10 Mental Health Reminders for the New Year (and Beyond)

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. I can barely plan my day, let alone the whole year. And I’m also not big on making commitments I know I can’t or won’t keep.

Instead, I remind myself of certain behaviors I think I (maybe) can accomplish and refer to the list as often as needed. Here are a few suggestions that may be appropriate reminders for you as well.

1. You don’t have to drink alcohol at New Year’s Eve parties.

Or ever, really. No one should try to pressure you into doing this, but if they do, simply saying, “No thanks,” should be enough. If the person is really pushy, you may have to ask, “Do you have soda or fruit juice?” You are not required to explain why you don’t want to drink alcohol, and you may want to forego attending parties that do not have such non-alcoholic alternatives in the future. You don’t have to attend parties at all, and “No, I can’t make it” is a perfectly reasonable response to an invitation. Or “Maybe next year.”

2. You don’t have to make New Year’s resolutions per se.

You can have New Year’s intentions, small goals you don’t have to announce to the world at large and that you don’t have to beat yourself up over if you don’t fulfill them. Instead of resolving to jog every day, intend to get out of doors once a week, even if it’s only to walk to the mailbox and back. Baby steps, after all.

3. I hate to use the word “should,” but you should keep track of your medications, reorder them if they’re getting low, and see your prescribing physician if the scripts are about to run out.

That’s just common sense that’s necessary for your mental health, not a resolution. These days, you may even be able to arrange to have meds delivered.

4. Try to engage in a hobby once in a while. 

Say, once a month. It honestly doesn’t matter what the hobby is. Read a book, or even a short story or magazine article. Knit or crochet. Repot a plant. Water a plant. Do a crossword puzzle. Bake your favorite cookies, then eat them all yourself if you want to.

5. Keep comfort objects nearby.

These can be anything that soothes you. A music playlist. A stuffed animal. A scented candle. A cozy blanket or sweater. A favorite warm beverage like cocoa or green tea. Don’t be embarrassed about using them to ground yourself. Most neurotypical people won’t even notice if you’re wearing a favorite sweater or have a scented candle lit.

6. You can connect with people online.

This counts as interacting with people. Say happy birthday. Forward a funny meme. You don’t have to make it specific to your condition, but there are plenty of people on Facebook, for example, who have bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or an autoimmune disorder. You don’t even have to interact with them. You can join a group, then just sit back and see what others post there.

7. Avoid triggers, if you can.

That judgmental aunt. Your creepy cousin. Your boastful neighbor. Again, you have the right to say no and not explain why. (It’s the not explaining that’s the hardest.) Don’t watch movies that you find upsetting, whether it’s “Die Hard” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (which many people don’t like because of the implicit bullying).

8. Write about how you feel, if you want to.

It could be a mood journal, a regular journal, a letter that you will never mail, a poem. Don’t feel that you have to show it to anyone. Tear it up afterward, if you want to.

9. You don’t have to face the new year as a whole.

If you must have resolutions, resolve to get through the next week or even the next day.

10. Make an appointment with your therapist.

Many therapists are offering telehealth visits these days, so it’s easier than ever just to touch base or to work through a problem, a trigger or feeling overwhelmed.

In other words, do whatever you can to get you through the next day, week, month or season. The year will take care of itself, whether you make resolutions or not.