Wishes for the New Year

Tânia Gaspar

In this fast-paced life, full of demands and requests, it is very easy to constantly respond almost automatically, without taking the time to stop, think, and feel. Take the beginning of the new year as an opportunity to leave behind what burdens you or lacks true meaning for you.

Think about the four pillars of life: yourself, family, work, and leisure time with friends. Reflect on the balance you have within these four pillars; mental health is found in the balance of these four areas. For each of them, reflect on positive situations and relationships, associated with well-being, joy, and tranquillity, as well as on negative, stressful situations and relationships that make you feel helpless, sad, or angry.

We often maintain dynamics and habits that make us feel bad and distance us from ourselves. Over time, this situation can lead to a decline in mental health or even illness. In the new year, take care of yourself: sleep well, eat healthily, exercise, and find ways to relax.

Strive to feel good within yourself and engage in activities alone; we should be with others when we want to, not because we need to.

Seek empathetic, positive, supportive, reciprocal, affectionate, and humorous relationships. Enjoy the routine and special moments with significant people, and also try new things. Step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

In this reflection, it is very important to identify your strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and acknowledge your limits. Be reasonable with yourself and with others. Develop assertive communication, set goals and boundaries, and communicate them with delicacy and confidence to others. You should not fear saying no, whether in a family or work context.

Feeling and expressing affection and care is very important for our well-being and for positively impacting others. Tell the people who are significant to you that you care for them, even if they already know it. Expressing that affection is beneficial for both parties and helps create an emotional reserve that will be useful for managing and resolving daily challenges.

Change is not easy. Change is a multidimensional process: we need to change thoughts, behaviours, and emotions. The process of change involves progress and setbacks, gains and losses, and it should be a priority. When you think change is difficult, also consider the consequences of not changing. Rely on yourself and seek support from others.

I wish you a new year filled with greater self-awareness, lightness, harmony, dreams, projects, and achievements.

Begin. The important thing is to start. It could be on the 31st of December, the 1st of January, your birthday… any day is a good day to live more consciously and fully. Live the life you choose to live.

Tânia Gaspar
Psychologist and Associate Professor with Accreditation and Director of the Psychology, Innovation and Knowledge Service (SPIC) / Lusófona University