Adult Mental Health

It’s that time of year when all I hear about is self-improvement and New Year’s resolutions. I’d love to get on board, but for me, getting out of bed is a challenge this time of year. I feel like I set self-improvement goals, fail to meet them, and then I feel terrible about myself. Any advice?

Personal boundaries are the limits and rules we set for ourselves within relationships. A person with healthy boundaries can say “no” when they want and still maintain close, honest, positive relationships. Healthy boundaries are especially important during high-stress times like the holiday season. To help you establish and maintain your own boundaries this year, try these helpful tips to care for yourself while also nurturing your relationships.

I am concerned about my 19-year-old daughter, who lives with me, because she does not take proper care of her hygiene. I don't know if she is just being lazy or if there is some other underlying issue. I don't know if I'm partly to blame because it's something I've always done for her and just expected her to start doing it on her own as she got older. I'm at a loss and could use some much-needed advice.

Luke Spiegelhoff, LICSW, Clinical Director at Nexus-FACTS, joined KSTP-TV's Minnesota Live to talk about the pressure of the holidays. Take a look at his advice to relieve the holiday stress here!

The end of the year can be comforting in its familiarity. Clustered with moments of tradition, we often have anchors that connect us to the past. It is so easy to not fully notice life when we have been with the person, done this action, had this routine so many times before. Treating each moment of “here” as a powerful stranger has piqued my interest and sharpened my attention.

I don’t know how to describe this, but I have a constant sense of trying to keep up. I worry that what I’m doing isn’t good enough. I compare myself and my life to others and what other people have. I just feel so behind on life. Do you have any ideas on how to combat this? It’s so draining. I just want to be happy.

A list of ideas for finding an item or a gesture to express gratitude to a loved one.

A fun example of the science behind gratitude, explaining why it’s important and how it impacts our brains and helps us build resilience.

Every person’s journey is different, especially when it comes to finding personal health and well-being. These holistic lessons below are helpful reminders when your mindset may be struggling, when you're having difficulty finding positive momentum forward, and needing to change your perspective. 

When I was young, my uncle died. I was too young to understand but I’m pretty sure he died by suicide. Which I’d like to know more about but I don’t know how to ask because my family doesn’t talk about it at all. How can I broach the subject? And do these tendencies run in families?