Mental Health Goal Setting for 2026

Mental Health Goal Setting for 2026

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When setting goals for 2026, don’t forget about your emotional and mental health! Make your mental health a priority and include wellness goals. Keep them simple.

Positive mental health doesn’t just happen!

Prioritizing your mental health isn’t a New Year’s Resolution. It’s a lifelong daily commitment that begins with a practice, then becomes a way of life.

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Optimal long-term mental health involves what I refer to as the 4 Ps.

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Prioritize. Plan. Practice. Prosper.

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Prioritize your mental health.

Plan health-promoting activities.

Practice them often.

Prosper, even during difficult times.

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Here are eight simple ideas to achieve and maintain optimal mental health.

Many more are covered in my book, Feeling Good: 35 Proven Ways to Happiness, Even During Tough Times. 

​1. Less technology and social media

Studies demonstrate a direct connection between wellbeing and the amount of time that people spend on social media. Keeping personal devices out of bedrooms improves sleep. If you’re not able to keep the phone out of your bedroom, keep it out of arm’s reach, and resist the temptation to go on your phone when you wake up in the morning. Going on your phone in the morning depletes the “dopamine reservoir” in your brain, resulting in less access to joy during the day. Keep devices off of the dinner table, and put them away while conversing with others. This helps to have deeper conversation and connection with others.​

Resources

The Mel Robbins Podcast, “Before You Waste Time, Listen to This,” episode 180, with Dr. Alok Kanojia, June 5, 2024, podcast audio.

Cal Newport, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2019).

Sarah Graham, Andre Mason, Benjamin Riordan, Taylor Winter, and Damian Scarf, “Taking a Break from Social Media Improves Wellbeing Through Sleep Quality,” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 24, no. 6 (2021): 421–425.

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2. Be still

Sit in a comfy chair and just breathe for five or ten minutes. Clear your head of your thoughts, particularly negative thoughts and to-do lists. Bring your focus back to your breath. This may feel funny at first and take some practice, but stick with it. The benefits are less stress and anxiety, and less emotional reactivity. If you’d like to use an app for guided meditations or soothing sounds while you breathe, I like the app Insight Timer. And when you’ve mastered just breathing and clearing your mind of your thoughts, practice visualizing what you would like for your day, what you would like for your life. Then envision yourself already having it. If you would like some guidance and convincing regarding this powerful exercise for every day living, read “Into the Magic Shop” by James Doty. For ideas about the practice of visualization, check out Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain (For more on the topic, read Chapter 33 in FEELING Good – Be Still. Be Mindful).​

Resources

Insight Timer – app and website

James R. Doty, Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart (New York: Avery, 2017)

Gawain, Shakti. Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2002.

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3. Get outside, and better yet, with others!

Research demonstrates that walks in nature with others were associated with decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety, and an overall enhanced sense of well-being. If you live in the northern NJ area, contact me to join us for the Women’s Weekly Wellness Walks! We will be resuming in the spring. When spending time in nature, maximize the benefits by seeking what I call The Trifecta in Nature – water, trees, and awe (For more on the topic, read Chapter 2 in FEELING Good – Get Outside in Nature).​

Resources

Marselle Melissa R., Irvine Katherine N., and Warber Sara L. Examining Group Walks in Nature and Multiple Aspects of Well-Being: A Large-Scale Study. Ecopsychology, September 2014

White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J. et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci Rep 9, 7730 (2019).

Nichols, Wallace J. Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2014.

Li, Qing. Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness. Thorndike Press, 2018.

Keltner, Dacher. Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. New York: Penguin Press, 2023​

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4. Express appreciation every day. This idea is exercise #3 in my signature keynote, The Grateful Day. You can express appreciation through a Gratitude Journal, or simply by telling others that you appreciate them, and what you appreciate about them. Research demonstrates that expressing appreciation improves relationships. Also, writing gratitude letters not only makes someone else feel good, the research demonstrates that it is a powerful way to improve your mental health. (For more on the topic, read Chapter 27 in FEELING Good, Develop a Gratitude Mindset).​

Resources

Algoe, Sara B., Shelly L. Gable, and Natalya C. Maisel. “It’s the Little Things: Everyday Gratitude as a Booster Shot for Romantic Relationships.” Personal Relationships 17, no. 2 (May 2010): 217–33

Wong, Y. Joel, Jesse Owen, Nicole T. Gabana, Joshua W. Brown, Sydney McInnis, Paul Toth, and Lynn Gilman. “Does Gratitude Writing Improve the Mental Health of Psychotherapy Clients? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Psychotherapy Research 28, no. 2 (2018): 137–49.

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5. More family dinners. Studies demonstrate that people who regularly have dinner together have improved mental health and overall well-being. Specifically, parents experience less symptoms of stress and depression, greater sense of connection and family belonging, and the comfort of a ritual that creates predictability. Teens also have improved grades, make better decisions regarding risky behavior, and improved social skills and emotional regulation. For the family as a whole, family dinners promote family cohesion, improved communication, and can serve as protective buffer against feelings of disconnection and loneliness – which is particularly important during this time when people of all ages are experiencing loneliness. One study found that 30% of adults experience loneliness weekly, and 30% of younger adults (18-34) reported feeling lonely every day or several times a week.​

Resources

Fulkerson, Jayne A., Nicole Larson, Jerica Berge, Mary Story, and Dianne Neumark-Sztainer. “Family Meals Among Parents: Associations with Nutritional, Social, and Emotional Well-Being.” Preventive Medicine 113 (2018): 7–12.

Fiese, Anne J., et al. “Family Meals and the Well-Being of Adolescents.” Journal of Pediatrics 163, no. 6 (2013): 1443–1449.

Eisenberg, Michelle E., Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, and Mary Story. “Correlations Between Family Meals and Psychosocial Well-Being Among Adolescents.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 158, no. 8 (2004): 792–796.

American Psychiatric Association. (2024, January 30). New APA Poll: One in Three Americans Feels Lonely Every Week [News Release}.

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6. More goofiness. Studies demonstrate the people who are goofy and silly together experience more closeness and have wonderful shared memories to look back on together. Humor has been found to have a positive impact on families, including creating positive perceptions about family members, reducing stress, and promoting family bonds. Humor also helps to diffuse conflict in relationships, makes problems less daunting, and simply makes life more enjoyable. (For more on the topic, read Chapter 26 in FEELING Good, Be Goofy).​

Resources

Krystyna S. Aune and Norman C. H. Wong, “Antecedents and Consequences of Adult Play in Romantic Relationships,” Personal Relationships: Journal of the International Association for Relationship Research 9, no. 3 (2002): 279-286.

Leslie A. Baxter, “Forms and Functions of Intimate Play in Personal Relationships,” Human Communication Research 18, no. 3, (1992): 336–363.

Emery L., Anne Libera, Erik Lehman, and Benjamin H. Levi. “Humor in Parenting: Does It Have a Role?” PLOS One 19, no. 7 (July 2024): 1–14.

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7. Connect with people. The research consistently demonstrates that the strongest predictor of happiness is our relationships. Any time you spend cultivating your relationships is time well spent. This includes all relationships – partners, friends, family, acquaintances, colleagues, and even strangers. So often, we discount the power of connecting with strangers. A recent article demonstrated that connecting with strangers was just as powerful as connecting with our close circle of friends! Yet, in this day and age of self checkouts and QR codes, connecting with strangers becomes even more challenging. We need to be intentional about the connections we create in public spaces. Reach out to someone every day. Talk to strangers – there’s no such thing as “small talk.” Put an event with a friend on the calendar. (For more on the topic, read Chapter 8 in FEELING Good, Connect with People).​

Resources

Waldinger, Robert J., and Marc Schulz. 2023. The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Feel Better, Live More with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, “Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness with Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz,” episode 364, May 24, 2023, podcast audio.

Taylor N. West, Sara Huston, Kylie R. Chandler, Jieni Zhou, and Barbara L. Fredrickson, “High-Quality Listening Behaviors Linked to Social Connection Between Strangers,” Communications Psychology 3 (2025): 165.​

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8. Seek support from your network and/or professionals. Recent studies demonstrate that people are experiences more mental health concerns, more loneliness, and less life satisfaction than in previous years. Receiving support can make all the difference in the world in a overall sense of wellbeing. Let a trusted friend know that you could use some support, and consider how you would like to receive this support. (For more on the topic, read Chapter 10 in FEELING Good, Surround Yourself with People Who Make You Feel Good, and Chapter 11, Ask for Help and Accept Help).​

Resources

American Psychological Association. Stress in America™ 2025: A Crisis of Connection. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2025.

Witters, Dan. “U.S. Depression Rate Remains Historically High.” Gallup News. September 9, 2025.

American Psychiatric Association. (2024, January 30). New APA Poll: One in Three Americans Feels Lonely Every Week [News Release}.

Secor, Scott P., Alicia Limke-McLean, and Ronald W. Wright. “Whose Support Matters? Support of Friends (but Not Family) May Predict Affect and Wellbeing of Adults Faced With Negative Life Events.” Journal of Relationships Research 8 (2017): 1–10.

James H. Fowler and Nicholas Christakis, “Dynamic Spread of Happiness in a Large Scale Network: Longitudinal Analysis Over 20 Years in the Framingham Heart Study,” British Medical Journal 337 (2008): a2338.

Adam D. I. Kramer, Jamie E. Guillory, and Jeffrey T. Hancock, “Experimental Evidence of Massive-Scale Emotional Contagion Through Social Networks,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111, no. 24 (2014): 8778-8790.

Y.K. Chan and Rance P.L. Lee, “Network Size, Social Support and Happiness in Later Life: A Comparative Study of Beijing and Hong Kong,” Journal of Happiness Studies 7, no. 1 (2006): 87-112.​

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To meet this need in a way that’s more affordable than working with me in 1:1 therapy, I offer a unique online 3-program to support midlife women – Midlife Awakening Sisterhood. The program comes with: 1) online access to my proprietary method for positive mindset and mental health – The Prioritize P.E.A.C.E. Method, 2) 12 weekly group coaching sessions, and 3) six 1:1 sessions. I am offering 20% off if you join before 1/1/26 – simply reply to this email, and I’ll send you the code. (You may join at any time).

Testimonials for the Midlife Awakening Sisterhood Program

“Before the Midlife Awakening Sisterhood program, I felt depleted, anxious, and unsupported. I was lacking the energy and direction to make positive changes in my life. The program provided invaluable tools and insights, and most importantly, I learned self-love and compassion. I highly recommend this program. Today, I feel empowered. I experience resilience, grace, freedom, peace, integrity, and self-compassion.” M.C., Medical professional and mother of two teenagers

“Before the Midlife Awakening Sisterhood program, I was struggling with midlife shifts/changes (struggle to maintain health, changing relationships – loss of friendships, child going off to college), and feeling a little lost as to what’s next for me professionally and personally. I enjoyed being part of the community of other women going through similar challenges. I loved the “bite sized” video trainings, and the WEALTH of information packed into this program (Dr. Peggy always overdelivers on that with all her programs in my experience). I definitely feel calmer and more self-compassionate. I also find myself having more of a sense of curiosity about the future. I rarely have “down days” … and when I do feel sadness or grief, I’m more likely to accept it and much to my surprise I process it through my body faster.” K.F., Professional and mother of young adult daughter

​Positive mental health doesn’t just happen. Happiness is so much more than a choice.

Make your mental health a priority in 2026, plan for activities that make you feel good, practice them often, and you will prosper, even during difficult times.

​Happy New Year!! Here’s to Feeling Good in 2026!

In Gratitude,

Dr. Peggy

PS – Many more research-backed methods toward positive mental health can be found in my book, Feeling Good: 35 Proven Ways to Happiness, Even During Tough Times, 50% off until midnight 1/5/26 (no discount code needed). You may also be interested in the companion online course, Feeling Good with Dr. Peggy, – lessons, videos, downloadable worksheets, resources for every chapter to further support you, all for just $29 🙂

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BOOK REVIEWS!

“You’ve heard me say, ‘The point of a book should be to change your behavior in a meaningful way.’ That is exactly what Peggy’s book does. She provides the ideas, research, and real-life examples. She takes this a step further by providing you with specific actionable steps for you to take and improve your life immediately.” HAL ELROD, International keynote speaker and best-selling author of The Miracle Morning and The Miracle Equation

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“Dr. DeLong personifies someone who exudes joy, happiness, and a sense of mental well-being. It’s easy to assume her special glow is the result of being lucky or having a privileged life. However, Dr. DeLong has met her fair share of challenges and losses. In her latest book, Feeling Good, she lets us in on her secrets to living a happy life. By sharing her personal stories along with the latest scientific research, Dr. DeLong lays out the special tools we need to create the life we all long for—one filled with purpose, happiness, and fulfillment.” DR. ROBI LUDWIG, TV personality, Author, and Psychotherapist

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“’Life isn’t fair.’ What a way to start a book! At a time when it’s become cool to complain or “win the internet” with sarcasm and snark, Dr. Peggy’s book brings readers back to a fundamental truth: Life happens, and you can be happy as it does. Her message is a joyful call for responsibility and transformation that will make you smile and that keeps delivering with practical steps the world needs right now.” SARAH WALTON, Business Mentor, Author & Speaker, the voice behind the Game On Girlfriend Podcast

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“Dr. Peggy DeLong’s book is chock full of useful ideas immediately accessible to anyone interested in adding happiness to their life. Peggy’s stories make it relatable, interesting, and fun—and it’s all backed by research. In short, it’s a roadmap to joy.” JENNY MEYER COLMAN, MD, Psychiatrist, Bard and Marist Colleges

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“Expect a feeling of deep satisfaction after reading Dr. Peggy DeLong’s new book, Feeling Good. It addresses universal emotional challenges with a personal voice that makes you feel like she’s sitting with you at your kitchen table. This gem of a book offers “Take Action” accessible guides at the end of each well-crafted chapter, all in the name of finding happiness.” JULIE MALONEY, award-winning author and founder/director of Women Reading Aloud, an international writing organization