Mental health is just as important as physical health. It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about their physical health goals. Losing 20 pounds, sleeping 8 hours a night, or cutting out the soda from their diet are all examples.
When did you last create intentional goals like this for your mental health? Take into consideration what this means to you and how to set goals like this.
Why Setting Mental Health Goals Is So Important
Mental health goals help you actively make changes to the challenges you are facing now. Instead of being reactive to the stress you face, your goal is to be proactive at preventing those negative situations from turning into a very bad mental health outcome. When you set clear goals, those that are achievable by some measure, you gradually make a shift in the way you think. Your resilience improves, your self-awareness grows, and you begin to foster a positive mindset that is critical for sustaining good mental health.
Strategies for Setting Mental Health Goals
To create intentional mental health goals, you need to think about where you are right now and what may be limiting your growth. Consider these steps to help you create goals you can feel good about putting into place.
Complete Self-Reflection
Self-reflection is not about making bad statements about yourself or listing your flaws. Instead, it’s important to come to terms with who you are and then outline what you want to improve each day. Perhaps you want to manage stress or practice self-compassion better. Sit for a few minutes to focus on these areas in quiet, creating a list that’s not judgmental but clear.
Create a SMART Goal
SMART goals are essential because they allow you to create goals that are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
This means that each of your mental health goals will have a clearly defined task to complete within a specific timeframe and to specific standards. This type of goal is actionable, telling you exactly what you need to do to achieve it.
Create Small Goals to Start With
As you work to improve your ability to tackle big goals, start with a few small ones first. What could help you improve your mental health right now?
- Give yourself downtime to watch a funny movie.
- Talking to someone you trust about what’s weighing on your mind.
- Practicing a bit of self-forgiveness as you move through a tough day.
Break down bigger goals into more manageable chunks. Instead of saying you want to cure your anxiety in a week, create small goals that are more likely to happen. You may say, instead, that you want to spend the next week working to give yourself a 10-minute meditation period each day.
Find a Way to Prioritize Self Care
There is no doubt that self-care is a large component of your mental health objectives (by practicing self-care, you are putting yourself first in a very busy world.) Spend each day looking for new self-care strategies that could help you improve your relationships, reduce frustrations, and help you get out of harmful situations. Be specific about the types of self-care you hope to invest in.
Prioritize Being Consistent
Your goal is not to “do more” and completely tackle your to-do list on mental health each day. Instead, practice being consistent in the tasks that you perform. For example, take small daily tasks seriously. This could be simple things like taking a bath to relax or journaling. Choose small tasks that you can spend just 10 minutes on. This consistent effort helps to foster new ways of thinking.
You Do Not Have to Be Perfect
When you create intentional goals, you are creating objectives. This is not a win-or-lose process, though. If you do not achieve your goals fully, that’s okay. What is most important in this situation is that you are going to get up and try again.
Assess Your Goals Over Time
Having a method in place for assessing your goals is also essential. This includes looking through your changes and seeing how well they work for you. Are they practical? Do you need to move those tasks to another party of the day? Did you take on too much or too little?
Seek Out a Partner to Guide You on Your Mental Health Journey
At Willow Creek Behavioral Health, a trusted and dedicated professional will always be available to guide you. Let us help you tackle your biggest tasks and create some international mental health goals today.
