A Mental Health Checklist for the New Year
Most people spend time considering their physical health, especially around the new year.
Am I getting enough sleep? Did I take my vitamins? Did I eat enough fruits and vegetables? Should I join a gym?
Yet when it comes to mental health, it’s harder to know what questions we should be asking. That’s where I’m hoping to provide some clarity!
Here are 3 questions you can use to help prioritize your mental health and find peace:
How is my stress level lately?
This pandemic has left us all feeling more uncertain, and uncertainty can cause us to fear. Left unattended, fear can fester and lead to stress. It’s important to name what we’re experiencing so we can move through the complex emotions.
Research from U.C.L.A. suggests that simply naming your feelings, or putting the emotion into words (known as “affect labeling”) helps diminish the brain’s response to upsetting things. Naming pain, stress, fear, and other emotions doesn’t give them any more power over us. Instead, it helps us better understand our experiences so we can grow and heal.
The best thing we can do is face both the stress and the stressors directly. God can give us supernatural peace that cuts through any circumstance. When we go to him in prayer, he hears our distress and grants us peace. God’s word says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).
2. Is there anything I need to talk about?
Sometimes we need help finding strategies to address the stress. This is where friendships, relationships, and counseling can be incredibly helpful. Often, others can give us insight and practical help that we couldn’t find on our own. This isn’t weakness; it’s how we are designed to operate.
I’ve noticed that texting and social media have come to replace genuine conversation. It’s like we’re snacking on connection so we never feel hungry for a fully nourishing and satiating meal. But there is no substitute for engaging in conversation where you are heard, understood, and truly cared for. Galatians 6:2 tells us to, “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Be vulnerable and share your burdens with a friend or counselor.
3. How am I coping?
For example, you might have noticed changes like a loss of interest in your usual hobbies or activities, excessive eating or sleeping in an attempt to escape what’s truly troubling you, or lashing out because you’re irritable and discontented.
Don’t ignore such changes in behavior. Instead of feeling confusion and shame about not feeling or acting like yourself, know that unaddressed stress and unprocessed emotions can often come out in unexpected ways. Counselors can help you develop positive coping strategies and to ultimately overcome the underlying issues you’re struggling with. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7).
So many of us have been in unparalleled seasons of stress and confusion the past few years. As we continue walking into this new year, my prayer is that you’ll consider prioritizing your mental health and wellness in addition to your physical health this year. Healing and hope are available to you today and every day. And we’re happy to help when you need it.
