Four Ways to Care for Your Mental Health as 2024 Draws to a Close
As we approach the final weeks of 2024, many are in the midst of a busy season of celebration and festivities. From family gatherings to a range of religious and cultural holidays, this time of year can be filled with meaningful opportunities for connection, but it can also bring up feelings of grief, loneliness, and stress.
Here are a few suggestions from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), BC Division on how you can centre your mental well-being and nurture healthy habits into the New Year and beyond.
1. Proactively care for your mental health
There are many ways to make mental well-being more of a forethought than an afterthought. Small, simple practices can help bring calm during the hustle and bustle of the end-of-year season.
Some examples of habits you may consider integrating into your daily routine include:
- Journalling: Research has shown that journalling can support mental health by helping us unpack emotions and put feelings into words. Want to calm your inner world by putting pen to paper? Check out this guide from CMHA with 7 steps to start journaling for mental health.
- Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety, support physical health, and create more space for thoughtful action in your life. Care for Caregivers offers recorded Guided Mindfulness Practice Sessions to help jumpstart your mindfulness journey. If meditations aren’t for you, get inspired with other ways to practice mindfulness.
- Box Breathing: Box Breathing is a technique that incorporates slow deep breaths to relax the nervous system when feeling overwhelmed. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds. Repeat several times or until you feel lighter and calmer. If you can, breathe so your belly goes in and out, instead of your ribs. Learn more about box breathing or calm breathing, its benefits, and how you might integrate it into your self-care practice.
Want to learn strategies and skills to support your mental health? CMHA BC’s free skill-building mental health program, BounceBack®, can help adults and youth 13+ learn to manage challenges like low mood, mild to moderate depression, and worry with the help of a trained coach or digital resources. Learn more and start the New Year by making your mental health a priority.
2. Incorporate physical wellness into your lifestyle
Caring for your physical health is a great way to care for mental health too. Try to ensure you’re maintaining healthy sleep routines and eating foods that fuel your well-being. Get inspired with these recorded webinars on maintaining healthy sleep habits and eating to nourish your mind.
Practices like mindful drinking are also ways to care for your physical health throughout the busy social season. If you’re hosting gatherings, remember to have non-alcoholic beverages available to support family and friends who are choosing to reduce or stop drinking.
With busy schedules this time of year, it can also be helpful to build in time for regular movement that aligns with your lifestyle, needs, and abilities. Activities like stretching, going for a walk, or maintaining your favourite workout routines are all excellent ways to do so.
If you’re looking to keep up the momentum in the New Year, check out the Push-Up Challenge. The challenge asks participants across Canada to complete 2,000 pushups in February 2025 to raise awareness and funds in support of mental health. If push-ups aren’t for you, you can substitute alternative exercises or donate to support.
3. Focus on building meaningful connections
The season of celebrations and holidays also comes with an increased number of social commitments, events, and gatherings. While these can be joy-filled gatherings, they can also leave people feeling drained or overwhelmed.
One way to manage these feelings is by being intentional in how you engage socially. Check in with yourself and your social needs: a phone call with a loved one who’s far away or dinner with a friend might feel more restorative than a big party. Remember to check in with friends, loved ones, and neighbours who might be isolated. If you’re looking to build new relationships, volunteering and supporting a local cause can also help us feel more connected to our communities.
If you’re experiencing feelings of grief, remember that you don’t have to go through this journey alone. Grief counseling, connecting with loved ones, or joining a support group can be ways to process how you’re feeling. If you know someone who is experiencing loss and grief, learn about ways to support them.
4. Reach out for additional support when you need it
Remember that you are not alone. For moments when you or a loved one need additional mental health support, you can call or text for support:
- BC Mental Health Support Line – for 24-7, phone-based mental health support or referrals from community-based volunteers and BC Crisis Line staff, call 310-6789 (no area code).
- Mental Health Crisis Lines – If you are experiencing emotional distress, thoughts of harming yourself, or thoughts of suicide, crisis lines are available 24/7. Text or call 9-8-8 from anywhere in Canada or call 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) in BC.
About the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
CMHA is Canada’s most established mental health charity and the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health. CMHA helps people access the resources they need to maintain and improve mental health, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness. Each year in BC alone, CMHA serves more than 100,000 people all across the province. For mental health and addiction information and resources visit cmha.bc.ca
Media Contact:
CMHA BC Media
604-353-8159
Media@cmha.bc.ca