Top NYE’s resolutions include improving mental health — here’s how to make them happen
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and new goals be at the top of mind. For millions of Americans, the top three resolutions this New Year are to improve physical fitness, improve finances — and get better mental health, according to Forbes Health.
In their survey this year, respondents listed positive mental health as a higher resolution goal than improving diet, losing weight, or quitting smoking. That being said, resolutions are equally famous for being something very important for about a week — before being dropped like a hot potato.
So, if your goal is to improve mental health in 2024, how are you going to do it? Well, according to experts with the American Psychological Association and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, some keys to success include setting small goals, focusing on doing them each day and focusing on progress.
If you're trying to improve your negative outlook on work, why not set a goal of finding something to be positive about each day? Or, if you're hoping to get more serious on meditation try taking two minutes a day to get in the zone.
As for physical fitness, there are a number of studies and experts who believe mental health and physical health are interconnected. In one review of multiple studies on the subject, authors found that those who physically exercised had positive outcomes in multiple areas -- including mental health.
"Similarly, participants in randomized clinical trials of physical-activity interventions show better health outcomes, including better general and health-related quality of life, better functional capacity and better mood states," the study findings state.
No matter what your resolution experts believe the key to success is sticking to it day in and day out, instead of being like the 43% of Americans who give up before the end of the month.
Start small, measure growth by the day and find things that bring you joy, and experts believe you have a good shot at keeping your resolutions this year.
Avery Martinez covers mental health in the Borderland as part of ABC-7’s Be Mindful initiative. He is also a Report for America corps member. RFA places talented, emerging journalists in newsrooms like ABC-7’s to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.
