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New Year Resolutions Good for Well-being

“People live for hope. Hope is very important to keep people going forward with their lives. Usually, the end of the year and the beginning of the year is like a crossroad and they try to have a new cause or new things to achieve for,” said Dr Essam Emam, a psychiatrist and acting head of the Psychiatry Division at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain.

He added that as long as a person strives to achieve what is positive, such as losing weight or stop smoking, this is mentally healthy for him or her.

“It’s good to have something to commit yourself to, because when you commit yourself to a target, this will (serve) as a good motivation to achieve more things within a time frame,” he said.

Even though at times it gets frustrating when we fail to achieve what we set out to do at the beginning of the year, willingness to achieve something actually keeps us moving forward, Dr Emam said. “Don’t stop, just keep on having more targets and hopes in your life and move towards achieving it,” he reiterated.

And if you failed to achieve your target? “Try again, maybe next year. The things that you are doing are good for you, for your health and psychological well-being,” stated Dr Tarik S. Khammas, consultant psychiatrist at Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

Their advice for achievable goals?

“It’s good to have a resolution that you are able to reach or achieve. When you set very high expectations or a resolution that you are unable to do, then you get frustrated or upset. But if you have a resolution that is achievable, this will urge you to achieve more,” advised Dr Emam.

“Do it gradually. Start from the easiest (goal) to accomplish then to difficult one because when you accomplish the easy ones then this will encourage you to do more,” Dr Khammas 
recommended.

He added that encouragement and support from friends and family are also essential in accomplishing those goals.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE