Setting Mental Health & Wellness Goals for 2023 | Pacifica Compounding Pharmacy

Have you been thinking about what you want to accomplish for 2023?

We sat down with Dr. Martha Koo, licensed psychiatrist & psychoanalyst who is the Co-Founder/Medical Director for Neuro Wellness Spa and Medical Director for Clear Recovery Center in the South Bay to discuss how to set mental health and wellness goals for the New Year.

We often talk about New Year’s resolutions. Dr. Koo let us know that it is helpful to use the term ‘goals’ as opposed to ‘resolutions’ because using the terms ‘resolutions’ can be daunting. We want to look at the new year as an opportunity to have an achievable goal. An achievable goal is something that is concrete, simple, and attainable. Also ask yourself, does this goal fit into my lifestyle? If it does, chances are that it is a goal that you can achieve.

So what are some things that make sense to include in our list of mental health and wellness goals?

Presence– Presence is important to our mental state, and many of us have heard this term thrown around, but what does it mean and how can we achieve it? Presence is literally the state of ‘living in the moment’. Dr. Koo suggests you can set a timer on your phone for 2-3 minutes where you can focus on being where you are and assess how you are feeling. Is there anything that needs attention? If you practice this for a short period of time each day, it can become more of a regular action you do throughout your day.
Gratitude– Sometimes when we are going through challenging times or depressive moments, it can be difficult to feel gratitude. Pick at least one thing you feel gratitude towards. It could be feeling gratitude for a particular meal in the day. It could be thanking yourself for waking up in the morning. When we appreciate the moment, no matter how small or large, it supports our mental health.
A Sense of Purpose or Meaning– This is the intention to accomplish something that is meaningful to you and and makes a positive difference to others. This could be as simple as walking your dog each day. Maybe you volunteer a short amount of time each week for a cause or group you care about. Being giving of yourself and caring for others gives us a sense of purpose.
Play or Creativity– As children we may have had certain activities that brought us joy. That element of play stays with us, even if we don’t do those activities anymore. If we don’t feel we have much play or creativity in our daily lives, think back to what you did as a child. For instance, maybe you played the violin as a child, and you no longer play as an adult. You could make it a goal to listen to classical music for 10 minutes a day to bring that play back into your life.
Social Interaction– As Dr. Koo describes, “We are wired to connect for survival. We are social beings at heart. As much as we can create social relationships and engage in our community, it really does support our health.” If we have let go of connecting with those we love during this busy time; reflect on the relationships you have and who you wish to spend time with, and make efforts to re-engage. One way we can determine the relationships to keep or maintain is to think about how we feel when we leave a social situation. Do we feel good about seeing that person? If so, it’s a good indicator that they are someone worth maintaining a relationship with moving forward.
Movement or Exercise– Whether it’s a dance class or a walk around the block, choose something you can easily schedule each week. Often it helps to choose something you enjoy, as you will look forward to the activity and ensure that you do it as planned.
Nutrition– Incorporate healthy eating. As we mentioned prior, the goals you set should fit into your lifestyle. If you do not cook, maybe choose items at the grocery store that are more healthful, but easy to prepare. For instance, they often have pre-packaged salads that require minimal preparation. No one is perfect, we all have our moments of eating things that aren’t so good for us. The idea is to incorporate healthy eating into your routine without feeling deprived.
Better Sleep– A good night’s sleep is invaluable in being able to achieve any of these goals that you set. As children we may have had a sleeping routine. Dr. Koo reminds us that these routines were helpful for us to get the sleep we needed and those routines don’t really leave our system. Schedule a time you wish to go to bed and wake up and incorporate an activity to help you wind down before going to bed so that you’re able to fall asleep. It could be reading for 10 minutes, drinking a cup of chamomile tea, or listening to a calming podcast.

We believe setting these goals for 2023 will be beneficial to your mental health, but understand it can still be a challenge to incorporate them into your routine. Take it one step or goal at a time. Also, talking with friends about what you’re going through can be helpful, as they provide the support and love we need. However, when anything we are going through emotionally impacts our functioning and quality of life, it might be time to seek professional help. In this case, reach out to your primary care doctor or a therapist, and feel free to call us, as we can help pair you with a practitioner to fit your needs.