If your mental and emotional wellness took a backseat in 2019, thereâs no better time than right now to prioritize it. (If anything, itâll make the election year just mildly more bearable.) Your mood affects everything in your life â your relationships, your work, your self-care â so improving it should be at the top of your goal list.
That might feel like a huge and lofty task, but small, actionable habits can help you get there, according to experts. Below are the most common happiness tips therapists recommend. Maybe theyâll sound challenging or unrealistic (more on that later), but maybe they just might change your life.
Give yourself a motivational benchmark to start conquering your biggest fears this year.
âSingle out the goal of selecting an anxiety that is holding you back, and thoroughly commit yourself to obliterating that fear,â said Forrest Talley, a clinical psychologist. âHold nothing back in your assault; treat that fear as though it is enemy number one.â
Perhaps youâve been worried about signing up for a half marathon. Maybe youâre afraid to reach out to book agents because you donât want to be rejected. Perhaps youâre fearful of having a difficult conversation with a toxic friend or family member and youâre putting it off. Set the goal, pick a reward youâll get when you complete it, then get to it.
âThe thing to keep in mind is that very often happiness is found just on the other side of a doorway guarded by our anxieties,â Talley said. âAnd the new year is a great time to start kicking down some doors.â
2. Lock down a sleep schedule that works for you
You may think youâre doing OK on sleep, but take a closer look at your schedule. Are you really getting optimal hours? Are you maintaining relatively the same bed time every night?
âGetting a [consistent] good nightâs sleep is vital; chronic sleep deprivation is a huge problem, especially for those who work late or are extremely busy,â said Joanna Konstantopoulou, a psychologist and founder of the Health Psychology Clinic. âItâs not just the 40-hour marathons without sleep which can be detrimental to your psychological health, but simply losing an hour or two on a regular basis can have a significant impact on your mind and well-being.â
That last bit is important. If youâre constantly shaving off an hour here or there â thinking you can get by on five hours a night â itâs time to reevaluate that sleep schedule.
âStart with small steps by giving yourself a sensible and realistic bedtime,â Konstantopoulou said. âTry to go to bed half an hour before your usual bedtime and stick to it. Evaluate this new habit every day by having a journal and writing down your progress.â
She noted that this new routine will improve your memory, reduce anxiety, and âtransport toxins out of the brainâ to potentially prevent chronic illnesses.
3. Find one small self-care act that works for you and prioritize it
Pick a you-centric activity and engage in it regularly, said Elena Touroni, co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic.
âThe most impactful mental health goal a person can set is the commitment to balance workload and responsibilities alongside activities that bring them a sense of well-being and enjoyment,â she said. âWhen there is an imbalance in what weâre giving out to the world, and what weâre taking for ourselves, thatâs when our psychological resources get depleted.â
Her suggestions to get you started? Try beginning each day with a five-minute mindfulness meditation session. Want to go further? âGo to therapy to unravel a lifelong pattern, get a personal trainer, or make time for reading,â she said. âThis commitment can be broken down into specific and concrete goals, depending on your personal preferences, but it all comes down to making self-care a priority.â
For the full list, head here.Â
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