Mental Health Goals for the New Year? 3 Tips to Stay Motivated

When it comes to achieving health-related goals, it helps to make the goals realistic. It is better to chip away at small and medium-sized goals rather than putting all the eggs in the basket of bigger goals. Staying proactive is key to any change. 

Whether you want to dedicate more time to physical health or experience more mental bliss, make sure you know what your goals are in the first place. This article can help you rethink your goals and also stay motivated all year long.

After reading these tips, revisit your goals and see how you can modify them to keep your motivation consistent.

Frame health goals around your strengths, not your weaknesses

At an unconscious level, we might work toward a goal with a mindset based on fear around perceived weaknesses. For example, if you want to become more active, the conventional thought is to go to a gym. But if you’re a person who prefers to go for a walk or dance to good music, remember that’s exercise, too! To work with this strength and preference, you could frame an exercise-based goal around activities you like to do. You are more likely to make your goal happen in a way that works for you, while also enjoying the process more.

If you already have goals in mind for this year, revisit them: are they based around your strengths or in general, in what patterns work for you? For your goals, if they are written somewhere, feel free to add three bullet points beneath each goal. Ask yourself, “what works for me to help me want to exercise more? What time of the day is my most energized time where I can see myself doing some movement?” 

We all have strengths. If you do not know what your strengths are, consider finding a therapist who can help you understand what works for you.

 Create a healthy nutrition plan with the right supplements

The adage “you are what you eat” expresses how our bodies derive energy from the raw materials we provide. These materials are in the foods we chew and the vitamins we swallow.

Knowing what supplements are right for you is not always intuitive and as you may know from personal experience, there is a bit of trial and error in the initial process. Working with a professional to create a wellness plan eliminates the possibility that you select the wrong combination of supplements.

Asking your doctor about what supplements are right for you is a great place to start. Based on your age, gender, energy levels, and mental health, they can recommend supplements to help you find internal balance. Plus, consulting a doctor is safer than trying a random supplement that a friend recommended because it worked for them. 

 Take care of your whole body, including your brain

It can be hard to stay motivated and focused on one’s goals when also struggling with depression, high anxiety, post-traumatic stress syndrome, or other mental illnesses. Our brain is a major internal body organ that needs care, like other major internal organs.

Despite being “just another organ” that can need medical attention, there is a widespread stigma around discussing mental illness and seeking professional support. As one saying goes, people will not judge someone with a broken leg for needing crutches, but some people may judge someone with a “broken brain,” for the sake of this comparison, for needing medicine. 

Luckily, this stigma is decreasing with the rise of mental health advocates sharing their stories and as more people experience the benefits of therapy and psychiatry. For people who have struggled with depression and the side effects of medication, there is still hope with alternative therapies, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.  

For people experiencing mental health challenges or the stresses of life, PCC provides services from medication management and therapists to support groups and outpatient services in Redding. To learn how our team can help you or someone you love, request an appointment at Psychiatric Care Center or call us at (530) 221-7474.

Staying Motivated Requires Checking In With Yourself

As you move through this year, ask yourself how you are doing with keeping your goals a priority. Rather than wait for the next New Year to “try again” with a far-fetched goal, consider making your goals bite-sized. 

For example, if you have a goal to practice mindfulness 3 times a week for 30 minutes, and so far it has been impossible to make happen, then cut the time in half. Can you find 15 minutes to meditate 3 times a week? Two times a week? By making your goals smaller, you might be more likely and motivated to make them happen. And a few months from now, as you experience the health benefits of, say, meditation, then you are more likely to keep that healthy habit going strong. 

We hope these three tips are actionable steps for you to take. For people who want to make strides towards a healthier self or family, PCC provides mental health services in Redding for people of all ages. Read more about how our team can help you by exploring our services or calling us at (530) 221-7474.