A new year presents a promise of new beginnings. What better way to step into 2026 than with a renewed sense of self? Prioritising your mental health throughout the year will ensure that you finish off strong as you navigate the year with intention. We’ve roped in our favorite experts to share their best advice.
Dr Bavi Vythilingum, specialist psychiatrist practising at Netcare Akeso Kenilworth
The main thing we have to look at for our physical health, mental health and overall sense of wellbeing is that 2026 should be the Year of Boundaries and holding boundaries. I think as women, we so often make allowances and change our plans to accommodate other people and it isn’t good for us. It places stress on our mental and physical health. I think we should really learn not to move our boundaries for anybody. Those boundaries are important to us, those boundaries hold us and keep us healthy.
My second suggestion for 2026 would be ‘Don’t cancel on yourself’. We need to recognise that we as individuals are deserving of our own time and keeping to the appointments we make for ourselves, such looking after our self-care needs by setting aside time for exercise, for personal growth, and so on, as these are crucial to our overall wellbeing. Too often, we feel compelled to cancel on the time we had set aside for our own plans to accommodate others, because we don’t want to cancel on other people. In the year ahead, we need to normalise not cancelling on ourselves as a foundation for healthy balance in other areas of our lives.
Thameera Moodley, a counselling psychologist and Centre of Psychotherapy Excellence manager at Netcare Akeso Pietermaritzburg
I often have clients telling me, “I did it for the sake of peace,” and I gently respond, “But are you in peace?” Many of us are weighed down by generational guilt and expectations; we feel the urge to please, to show up and fulfill duties that don’t truly serve us. We’re conditioned to indulge in a mindset of “What will others say?” Instead of asking “What do I need?” We need to get comfortable with choosing ourselves, our wellbeing, our peace. That means learning to say ‘No’ to things that don’t honour our wellbeing, and ‘Yes’ to what feels like calm, comfort and authenticity.
Megan Gonsalves, Netcare Akeso 24-hour Crisis Line manager
Knowledge is power. The more we understand mental health, how it can impact us and our loved ones, and what we can do, the better it is for all.
My advice for 2026 is to equip yourself with knowledge about coping skills, resilience, mental health conditions and, most importantly, where you can get help when you need it. When things get tough, we can often feel stuck. By building up our knowledge, we are also able to develop skills and identify different pathways to get us on track to where we want to be.
Sindisiwe Sibiya, counselling psychologist in the Centre of Psychotherapy Excellence (COPE) at Netcare Akeso Umhlanga
Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries. I cannot stress this enough.
From my clinical practice I have found that many of our patients are dealing with issues that stem from a similar foundational premise – the inability to set healthy boundaries.
Research shows that being able to set boundaries between your work and personal life can protect your mental health and prevent burnout. Boundaries are about knowing what you can and cannot give. They’re about knowing how far you can extend yourself without compromising your own peace, wellbeing, finances and relationships.
Boundaries create protection; however, we will not protect what we do not value. The question then arises; ‘What are my values?’ If I value financial wellness, do I value it enough to deny myself the designer bag or to place limits on eating out?
The first step towards setting healthy boundaries is not merely saying ‘No’, it’s about clearly identifying our core values. So going into 2026, my advice would be to clearly outline your personal, financial, spiritual and relational values. When we know what’s at stake, the internal motivation to protect arises, leading us to set healthy boundaries.
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