For many of us, New Year's is a time for self-reflection and new beginnings. Setting goals for the year ahead and creating habits to improve our mental health can help make this year the best year yet.
Try incorporating our staff tips for New Year's resolutions to improve your mental health this year:
"Value yourself. Treat yourself with kindness and respect. Avoid self-criticism." - Janet P., Massachusetts
"A powerful New Year's Resolution that can help someone improve their mental health is to forgive those who have hurt them. Forgiveness doesn't mean that the offense was okay, it just means that it will no longer be allowed to victimize the person." - Penelope C., Massachusetts
"Commit to taking a set amount of time (example: 30 minutes) to yourself each day. Use that time to reflect, unwind, to read, to be mindful, or to do whatever is a coping tool or a personal medicine. Remembering to put your mental health first in the New Year is another way to improve it. Be aware of your good days and your bad days because that will allow you to make changes that you need." - Danielle G., Pennsylvania
"Meditation or get a massage." - Felicia M., North Carolina
"Exercise. Just work something you like into your routine. Park further away from a location you're going so you can walk a few more steps. Maybe use a pedometer. Take a lunchtime walk outside, or up and down stairs, or anywhere really." - Jeffrey B., Rhode Island
"The most important thing to focus on is forgiving yourself and forgiving others. If you hold onto grudges it will make it harder to ease anxiety and depression." Bethany J., Delaware
"Don't sweat the small things." - Tinola B., North Carolina
"Almost any New Year's resolution can be used to improve one's mental health. For me, a New Year's resolution is about making a commitment to myself and following through, even if I'm not entirely successful, I feel more confident in my ability to make changes in my life when I can engage in the process from start to finish. The tradition of making resolutions at the beginning of the year creates an atmosphere of open discussion about change. I have found that discussing my intentions with other people makes it easier for me to stick to healthier choices. With that in mind, this year I'm going to exercise regularly (and I can't take it back, because it's on the Internet now)!" - Jack Q., Massachusetts
The information listed above are the thoughts of individuals and does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of FHR. Some responses have been edited for length or clarity.