Should We Make New Year’s Resolutions? A Therapist Explains How To Improve Your Mental Health in 2025

What is a Resolution?

Most resolutions have to do with self improvement. Weight loss, in particular, is a very popular goal. We all know gyms fill up in January, only to thin out in by February. Other common resolutions: cut down on social media, meditate more, take up new hobbies, maybe learn a new language. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve set the intention to take up cross fit (I’ve never gone once). Many wonder if the new year drums up momentum for change, or if it sets us up to bite off more than we can chew. Here are my thoughts on how you can tackle your mental health in the new year.

Set Attainable Goals

The best way to gain momentum is to set reasonable goals. Why? Seeing yourself actually make progress is what will motivate your continued efforts. When we fail, we lose steam and often eventually admit defeat and stop trying altogether. And we typically fail when we’re set our goals too high. Don’t fall into this cycle. To set yourself up for continued success, you need to actually experience achievement. Find a way to sustain a forward momentum.

Set Measurable Goals

Psychologists know that goals have to be measurable. If they’re not, there’s no objective way to track progress. So, with any resolution you set, you’ll need to create a system to monitor your growth. For example: if you plan to mediate more often, you set clear objectives to track: how many minutes per day will you mediate? How many days per week? Will you increase the duration of your meditations or keep them consistent? Then commit to tracking the incremental change as you go along. Human beings are terrible at objectivity, so don’t just rely on your own judgment to discern how well you’re doing. Get clear data.

Mental Health in the New Year

A lot of folks make the resolution to begin, or resume, therapy. The truth is, January is a great time to begin therapy. But keep in mind that, just like joining a gym, you’ll only see change if you commit to the process. Don’t expect to start January 1st and be done by January 31st. I typically suggest that folks commit to at least one year if they truly want to see progress. Change takes time. And there can be a lot of two steps forward, one step backward, in the process. Give yourself a longer time horizon to mitigate any urgency to rush the process. And to keep yourself realistic about the time you truly need to invest to get something out of therapy.

A New Perspective

January 1st is just another day. Entering a new year won’t passively change your life. But your perception can. If you choose to look at the new year as a new opportunity, then it can be. If you choose to use new year’s resolutions as mechanism for change, then they will be. We know that dopamine, the neurotransmitter in charge of our motivation and reward systems, is released when we pursue a goal—not when we achieve them. I think any opportunity—whether it’s the new year or any other date on your calendar—that motivates you to set goals for self-improvement is valuable. So, I hope 2025 will afford opportunities for growth and change for everyone. Happy New Year!

Interested in starting therapy in the new year? You can learn more about my practice here.