anxiety”

2. Strengthen Your Emotional Well-Being: Choose mental health centered resolutions that don’t involve strict guidelines or overwhelming demands.
   • Build a 5- minute check-in into your daily routine (journaling, deep breathing, a moment of stillness)
   • Reduce Emotional Overload (limiting social media, giving yourself permission to rest without “earning it”
   • Improve Sleep Hygiene (consistent bedtime, limiting screen time before bed)

3. Keep Resolutions Gentle & Realistic: Make sure your mental health resolutions are flexible, supportive, measurable and rooted in self-worth:
   • Flexible- you can adjust them easily as life circumstances change throughout the year.
   • Supportive- the resolutions you choose help you feel grounded and not pressured.
   • Measurable- Clear to track progress, but not overly rigid. These resolutions should be simple to track progress.
   • Rooted in self-worth- not shaming yourself or comparing yourself to others. Tailor resolutions to your own mental health needs, not those around you.

Examples of mental health focused New Year’s Resolutions:

• Dedicate one night per week for you to rest and take care of yourself
• Learn one new coping skill each month
• Practice 5 minutes of mindfulness daily
• Celebrate small wins regularly
• Limit screen time to 2 hours per day
• Practice using positive self-affirmations
• Practice gratitude

The New Year doesn’t require you to overwhelm yourself with the idea of “New Year, New Me”. Instead, it offers us the opportunity to pause, reflect and choose the kind of energy you want to channel throughout the year. Remind yourself, your mental health matters every day, not just on January 1^st. Any step you take towards emotional wellness, inner peace, and healthier daily habits is a win worth celebrating. BWG wishes you a joyous holiday season and a New Year full of self-growth!

Madeline McDowell Rabah, LPCC
Therapist and College Mental Wellness IOP Director
The Behavioral Wellness Group
8224 Mentor Ave #208     Mentor OH 44060
P: 440 392 2222 #412    F: 440 565 2349
mmcdowell@behavioralwellnessgroup.com
www.behavioralwellnessgroup.com