New Season, New Mindset: How to Set Achievable, Mental-Health-Focused Goals
As we ease into the Spring and notice a shift in weather, longer days, and blooming trees, we are faced with the possibility of releasing the old and creating something new. Spring is a time of shedding and rebirth that brings the perfect opportunity for an energetic reset. While the most common goals often involve one’s career, finances, health, or relationships, the most basic reset must first take place mentally in order for other goals to be achieved. This task can feel daunting as one contemplates, “Where do I begin?”
Here are 5 ways to begin to release what no longer serves you and plant the seeds for new behaviors and habits that are sustainable.
Reflect on Your Current Mindset
Before setting intentions for new goals, it is important to reflect on what has worked for you and what hasn’t worked for you in the past. Take time to reflect on when you have felt depleted and disconnected and when you have felt energized, peaceful, and content. You may do this by journaling or meditating or just sitting quietly focused on the best and worst moments you have experienced over the past several months. Once you achieve clarity on where you are, you can move intentionally toward where you want to be. Take a moment to write down achievable, measurable goals.
For example: Instead of saying something like, “I want to be healthier” or “I want to be calmer”, identify specific goals to help you get there. You can say, “I will wake up 30 minutes earlier on Monday and Wednesday to take a walk outside”, or “I will meditate before I go to bed for 10 minutes using a meditation app”.
Set Goals that Focus on Self Care and Mental Health
Self-care is a term that’s widely used but often misunderstood. It’s more than just getting massages and manicures. Authentic self-care involves implementing practices that support your physical, emotional, and mental health consistently. As you set goals for the Spring season, focus on creating habits that nourish both your body and mind. Individuals often forget to focus on goals that optimize mental health, which is the most important step to ensure sustainability.
Prioritize Sleep: Sleep is fundamental to mental and physical health. Lack of sleep can create and worsen stress, anxiety, and depression. Create a consistent bedtime routine by implementing rituals that help you wind down at the end of the day. Rituals can include disconnecting from technology 2 hours before bed, taking a bath, drinking tea, reading, or meditating. Make your routine a priority that begins at about the same time every evening. Creating a habit optimizes the likelihood that the changes will become part of your lifestyle versus a temporary focus. Notice what rituals work best for you and allow you to sleep more restfully. Notice how your mind and body feel after a good night of rest and allow this to become your motivator and reminder for sticking to the routine the following evening.
Nourish Your Body: A well-balanced diet is more likely to become part of a lifestyle if it is simple and low maintenance. Fad diets that are strict and deprive you of occasional indulgences do not usually last more than several days. Adhering to eating whole foods- fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats into your daily routine will make it easier to be consistent. The saying “you are what you eat” and “junk in, junk out” is true when considering not only the thoughts you engage in, but the food you eat. Nutrition has a profound impact on mental health, mood, and energy. Set goals for meal prep once or twice per week and carry a water bottle with you daily. Aim for drinking half your body weight in ounces of water on a daily basis.
Move Your Body: Exercise is mandatory to feel good at any age. Physical activity releases endorphins, which boost mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Setting small, achievable movement goals (like walking for 30 minutes three times a week or practicing yoga) can make a big difference in your overall mental health. Any movement is good movement, so find an activity you enjoy and focus on consistency rather than intensity.
Practice Mindfulness for Mental Clarity
Mindfulness is about being present in each moment without judgement. By being present, we can be aware of any negative thoughts that are contributing to stress and anxiety. Mindfulness can become part of your daily routine without having to make major changes to your schedule. Start small and notice how your mental clarity improves.
Set Daily Mindfulness Goals: Begin by committing a goal to practice mindful breathing for five minutes a day. Use a meditation app such as Insight Timer, Calm, or Headspace or simply sit quietly and focus on counting your breaths 1-10. Gradually extend the time you practice weekly.
Practice Gratitude: Gratitude is a form of mindfulness that allows us to have a more positive perspective. By focusing on what we have in our life versus what is wrong or missing, one’s perspective becomes more positive moving forward. A consistent practice of gratitude has been shown to improve mood and decrease negative thoughts. Engaging in this practice can help shift one’s perspective and increase mental resilience. To kickstart this habit, begin or end your day by writing down three things you're grateful for regardless of how big or small they are.
Bring Mindfulness into Everyday Activities: Allow yourself to notice how everyday activities can become moments of mindfulness. Mindfulness consists of noticing where you are at the present moment and engaging all of your senses without judgement. This can be done while showering, eating, preparing food, walking, cleaning, or practicing any other activity in your day. The act of not focusing on the past or the future, but being fully immersed in the present has been shown to decrease anxiety, depression, and stress levels.
Practice Setting Healthy Boundaries
Boundary setting is a necessary part of mental health. Boundaries are about protecting and defining your limits with yourself and others. Boundaries can be set to protect your time, space, energy, money, and energetic resources. A lack of adequate boundary setting can lead to burnout, stress, and depletion.
Set Boundaries at Work: Working toward a work-life balance is necessary for mental health. Setting clear boundaries with your boss or coworkers is necessary for preventing burnout. Take some time to be honest with yourself about where the boundaries lie between your work and your leisure time. This means not only physically leaving your workspace but also limiting your exposure to emails, texts, and conversations related to work when you are not “on the clock”. If you don’t respect your boundaries, no one else will.
Boundaries in Relationships: Set boundaries in relationships with family, friends, and partners. Practice saying “no” when you feel burned out. Allowing yourself to express expectations, disengage, or asking for help can decrease resentment and fatigue. Healthy relationships require healthy boundaries.
Digital Boundaries: Implement limits on your exposure to technology. High levels of exposure to technology and social media is directly correlated with anxiety and depression. Balance necessary use of technology with healthy limits by turning off notifications during certain times of the day and taking hours or days to detox from social media to restore yourself. Resist the urge to scroll when taking time to “relax” and instead practice an activity that is not digitally related such as reading, working on a puzzle, socializing, or doing something creative.
Set Achievable, Realistic Goals
As you embark on creating a new mindset this spring, allow yourself grace by making your goals realistic, small, and achievable. The goal is progress, not perfection. Build on your growth and notice your progress. Be flexible if your goals need some shifting. Embrace flexibility versus rigidity in order to build on resilience. Notice and celebrate successes. Each small success is a building block to creating a new habit and a new norm.
Final Thoughts
As you transition to a new season, be intentional regarding setting goals directed toward wellness and mental health, like Anxiety Therapy. By focusing on choices that nourish both your mind and your body, you are more likely to lay a foundation for a more balanced and healthy life. This is a journey, not a marathon. Begin small, stay in the energy of gratitude, practice self compassion, and notice every success as you work toward a new mindset!