Well, here it comes, another New Year. Three cheers for auld lang syne, time for the resolutions! The message today is about making realistic resolutions that improve your mental health. The worst thing you can do is make unachievable goals that only make your mental health worse when you inevitably fail.
Make small goals that are achievable – if your goal is to lose weight, don’t make a goal of losing 150 pounds, even if you have that much to lose. Make a goal of losing 10 pounds and then assess how your plan is working and what you can do to improve. Then make another small goal. Maybe reward yourself with something for reaching each goal. Non-food, of course!
Count your blessings – maybe it’s trite, maybe it’s from a song in the movie White Christmas, maybe it’s corny too. BUT, it can also be helpful. Especially in the form of journaling. You don’t need anything special, just a blank piece of paper or a blank document. You can write it out and delete it or throw it away, you can save it to read over later, but talking to yourself via writing is a good way to organize your thoughts, understand your own feelings and yes, count your blessings.
Be honest with yourself – confront and admit your problems. This is the first step to healing.
Practice behaviors that improve mental health – some people have so much energy it makes it hard for them to focus and be calm. These folks are like huskies who are meant to pull sleds for hundreds of miles being asked to live a life of a couch potato – it just doesn’t work. One solution for these people is to take up a physical exercise that bleeds off that energy and allows you to chill – like running, swimming, or rowing. Other people are like chihuahuas, sitting on the couch but tense and ready for anything. These folks need to learn to control their tension and some good ways are progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga. Ultimately – figure out what you need and accommodate that need.
Seek help – you knew we were going to get to this, but it cannot be overstated the power of therapy and medication when needed. Cornerstone is here for you, to help you overcome the challenges in your life that you need help with. Remember, you matter!
And by the way, Happy New Year!
