The new year is a time of resolutions. Some of which you may stick to, others you’ll abandon as soon as you realize how crowded the gym is. But, what if you concentrated on bettering your mental health this new year. 2020 has been a tough year for many, so why not start 2020 by caring for your emotional wellbeing? Today, I will share four tips for caring for your mental health in 2021.
Set Realistic Goals for 2021
I put this first for a good reason, so many people make new year’s resolutions that are unrealistic and then become upset when they are not able to meet their expectations. Go easy on yourself. Set goals in small increments that are easy to achieve. Write these goals down, but be careful not to overcommit, which can lead to anxiety and frustration.
Here’s an example, say your goal is to exercise more. Start small. Maybe this means taking a walk outside 3 days a week. Or perhaps, it means doing 10 minutes of an exercise video on Youtube 5 days a week. Write these days in your calendar and create a routine. Once you have this down, then, you can steadily increase the duration and frequency of this routine.
Also, give yourself a break when you miss a day or don’t meet your goal as fast as you’d like. Sometimes, life happens and priorities shift. That’s okay. When this happens, take a look and see if you need to adjust your expectations or change your schedule to accommodate your goals. Allowing yourself this flexibility can eliminate some of the anxiety and tension you feel about meeting your goals.
Find your people
Having a support system of positive people who make your life happier and easier is an important part of good mental health. During this time of social distancing, you may be feeling isolated and lonely, but distancing doesn’t mean you have to cut off contact with the people who make your life better. In fact, it offers a unique opportunity to slow down and connect with them in other ways.
Try this, make a list of your top 5 people. You know the ones who you know you can always count on (or perhaps the people in your favorites list on your phone). Ask yourself, have I talked to them in the last week? If the answer is no, then I encourage you to reach out to them. I imagine you’ll feel better after texting, calling, or video chatting with them.
Value Yourself and Your Wellbeing
We’re all human, we all make mistakes and have bad days. But, getting down on yourself when this happens and beating yourself up doesn’t make things better. In fact, it makes things worse. You’re not perfect, and you don’t need to be. So try showing yourself some compassion, empathy, and love.
One simple way to do this is to remind yourself (or better yet, list) the reasons why you’re awesome. Shifting your focus towards the positives will show you just how great you truly are, even when you have an off-day.
Another way to do this is to make time for self-care and doing things that bring you joy. Often as adults, this is hard to do. We can make about a million excuses as to why we don’t have time for self-care. But, I would be willing to bet that if you really thought about it, there’d be some time you could take to care for yourself. Use this time to recharge your battery and relax. After a stressful year, we all need it.
Talk to a Therapist
As an Atlanta therapist, I would be amiss if I didn’t include this. Obviously, I am a big proponent of therapy. Even if you don’t have serious mental health concerns or a formal diagnosis, it can really help you feel better. Counseling affords you the opportunity to talk to a therapist about the things that matter most to you. Plus, a therapist won’t judge you and have tools to help you cope with distress.
It’s okay to ask for support. It shows that you are in tune with your mental health and are strong enough to ask for help when you need it.
Meet with a Therapist in the Atlanta Area
If you are looking for more tips and tools to take care of your mental health in 2021 and think you’d like to try therapy, we would love to speak with you. The therapists at Wellview Counseling are skilled in offering mental health support in a wide variety of areas. To begin therapy in Atlanta, follow these steps:
- Reach out to our counseling clinic and schedule a consultation call with one of our therapists,
- Meet with an online therapist to ask any questions you may have about online therapy at Wellview Counseling
- Begin online counseling in Rosewell and take care of your mental health while practicing social distancing!
Other Therapy Services Offered at Wellview Counseling
Wellview Counseling is an Atlanta area therapy center that offers many mental health services to help you or your loved ones find healing and growth. Our therapy services include play therapy, child counseling, individual counseling, social skills groups for kids, therapy for postpartum anxiety and depression, anxiety treatment, trauma and PTSD treatment, chronic illness counseling, family therapy, and positive discipline parent education opportunities. Contact our Roswell, GA mental health clinic to learn more about online therapy and the many ways we can help you or your loved one.
About the Author: Therapist Ashley Bobo, LCSW
Ashley Bobo, LCSW is an Atlanta therapist who provides individual and family therapy to help with anxiety, depression, postpartum depression & anxiety, parent coaching, and other mental health concerns.
If you live in the Atlanta area (or anywhere in Georgia) and would like to begin counseling services for your child or anyone in your family, give us a call at 678-288-6221 or email info@wellviewcounseling.com.