You probably will not be surprised to hear that most people do not stick with their New Year’s resolutions for very long. While the end of one year and the beginning of the next lend themselves to reflection about goals and hopes, once the rush of the new year is actually underway, it can be easy to let those new commitments fall by the wayside.
Still and all, when it comes to setting resolutions related to your mental health, we have some ideas. We are hopeful that these suggestions hit the sweet spot: Easy to stick with and truly helpful, too.
Let Go of Some Commitments
To get started, we are going to borrow from ourselves. At the top of 2025, we posted an entry titled “Consider Doing Less in the New Year.” We stand by that advice as 2026 approaches. Here is part of what we suggested:
Get ahead by laying back sometimes. Too often, we associate getting ahead with staying impossibly busy. We accept new projects (or even create new projects) as a way of demonstrating our commitment and importance. But burning out is no way to get to the top or to feel satisfaction for a job well done. Improve the quality of your work—and of your life—by letting some projects pass you by. Note that this advice applies both to your job and to any volunteer or other projects you are asked to add to your to-do list. Sometimes a simple “no” is the way to go when it comes to protecting your mental health.
We had plenty more to say on this topic, so we encourage you to take a look at the whole piece.
Make One Healthy Change (and Then Maybe Make Another)
One of the reasons so many people struggle with resolutions is that they are both too ambitious and not specific enough. Take, for example, a resolution like, “I’m going to lose 50 pounds.”
There is nothing wrong with that as a goal, per se, but 50 is a pretty big number to use as a starting point. And a resolution constructed this way does not give you any sense of how you might accomplish that goal.
You might well be better served by settling on a small change that can move you in the direction of a bigger goal. Replace one sugary drink each day with something healthier (water is always a good option). Add a 10-minute walk to your daily routine. Get in the habit of doing something small but relaxing just before bed each night so that you are ready to enjoy restful sleep.
Each of those suggested changes can actually help move you toward losing some weight—while also supporting your overall mental health. Choosing just one of them—or one of your own devising—can get you headed in the right direction without saddling yourself with a goal that quickly comes to feel like a burden.
Lean Into Positive Relationships
Your friendships truly strengthen the foundation of your mental health. That is why it is always worth it to build and maintain positive relationships. But that does not happen on its own, so it can be a good idea to set a modest goal around friendship in the new year.
What might that look like? It might mean something as simple as setting up a standing coffee or lunch date with a friend. You might consider making a point to see someone in person who you have only been interacting with online lately. It might just mean sending a funny card or two to a couple of friends each month to let them know you are thinking about them.
Every relationship has its own rhythm, of course. Still and all, friends can drift apart if they let their schedules keep them from getting together (see our first suggestion above!). Make sure your friends are a priority. Doing so is a great way to prioritize your mental health, too.
A Bonus Collection of Possible New Year’s Resolutions
Maybe none of our suggestions here resonate with you right now because you are not feeling stressed about your schedule, you are practicing healthy habits, and your relationships are going strong. Fair enough.
Here are some additional ideas for small but powerful goals in the new year related to increased feelings of gratitude, a reduction in your screen time, and the elimination of the mess on your desk or countertop.
We Are Steady in Our Resolve to Help You
At Peak View Behavioral Health—located in Colorado Springs, Colorado—we created personalized treatment plans to help individuals improve their mental health and maintain those improvements over time. If you are struggling with a mental health disorder of one kind or another, we would encourage you to set an intention as the new year approaches to get the help you need. Embracing a spirit of hope is at the heart of what we do—and we would be delighted to help you grab hold of hope around your mental well-being.
