As the new year approaches, many people begin thinking about their resolutions—typically focusing on physical health, saving money, or spending more time with family. One area that often gets overlooked is mental health. The pressure to "get fit" or "eat better" is well-known, but taking care of mental well-being is just as important as improving physical health, especially since mental health impacts every aspect of life.
At first glance, mental health goals can seem intangible and subjective, but there are scientifically proven ways to set achievable, measurable, and personalized mental wellness goals that will help anyone thrive in 2025. Vivian Chung Easton, a mental health therapist at Blueprint, a company focused on building AI-powered tools to help therapists, shares recommendations for setting mental health resolutions.
Prioritize self-compassion and resilience building
One of the most important mental wellness goals for 2025 is to prioritize self-compassion and resilience. In a culture that often celebrates hustle and perfection, it's easy to push yourself too hard, setting unrealistic expectations that only add to stress and anxiety. But research shows that self-compassion and resilience are critical factors in coping with stress and maintaining long-term mental well-being.
A 2021 study by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer highlights that self-compassion—treating yourself with kindness when things don't go as planned—can reduce emotional distress and improve resilience. Instead of criticism for not meeting a goal or making a mistake, practice affirmations or positive self-talk. A simple goal, like being kinder to yourself during setbacks, can help reduce stress and boost mental wellness.
A goal can look something like this:
- Create 10 positive affirmations (like "It's OK, I'm doing the best I can") to use for positive self-talk when you make a mistake.
- Practice mindfulness for 10 minutes a day, five days a week. Practicing mindfulness doesn't have to just mean meditating, being present in the moment can look different for everyone. The goal of mindfulness is to do one thing and only that thing—not multi-tasking. Whether reading, stretching, or washing the dishes, do what makes sense for your life.
- Use three coping strategies during stressful situations each week, like grounding exercises, breaking things down into smaller tasks, or rethinking a challenge positively. This can improve your ability to handle different situations with resilience and self-compassion.
Making room for self-compassion this year can be a transformative step toward building resilience and enhancing overall mental health.
Incorporate social connections into your mental health goals
Social connection is one of the most important factors in mental wellness, yet it's often overlooked in favour of individual self-improvement goals. Physical isolation can lead to loneliness, but social isolation is also strongly linked to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety, according to a study by Juliannee Holt-Lundstad. Meaningful relationships and community support can improve how satisfied you feel in your life on a day-to-day basis.
This year, make it a goal to strengthen and nurture social connections, whether that means reconnecting with old friends, regularly scheduling family time, or joining social groups and clubs—like a book club, gym, or church group.
For example, a social wellness goal can look like:
- Reconnect with a friend or family member once a month.
- Join a support group to build a community of people who understand individual challenges.
- Attend social events (virtual events count too) to foster a sense of belonging.
Building mental wellness isn't just about managing thoughts and feelings; it's also about fostering a strong support network. Social connections are integral to building emotional resilience.
Mindfulness and stress reduction techniques as a foundation
Just as physical fitness is associated with physical health, mindfulness is often associated with mental fitness. However, practicing mindfulness is just as important as going for a run or lifting weights when it comes to mental wellness. Mindfulness-based practices—such as meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises—have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve focus, and boost emotional well-being according to research by Stefan Hofman in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
Incorporating mindfulness into a routine doesn't have to be time-consuming or difficult. Start small by committing to 5–10 minutes of mindfulness practice a few times a week. Focus on breath, practice guided meditation, or even engage in mindful walking or eating.
A simple goal might be:
- Meditate for five minutes daily.
- Practice mindful eating by turning off electronic devices, like your phone, TV, and computer when eating.
These exercises are called a practice for a reason: doing them consistently and often can strengthen your ability over time. These practices not only reduce stress in the moment but also help to build resilience over time, making it easier to handle future challenges.
Set realistic and achievable SMART goals
Whatever New Year's resolution you might have, a large obstacle is setting goals that are too ambitious or unrealistic. Whether it's aiming to exercise every day or cutting out all sugar, overambitious goals can lead to burnout and disappointment when progress isn't immediate. This is especially true for mental health goals, which often require patience and consistency.
Using these suggestions for mental health goals, focus on how to personalize them to make them realistic and achievable for your life. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that people are more likely to succeed in their resolutions when they set realistic and incremental goals. Instead of vague, broad goals like "be happier" or "stress less," focus on small, concrete actions that can lead to big changes over time.
One effective approach is to use SMART goals—goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
For example:
- Instead of resolving to "be happier," aim to journal for 10 minutes every morning, identifying one thing that brought you joy that day.
- Instead of "reduce stress," try committing to eating one meal without your electronic devices.
- Rather than "improve mental health," set a goal to find activities that lead to better mental health for you—like hiking or meeting a friend for coffee—and do it once a month.
These specific, measurable actions make it easier to track progress and feel a sense of accomplishment along the way. Plus, they're more realistic and achievable, which increases your chances of success.
Monitor progress and adjust mental health goals throughout the year
It happens every year—gyms always seem to empty out before spring starts. One of the challenges of New Year's resolutions is that many people abandon their goals as early as January. However, mental health goals require ongoing attention and flexibility. Unlike weight loss or fitness goals, mental wellness is a journey, not an endpoint.
Regularly tracking progress is essential. By setting aside time to evaluate personal progress, it's easier to adjust your goals and make necessary changes to keep things on track. Research shows that regular goal check-ins increase the likelihood of long-term success.
Consider setting quarterly check-ins with yourself to assess your mental health goals:
- Have you been practicing mindfulness regularly?
- Are you feeling more self-compassionate during setbacks?
- Are you meeting your social connection goals?
If you're not meeting your targets, adjust them to make them more realistic. Mental health progress doesn't always follow a straight line, so it's important to be flexible and forgiving with yourself.
Your resolutions are personal and evolving
The new year is inherently a time of change, and that can be a helpful mindset in seeing new potential for growth and taking action. As you set your resolutions for 2025, don't forget to prioritize mental wellness. By focusing on achievable, realistic goals—you're setting yourself up for a healthier, more fulfilling year. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and nurturing it can help to reach other goals more effectively.
Even if, in a month or two, you feel like you're falling behind—mental health goals can and should be flexible and adaptable. You can always adjust your approach if things aren't serving you, and check in with yourself regularly to stay on track. Goals are personal, and you're always in control. Here's to a year of growth, balance, and emotional well-being in 2025.
This story was produced by Blueprint and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
