1. Make your bed every day.
2. Check your people-pleasing tendencies at the door.
3. Pick up a hobby that's only purpose is to make you feel good.
4. Budget for little indulgences that make you feel better every month.
5. Commit to less negative self talk.
6. Put a small memory in a jar every day.
Not only will this give you an amazing retrospective of 2016 come next year, but writing down the amazing things that happen to you when they happen works as a great gratitude exercise day to day. Find out how to make a perfect rememberlutions jar here.
7. Distance yourself from — or end — relationships that drain you more than they energize you.
8. Cut "should" from your vocabulary.
9. Treat yourself like your best friend.
Every time you have the impulse to punish or insult yourself, get in the habit of asking, "Would I do this to my best friend?" Or whoever you think deserves to be treated with the utmost compassion and respect — aka exactly how you deserve to be treated, too.
10. Find a therapist you really, really like.
11. Say "no" more — without explaining yourself.
One of two things inevitably happen when you say "yes" to things you don't want to do — either you do them at the expense of your own happiness or you make excuses and flake later at the expense of your relationships. Don't do that. Be gracious and polite, sure, but look out for yourself. "No" is a complete sentence.
12. Complain less.
13. Treat emotional pain like physical pain.
14. Get enough sleep.
15. Take up journaling.
Expressive writing has been shown to help your mental wellbeing, psychologist Deborah Serani, Psy.D., author of Living With Depression, previously told BuzzFeed Life. It might even help you know yourself better. Check out these journals that will give your brain a workout.
16. Compare yourself to others less.
17. Spend more alone time with yourself.
18. Start every day by reminding yourself of one positive thing about your life.
19. Cut back on social media.
20. Decorate your space so you’re surrounded by inspiring things.
Your bedroom, your desk at work, wherever you need a little help — you'd be surprised how much a few well-placed words of encouragement can help when you find yourself in a bad place.
21. Do more things that make you a little anxious.
22. Share what you're going through with friends.
23. Celebrate little victories more often.
There's nothing wrong with setting big goals for yourself this time of year — but achieving little goals is just as important, so celebrate those, too.