10 Mental Health Practices for the New Year

With the New Year’s resolution quickly approaching, many individuals are entertaining ways in which they might put their health first in 2016—perhaps through eating a more sensible diet, or maintaining a more robust workout schedule.

But what about your mental health? This is something that far too many of us neglect—but there’s no time like now to make it a higher priority.

Think about establishing some better mental health practices for yourself in the year to come—and consider these examples:

1. Treat yourself with respect and love. Stop dwelling on your shortcomings, and instead take some time to list some of the things you like about yourself. Remind yourself of positive characteristics you possess.
2. Don’t allow stigma to keep you from the help you need. If you need to see a therapist, make an appointment to do so—just as you would see a medical doctor for a serious physical ailment.
3. Get into a habit of daily exercise, even if it’s just going for a walk; there is a strong correlation between physical activity and mental healthiness.
4. Find an activity that helps you relax and enjoy your life, and be intentional in pursuing it regularly.
5. Don’t define yourself with a label. Instead of saying you’re “depressed,” say that you “have depression.” The depression does not have to be your identity!
6. Stop beating yourself up. Learn from the mistakes you make, and apologize if need be—and then move on.
7. Identify the things that cause you to feel stress and negativity—and if you can avoid them or cut them from your life, do it!
8. Continue learning. Pursue new skills or fields of interest.
9. Identify supportive, encouraging people in your life, and be candid with them about your struggles. Enlist their help in your recovery!
10. Take medications as instructed, and only as instructed. Again, don’t let stigma keep you from the help you need.

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