New Year’s Resolutions for Your Mental Health

With the new year comes new resolutions and goals. As many people will set resolutions for their physical health, it is also really important to focus on your mental health needs. There are certain things we can all do to have good mental health practices moving into the new year. First of all, it is crucial to give yourself grace. When setting any goals there is always a chance that you won’t achieve those goals. If there is a goal you set and you don’t achieve it, know that is okay. We are humans and we are not perfect. Along the same line it is important to not much too much pressure on yourself. I realize this is a lot easier said than done, but when we begin to put a lot of pressure on ourselves that can impact our mental health negatively. It is also important to allow yourself to be you. When you can be your genuine and true self, it helps improve your emotional well-being. All those things ultimately come down to having an awareness of your mental health needs. As you move into the new year, I encourage you to implement mindfulness into your daily routine, as it will help your mental well-being.

If you are looking for specific mental health goals here are a few ideas:

• Find a self-care strategy that works best for you and practice it every day. It is really important to practice self-care. If you aren’t taking care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of anyone else, so self-care is critical! Some self-care ideas include journaling, spending time outside, exercising, spending time with friends or family, and even drinking enough water and eating healthy. Whatever works for you is the best self-care you can do!
• Make sleep a priority. Good sleep is vital to our mental and physical health. Do your best to get a good night of sleep every night as it will help you feel better mentally and physically.
• Limit your screen time. There is plenty of research to suggest that too much time on our screens can have detrimental effects on our mental health. As you move into the new year it could be beneficial to practice an awareness of how much time you are spending on your screens. Simply being aware of how much time you are spending on your screens and how it is affecting your mental health could help your overall mental health.
• Practice kindness to both yourself and others. Kindness goes a long way whether you are being kind to others or to yourself.

As the new year begins, I encourage you to spend time focusing on your mental health just as you would your physical health. Whatever goals you decide to set for yourself be sure to give yourself grace and not put too much pressure on yourself. Your mental health matters just as much as your physical health, so I hope this year you are able to spend time focusing on your emotional well-being.

Katie Zimmerman, Project Coordinator for The Kim Foundation

Katie Zimmerman joined The Kim Foundation in June 2019. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies and Sociology from Central College in Pella, Iowa. During her time in college, she volunteered at many non-profit organizations and took multiple sociology classes which focused on mental health. Katie’s role at The Kim Foundation includes running the social media accounts, assisting in the Youth Advisory Council, and providing mental health awareness and education to the community through A Voice for Hope and Healing presentations.