The Edmond Sun
d
Jan
22
2020
6 simple mental health
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resolutions for 2020
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s the new year dawns, so
does the hope for a better
and more prosperous year.
Resolutions are a popular way to
determine specific goals and
make paths toward success come
into focus.
Here are six simple resolutions
to make for better mental health.
Resolution: Take control of your
life — There are many aspects of
life, such as flat tires, taxes, and
bad haircuts, that cannot be
avoided. However, much more of
life is in our control. Take an
inventory of your life. Think
through your relationships, your
career, your commitments, etc.
What is life giving and what is
detrimental to your mental well-
being? Once you determine what
changes you want to make create
small sustainable goals down a
path that will take you to a brighter
future.
Resolution: Find a routine that
works for you — Everyone is differ-
ent and therefore the things that
work for one person won’t work for
another. Stop trying to do what
should work and find what does
work for you. A healthy diet, exer-
cise and a normal sleep schedule
are essential for good mental
health. Talk with your doctor about
developing healthy habits. Be hon-
est, if you hate running, then quit
trying to be a runner and take up
biking or rowing. Find a routine
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that you look forward to and it will
be easy to keep.
Resolution: Build your support
network — Keeping in touch with
friends and family
is a fundamental
part of maintain-
ing good mental
health. Build a
community of
support that
includes family,
friends, neigh-
bors, co-workers,
a faith communi-
James Bost ty, and people
you meet through
Guest Opinion activities and
hobbies. Having a
large number of
people that you
can count on and
who count on
you is part of cultivating good
mental health. These supportive
relationships allow you to be heard
and provide an opportunity for
your personal needs to be met.
Resolution: Avoid drugs and
alcohol — While using drugs or
alcohol may seem appealing in the
moment, they are harmful to your
long-term mental health. Avoiding
alcohol in particular can be chal-
lenging when socializing and
attending networking events, so
find strategies that work for you. If
you do use alcohol or drugs, be
honest and tell your therapist or
doctor because it affects your care
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plan.
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Resolution: Unplug from social
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media — Social media is a great A
way to stay connected but can also
create a disconnection. For some, c
social media feeds only create o
more anxiety or depression.
Comparing your life to someone w
else is simply unrealistic. Taking a
break for a few hours a day might
give you the time to connect with a
others and even focus on your
own self-care.
Resolution: Stay positive — S
Surrounding yourself with positive S
people and messages makes you
feel better. Think about what c
makes you optimistic and hopeful W
and create an environment that
supports that feeling. Do you love
to travel? Always be planning your
next trip. Even if it’ll be several
years away looking ahead will
bring you happiness long before
you head to the airport. Love ani-
mals? Find a local shelter to volun-
teer at. Find those things that
make your day brighter and find
ways to infuse them into your
daily life.
NAMI Oklahoma provides plen-
ty of opportunities to help you
meet your mental health resolu-
tions from leading a NAMI class or
attending one of our many sup-
port groups offered across the
state. Give us a call, we’d love to
help. For more information on
NAMI Oklahoma, visit
https://www.namioklahoma.org/.