48. Challenge the way you talk to yourself

Many of us have inner voices that are pretty nasty. If you’re existing with an overly negative inner critic, make 2024 the time you give it the boot. The way to do this? Consciously challenge that voice each time it pipes up. Notice the voice (it can be helpful to name it) and offer up an alternative view. So, if your mind tells you you’re rubbish and about to get sacked, chip in with evidence that that’s not the case – actually, you’re quite good at your job, you know this because your manager gave you great feedback the other week.

Sadly this is not a one-and-done process. It’ll take time and effort to get your inner voice to stop being mean. But do it enough and it’ll get a little bit easier – and know that nudging your inner voice towards kindness is well worth doing.

49. Take yourself on a date

Giselle La Pompe-Moore, an author, speaker and slow-living advocate, is a big proponent for self-dating, which is just what it sounds like: taking yourself out on solo dates. “Regardless of the season of life you’re in and if you’re single or in a relationship, date yourself,” she says. “When we intentionally set out to romance ourselves, we aren’t waiting for anyone else before we can gift ourselves that time. We are making a statement that we are deserving of giving ourselves the same energy and treatment that we so often extend to others, or others extend to us.”

50. Enrol in Yale’s ‘science of wellbeing’ course

The science of wellbeing is a 10-week course from Laurie Santos at Yale University. It’s free and online (you don’t need to travel to New Haven), and pairs education about the true routes to happiness with practical ‘homework’ tasks to boost your mood. Ideal if you’re someone who thrives with some structure or miss those uni days when all you had to do was learn.

51. Try to go outside

You’ll notice a lot of the activities recommended above – gardening, birdwatching, gratitude walking – take place outdoors. That’s deliberate. Getting outside is good for your mental health not only because sunlight ups our vitamin D levels, but because being in nature creates more opportunities for awe, gratitude, savouring and so on. Putting on your coat and shoes and leaving the house also makes you feel accomplished, right?

You don’t need to go on a lengthy hike or do anything especially outdoorsy if you hate it, promise. Even taking your laptop out to the park rather than staying on your sofa is a good plan. Can’t manage that right now? Just open a window instead and get some fresh air.

52. Make time to stop doing and just ‘be’

“Balance out your energy of constantly ‘doing’ with the energy of ‘being’,” says life coach Susanna Kenyon-Muir. “Take time to just be – to connect with yourself, your emotions, your intuition and what your body is craving. Especially if you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious, it’s important to slow down and reconnect with the part of yourself that’s asking you to listen to your body, mind and soul.”

52 things you can do for better mental health in 2024