“I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me.”
-The Mountain Goats, “This Year”
2024 is in the history books, and we’re now collectively bundled up and ready to tackle 2025. Each time the ball drops in Times Square and people uncork the Korbel, it’s a chance to reset the balance and state some good intentions for the next 365 days.
A recent study by the American Psychiatric Association showed some 76% of adults in the U.S. will make resolutions this year, and more than a quarter of these (28%) are focused on mental health, with many of us setting our sights on improving wellness through both mental and physical/habit changes:
● 67% plan to exercise more.
● 49% plan to meditate.
● 40% plan to focus on spirituality.
● 35% plan to see a therapist.
● 31% plan to take a break from social media.
● 26% plan to journal.
● 21% plan to use a mental health app.
● 21% plan to see a psychiatrist.
● 3% plan to try something else
Dr. Anne Mary Montero is a licensed clinical psychologist and director of behavioral health at IU Health North. She says change can be elusive, particularly when it comes to lifestyle.
“Certainly, there are excellent mental health benefits to setting and achieving goals for change toward wellness, but it is helpful to anchor goals in a few ways to maximize both the psychological benefits, and to minimize risk, including if we don’t achieve everything we set out to do,” she says. “Psychological risks to goals that are unrealistic or too harsh can be demoralizing and even lead to anxiety or depression, but envisioning change, and being motivated to try, is the first step toward mental health support for yourself, helping you see the change you want to create with your resolution.”
Goal-Setting Strategies
● Keep goals anchored in values. What is most important to you will help you stay motivated when initial enthusiasm may wane, and the impact of achieving your goal will mean the most to you when you reach it.
● Stay positive with a healthy balance of discipline and self-compassion; even the most driven people benefit from grace, and you can support yourself best if you stay in a positive frame of mind. In fact, studies of happiness show that we are not only in a better mood, but we are actually more productive and effective when we keep a positive outlook. Also, keep in mind that self-care is critical, particularly with winter in full swing.
● Consider counting steps. A large goal can be less overwhelming if broken into components or sequential steps, even micro steps, toward change. While it’s healthy to dream, we want to set our sights on a balance of vision and achievability to keep positive success realistic and within our reach.
● Write goals and progress down. You will not only keep yourself accountable, which usually serves to help with motivation, but you can count steps toward progress that support and reinforce the excellent impact your efforts can have.
“Another critical strategy can be to ask for help,” Montero says. “Telling your plans to someone who cares about you and asking for a regular check-in about this can serve both as an accountability check and a built-in reminder.”
Montero’s final piece of advice is to use positive self-talk. She says reminding yourself of your power and emphasizing your progress can be especially powerful. “You are the ultimate authority on what you are feeling and how you expect to move forward,” she says. “You are aware of your efforts against all the forces that challenge you, and you can uniquely and authoritatively acknowledge the good you have done.”
