January 22, 2026

Mental Health Tips to Start the New Year Off Right

This article originally appeared in the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce’s newsletter. The Gateway Chamber provides consultative services to businesses, residents, and tourists. Whether you are looking for a place to live, a new career, or a business that provides products and services that meet your needs, the Chamber is here to help. Sign up for their newsletter here.

Winter can bring unique mental health challenges. Shorter days and the cold weather can amplify the stressors that already exist in our lives. At the same time, January offers a natural opportunity to reset, recharge, and focus on what matters most: your well-being.

While New Year’s resolutions often center on fitness or career goals, mental health deserves just as much attention. Caring for your mental health creates a foundation that supports every other part of your life.

Below are practical, approachable tips to help you start the year feeling grounded and supported.

Stay Connected, Mindfully

Social media can be a powerful tool for connection, but it’s easy to slip into doomscrolling and spend more time online than intended. If you notice yourself feeling distressed while scrolling, pause, log off, and turn to your coping skills (more on that below!) to help refocus.

You can also use built-in smartphone settings to support healthy boundaries. Both Apple epi Android devices allow you to set time limits for apps, helping you stay connected without being overwhelmed.

Action step:

For one week, keep a simple log of how much time you spend on social media each day and how you feel afterward. The following week, set a daily time limits for each platform and unfollow accounts that bring more stress than enjoyment or learning.

Create a List of Healthy Coping Mechanisms for Stress Management

One way to manage stress is to identify healthy coping mechanisms that help bring you back to a place of calm. Coping mechanisms are strategies people use to manage stress, trauma, or difficult emotions, and they don’t have to be complicated.

Examples that include simple self-care practices, calling a loved one, going for a walk, breathing exercises, short meditations, or listening to music. Having a ready-to-go list or “toolbox” of coping strategies makes it easier to support yourself in moments of distress.

Action step:

Choose at least one mechanism from each category below that feels accessible to you. This list is not exhaustive – if something works for you, trust that. Write your list somewhere easy to access throughout the day, such as in the Notes app on your phone.

Physical:

Try a breathing exercise like the beginner-friendly Box Breathing technique
Prioritize your sleep habits
Do a short stretch or yoga practice, such as this 5-minute full body stretch yoga tutorial video
Take a walk
Take a warm shower or bath

Emotional and Cognitive:

Journal, either in a freeform way where you write what comes to your mind or start with these prompts from Mental Health America.
List 5 things you are grateful for (learn more below about how practicing gratitude can help boost your mental health!)
Spend 5 minutes on positive affirmations, like these examples.
Take 5 minutes to meditate

Creative:

Cook or bake something
Listen to music
Break out a puzzle or a craft
Read or listen to an audiobook

Social and Supportive:

Call or text a trusted friend or family member
- Bonus: Reaching out to someone you love may be exactly what they needed that day too – connection has the ability to make us all feel better!
Volunteer for a cause you care about
Reach out to other trusted professionals in your life, such as your mental health provider or spiritual leader.

Not connected to a mental health provider currently? This article outlines where you can find mental health treatment services. You can also reach out to Greater Mental Health of New York for confidential guidance on mental health issues, local services, and more information —find out how to connect with support below.

Practice Gratitude

Start the year by acknowledging your strengths, expressing gratitude and celebrating progress! Thinking or journaling about what you are grateful for or proud of can help train your brain to notice and appreciate the little things and can shift your perspective to focus on what you have instead of what may be lacking.

Shifting your mindset takes conscious practice, but it can significantly influence how your experience your day-to-day life.

Action Step:

Identify two things you are grateful for today and two things you are proud of from the past year.

During a Season of ‘Self-Improvement,’ Practice Self-Compassion.

January often brings heightened self-criticism as many people focus on what they want to change. However, being hard on yourself can do more harm than good. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you’d offer a friend.

If your inner voice becomes harsh, interrupt the thought by visualizing something physical, like a stop sign, to pause the spiral. If the change is needed, begin with compassion, then considering realistic and supportive ways to move forward.

Action step:

Write down three things you like about yourself.

Remember: It’s Always Okay to Ask for Help

If you have tried these tips and they aren’t helping, or if you’ve been considering professional support, now is a good time to reach out. Mental health is a lifetime journey, and the right support can help you build a strong foundation.

Greater Mental Health of New York offers confidential guidance, local services, and more information about our mental health services in the Hudson Valley. We provide more than 50 behavioral health programs and services from high-support programs for children and youth, to affordable in-person and online counseling to substance use treatment and more.

You can connect with our knowledgeable staff: