New Years Resolution for Mental Health

For some it came too quickly. Others too slowly. But we are on a new year, and often during this time of year we think back to the year that passed and try to imagine what we want for our future.

It is during this time of year that many people think about creating New Years Resolutions – decisions that they’ve made for themselves about something they want to change or plan to change for 2019 and beyond. Most of the time it is something like diet or exercise. Sometimes it is vacationing, or spending more time with family.

All of those make good resolutions. But this year, maybe it’s finally time you decided to take control of your mental health.

Why Do Most New Years Resolutions Fail?

Before delving into the idea of a New Years Resolution for your mental wellness, it’s always worth exploring the question of my most resolutions are unsuccessful. There are actually several reasons that resolutions typically fail, and a person may experience some or all of these resulting in giving up the resolution in less time. Some of these reasons include:

• The Motivation Was Surface Level – For a person to make a drastic, long term change in their life, they must have a true and deep belief that the change is worthwhile. But for many, the motivation is not really there. They may want to make a change, and choose the 1st as an arbitrary date, but at their core they are not yet truly motivated to make the commitment.
• Expect Results Not Journey – Resolutions are often based on the outcome someone wants, not the road they take to get there. They may want to be thinner or healthier or richer, but they don’t **want** to put the work into it, they only want the results of that work. The activity itself – the journey, not the destination – has to have some inherent benefits for the person that outweigh the drawbacks.
• Limited Accountability – Most people expect that resolutions will fail. It is a common source of jokes, where a gym, for example, is extremely busy in January and empty by February. Most resolutions do not have the accountability needed to keep up with them.
• Overvaluing of Discomfort – Exercise can cause aches. Diets can mean some yucky tasting food. These things can be easy to overlook for a person highly motivated, but for someone that is less so, they become massive discomforts that are almost impossible to ignore.

Still, goals like healthier eating, quitting smoking, exercising more – these are all goals that are worth having. That is why in our therapy sessions, we work on helping you get more in touch with your motivation so that you enjoy – or at least appreciate – the journey, and so that you can reduce problem behaviors and sensitize yourself to the discomforts.

Benefits of Psychotherapy AS a New Years Resolution

The best resolutions are the ones that make a long lasting impact and do not (necessarily) require lifelong commitment. There is nothing that improves a person’s long term outlook quite like therapy, where the effects of our sessions can give you the skills to last a lifetime.

If you struggle with stress, anxiety, depression, addiction, ADHD, or other mental health challenges, psychotherapy is a resolution you can keep right now to make a drastic change in how you think and feel. Not only will it improve your emotional and physical wellbeing – it also tends to give you more:

• Energy
• Focus
• Drive/Motivation

The effects of therapy can also be long lasting, and while some people do choose to seek out treatment in the long term, others find that they can move on from therapy once they’re done and live a happier life for years to come.

In fact, if diet and exercise are part of your long term goals, psychotherapy can also help you get there. It helps you address roadblocks that may have been discouraging you from achieving personal life goals, because the happier and more positive you feel, the more those goals seem tenable.

Contact Long Island Psychology for Mental Health Counseling and Therapy

Long Island Psychology has two psychologists that are both here to improve your quality of life. No matter your struggles, let our team of therapists be here to make 2019 – and beyond – the best they can be. Contact us today to get started.