New Year’s Intentions for Mental Wellbeing
It’s the time of year when many of us (over a third of Americans in 2025) are feeling reflective and intentional about how we want to feel in the upcoming year. New Year’s resolutions can tend to get bogged down by unrealistic expectations, leading to frustration and feelings of failure. It can seem like setting mental health goals might be intangible and hard to measure, but there are evidence-based ways to set mental wellness goals that will help you thrive in 2025.
SET S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
One of the biggest pitfalls of self-improvement is setting goals that are too broad and unattainable. A popular goal-setting tools is called S.M.A.R.T goals, which means identifying goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Take this goal as an example: “I want to take more time for self-care.” This sounds vague and difficult to commit to and measure, making it easy to lose sight of. Below the SMART method is applied to this goal:
Specific: I will set a boundary to stop working by 5:30pm each work day.
Measurable: I will track my hours daily to ensure I’m sticking to this plan.
Achievable: Ending work at 5:30PM is doable and allows for time for me to engage in self-care activities in the evening.
Relevant: Maintaining work-life balance is key to carving out time for myself.
Time-bound: I will stick to this plan for the next month and then assess how I am feeling in my stress levels.
If you’re looking to set some intentions for improving your mental wellbeing in 2025, below are a few ideas that are less about striving for perfection or doing an overhaul on your life, and more about slowly building better habits in an achievable way to help you grow and thrive this year.
FIND FORMS OF MOVEMENT THAT BRING YOU JOY
It’s no secret that exercise can be a great stress reliever. But that doesn’t mean you need to set a weight loss goal or join a gym to reap the benefits. Focus more on finding movement that brings you joy and nourishment. You are far more likely to incorporate joyful movement into your regular routine than an activity that feels like a chore. Make an effort to try different things until you find what works for you: outdoor yoga, hiking, living room dance parties, gardening. The list goes on!
ADD MINDFUL MOVEMENT INTO EACH DAY
The benefits to practicing mindfulness each day are endless, such as regulation of the body’s stress response, decreasing anxiety and depression, and improved focus and cognitive function to name a few. Embracing a mindfulness practice may sound like a daunting task, but there are simple ways of focusing your attention on the present moment that help build the muscle of mindfulness over time. Try designating a task that you do every day to be a mindful moment of your day, such as showering or washing dishes. Instead of allowing your mind to wander during this task, keep your awareness on what you’re doing, engaging all your senses that are involved in the task.
ENHANCE YOUR SOCIAL SUPPORT
Humans are social beings and we thrive when connected to one another. In fact, loneliness and social isolation have been linked to increased risk for early mortality. Making it a goal to increase or enhance your social support network this year can improve how satisfied you feel about your life in the day-to-day. Ways to do achieve this: nurture existing relationships by making efforts to connect regularly via phone or in-person interactions. Or you can create new connections by joining a support group, a book club, or church group. If you’re finding it challenging to connect with others, or the relationships in your life are not feeling like sources of support, find a therapist who can help you improve communication skills, build confidence, and heal relational trauma to create a supportive network in your life.
SET GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR AT EAST SIDE THERAPY
Starting the new year with intention can set you up for success in many aspects of your life. Sometimes it is helpful to have another person who can help clarify your values, identify concrete goals, and help you stay accountable. The therapists at East Side Therapy have a broad range of specializations, which means that, regardless of your goals, we can help match you with the right fit.
Learn more about our team of therapists OR schedule a free consultation call here.
more services at east side therapy
East Side Therapy offers a wide variety of mental health services for individual adolescents and adults, couples (poly and kink inclusive), and families. We provide virtual therapy throughout California, as well as in-person sessions at our Echo Park office in Los Angeles, CA. Our strong team of therapists specialize in issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma therapy, EMDR, LGBTQ+ issues, therapy for women and perinatal mental health, highly sensitive people, eating disorders, teen therapy, neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism, AuDHD), and more. Please visit our services page to read more about the types of therapy we offer and a full list of specialties. You can also read more about each of our therapists on our team page. For additional information, check out our FAQ, About Us, Groups, and Blog.
