As 2025 comes to a close, many people are thinking about ways to prioritize their mental health in the year ahead. Lauren Fischer, a grief specialist with Parting Stone, offers six achievable goals that can support emotional well-being, reduce stress, and foster stronger connections with loved ones.

Here are six mental health goals to consider for the upcoming year:

1. Make Time to Play

Play isn’t just for children. Engaging in hobbies, dancing in the living room, or laughing at a joke can reduce stress, improve brain function, and strengthen connections. Fischer emphasizes that small moments of play throughout the day can have significant mental health benefits.

2. Connect With Loved Ones

Even brief social interactions can improve both mental and physical health. Fischer notes that spending 8 to 10 minutes connecting with someone can decrease loneliness, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and even increase longevity.

Simple actions like visiting a coffee shop, volunteering, or calling a friend can make a big difference.

3. Find New Ways to Process Grief

Fischer highlights Parting Stone’s unique approach to helping families process loss. Instead of a traditional bag of ashes, families can receive a collection of palm-sized stones after cremation, which they can keep, share, or take on trips.

Interacting with these stones helps maintain a meaningful connection with loved ones who have passed.

4. Be Kind to Yourself

Self-compassion is often harder than it sounds. Fischer encourages taking small steps to treat yourself with patience and understanding, especially during stressful times. Practicing kindness toward yourself can improve resilience and overall mental health.

5. Spend Time in Nature

Being outdoors offers profound benefits for mental and physical well-being, though scientists are still studying why. Simply walking, listening to natural sounds, or feeling the ground beneath your feet can reduce stress and anxiety while improving overall mood.

6. Slow Down

Slowing down and practicing mindfulness allows people to focus on the present moment. Fischer suggests integrating mindfulness into daily tasks, such as noticing sensations while washing dishes.

Taking even a few minutes to pause can reduce anxiety, improve decision-making, and foster a deeper connection with yourself.

Fischer reminds those struggling that they are not alone. Resources such as the national crisis line at 988 are available for additional support.