New Year’s Resolutions for the Anxious

The start of the new year often brings lofty ambitions.

It’s 2024 — time to exercise and eat better, says a nagging voice, somewhere deep in your brain. What about learning to knit?

It’s enough to make anyone feel anxious.

For those who already struggle with anxiety, these heightened expectations can be even more distressing. Especially because research suggests that many of us don’t complete our New Year’s resolutions.

So we asked several psychologists for resolutions specifically tailored to people with anxious tendencies. And we broke them down into bite-size steps so you can notch your successes along the way.

But don’t feel pressure to tackle these tips just because it’s January.

“It’s OK to take stock of your life at any moment and say, ‘Hey, what can I do differently?’” said Regine Galanti, a psychologist and author in Cedarhurst, N.Y., who specializes in treating people with anxiety disorders. “It’s about changing our lives to look the way we want.”

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Read the whole story (subscription may be required): The New York Times