As we start a new year, mental health has become as much of a focus for goal setting as fitness or career. Individuals are beginning to understand that if their inner self is not looked after, all other resolutions will eventually fail due to stress, burnout, or a low mood. Recent surveys done by some of the biggest psychiatric professional organizations have indicated that there is a growing number of individuals who have purposely set mental health resolutions for 2026 such as going to therapy, starting a self-care routine, setting work boundaries, and grappling with longstanding anxiety or depression.
The current focus of mental health resolutions is indicative of what people are most anxious about. The current leading causes of anxiety presently include: financial issues, the uncertainty surrounding the future, and the state of the world. Instead of denying the existence of these anxieties, mental health resolutions ask people to confront these concerns: create a realistic budget; reduce or limit doom-scrolling; have an open, trusting conversation with a confidant; seek out the help of a professional when there are thoughts of panic or intrusive thoughts. They are less about “fixing” an individual, and more about teaching an individual to be honest with themselves, have compassion for themselves, and utilize practical tools.
The observation made by professionals working in the field of mental health indicates that resolutions regarding mental well-being are generally more successful when they are framed in smaller and more specific terms and when they are related to everyday activities. The example “To never feel anxious again” could be reframed into “In the event of experiencing an increase in my anxiety level, I will take a moment to breathe for two (2) minutes and send an electronic message to someone I can trust.” Additional examples are individuals who will commit to going to counseling sessions weekly for the first three months of the year or use a mood tracking app to document patterns they are experiencing.
The implementation of these types of resolutions helps to reduce feelings of shame and helps people to follow-through on their commitments to improving their mental health.Research conducted by professionals in the field of mental health also indicates that having a support network in place while pursuing your mental health resolutions can be hugely beneficial.
Support groups, online communities and workplace initiatives are excellent examples of support networks that can normalize talking about your feelings (“How was your day today?”) or inquiring about the person’s feelings pertaining to work (“How was your workday today?”). Through family bonding experiences in which everyone in the family works on their mental health goals at home, such as family game night (screen time free) each week, a family walk each day, or having family members talk about how they felt each Sunday helps to create a sense of closeness that contributes to individual happiness.
As we enter into the year 2026, the growing interest in and focus on mental health will solidify that emotional health is no longer viewed as a secondary priority. Some examples of mental health related resolutions are: attending your first therapy session, learning to ground yourself, and going to couples counseling.
Source: American Psychiatric Association; health‑news coverage of national APA survey on 2026 resolutions.
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