Why Mental Health Isn't A Resolution -- It’s A Practice
- Dr. Ginny Liwanpo
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Typically around this time of year, we see a familiar rhythm: lists of resolutions, fresh starts, bold goals. And while intention at the start of a year can be motivating, approaching mental health as a one-time task to check off can easily leave us feeling discouraged when the year doesn’t unfold exactly as planned.
Mental well-being isn’t something you complete.
It’s a practice.
One that evolves, deepens, and invites you to return to yourself again and again, not just at a particular date on the calendar.
Intentions that Protect -- Not Exhaust
In a recent Instagram post, I encouraged a shift in how we think about resolutions: not as high-pressure goals to accomplish, but as intentions that protect our mental health rather than deplete it.
Small, mindful shifts -- things like setting healthy boundaries, tending to your emotional needs, or noticing when you need support -- add up over time.
The focus isn’t on perfection or dramatic change. It’s on sustainable movement toward living in alignment with your values and inner world.
Mental Health as a Practice, Not a Project
It can be tempting to think of “starting fresh” as wiping the slate clean or flipping a switch. But psychologically, that’s rarely how change happens.
Lasting growth, whether in mood, relationships, self-compassion, or resilience -- is more like a series of resets: moments when you notice something isn’t working, choose something different, and then notice again.
This ongoing process:
honors your pace
meets you where you are
invites curiosity rather than judgment
It invites you to show up -- not once, but repeatedly.
Beyond the Calendar
A year is a useful marker, but real change doesn’t adhere to arbitrary dates. Growth doesn’t care whether it happens in January, July, or November.
What matters more is consistency of attention to your inner life.
This means:
checking in with yourself regularly
acknowledging progress (even if small)
allowing space for rest
being willing to begin again without self-criticism
That’s true work.
That’s meaningful work.
That’s ongoing.
An Invitation to Begin Again
As we move into a new year, I invite you to consider a different kind of intention. Not a resolution to complete, but a commitment to ongoing self-attunement. To listening more closely. To allowing growth to happen at its own pace.
You don’t have to wait for January or get it “right” this time -- to begin.
The work continues because you do.
And that, in itself, is a meaningful place to start.
Considering Support?
Therapy can be a space to slow down, reflect, and begin again -- without pressure or urgency.
If you are curious about exploring this work together, you can learn more about my approach or schedule a consultation when it feels right.
