We all want to achieve better mental health. It’s such a daunting goal though, especially if we don’t know what we’re looking for or how we’re going to get it. Setting goals for your mental health is just like setting goals for your physical health (such as losing weight) or setting goals for work (such as learning a new skill). Your goals need to be SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound
This article focuses on good goals for your mental health and how to achieve them.
SETTING SMART GOALS
To successfully reach most goals in life, it’s important to know what you want, how you plan to achieve it, and how to track your progress. That’s why we set SMART goals. As an example, let’s use a common goal many of us have shared at one point or another; to lose weight. A SMART weight loss goal looks like this: “I want to lose 20 pounds by cutting out snacking and exercise by November 1, so I feel more comfortable on our beach vacation”
This goal is specific because you know exactly what you want in the end. It’s measurable because you’ve quantified it by making it 20 pounds. It’s attainable because you know how you’re going to make it happen. It’s relevant because you have motivation. Finally, it’s time-bound, because you’ve given it a deadline of November 1.
Keep these attributes in mind as you continue researching and planning your mental health goals. It will increase your chances of success and help you recognize when you’ve achieved your goals, which is an amazing feeling.
As for what goals you should set to improve and maintain your mental health, try to focus on what will make you a healthier, stronger, happier version of yourself. The following goals can be a great starting point for your journey:
Boundaries are of key importance to your mental health, but they can be very difficult to initiate and manage. It often means saying “no” to others, which can be tough for many of us. Setting boundaries, however, sets the tone for how other people treat you, and even how you treat yourself. When you’ve decided upon the boundaries though, it’s easier to be assertive when you need to, and makes saying “no” easier.
Anger raises your blood pressure, heart rate, and decreases your quality of sleep. It also makes you miserable. Even if you feel proud or justified in your anger, misery quickly follows. Forgiveness reverses that.
Forgiving doesn’t mean you’re going to continue having a relationship with a person. If a relationship isn’t worth rebuilding, forgiveness won’t help. However, it will help you move to a more peaceful place. It will allow you to stop wasting time or losing sleep by wishing ill will upon them. Forgiveness will allow your mind to concentrate on work or focus on something more uplifting or optimistic.
Practicing forgiveness also means forgiving yourself. It sounds cliche at times, but that’s because it’s so important. Forgiving yourself needs empathy, kindness, and understanding. It also helps to accept that forgiveness is a choice. Forgiveness is an important part of the healing process. You feel guilt, anger, shame, sometimes sadness, and then you move on.
Journals help us learn and achieve so much. Recent studies by Harvard University have proven their effectiveness. Gratitude journals were proven to be especially helpful. Writing about what you’re thankful for was proven to raise levels of happiness, optimism, and in general, participants felt better about their lives.
A gratitude journal doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. A few minutes a day gives you a significant mood boost that we all need (at least once in a while).
One of the most powerful tools to improve your mental health is meditation. Focusing your attention on the present moment gives us a new perspective; it can turn around a foul mood, help us manage stress, and more.
If you’ve tried meditation before and couldn’t get the hang of it, try one of the thousands of free guided meditations available online. Experiment with different techniques and presenters, you’ll eventually find one that works for you and gives you that much needed lift.
Being active is another major component of good mental health. Exercise has been proven to reduce depression and anxiety. It provides an efficient way of coping with stress and even helps you work through traumatic memories. One of the best perks of increasing your activity level is improved sleep quality.
Try getting active outdoors as often as possible too. Being outside allows us to connect with nature, which has substantial mental health benefits. A simple walk around the block is all it takes to reap the rewards, but a hike through an Ontario Provincial Park for example, will really benefit you physically and mentally.
Alcohol consumption can trigger some mental illness symptoms or cause current symptoms to worsen. Negative emotions can be hard to control while under the influence. The day after drinking can sometimes be filled with a variety of negative emotions such as depression or shame.
Studies have shown there are strong connections between mental illness and substance abuse. Making a goal to cut back on such substances will pay off in many ways.
If you broke your leg and needed help picking something up, people wouldn’t tell you to “get over it”. They would help you. Years ago, you wouldn’t be able to say the same about our mental health. However now, the stigma mental health issues carry, is slowly fading. One in five Canadians live with a mental illness and while it can still be very difficult to talk about, it’s comforting to know you’re not alone.
It also helps to be assured that your concerns will not be dismissed. There are many resources available (at no cost to you) throughout Ontario. Asking for and getting help has never been easier.
Maybe use “I want to become healthier by cutting out chips and eating four servings of vegetables a day by November 1st.”