Nine Mental-Health Tips for a Happier 2026

Regardless of any resolutions you may have for 2026, one thing is for sure: Everyone wants to have a happy new year.

While losing weight or saving money may be great goals, the most straightforward path to happiness is caring for your mental and emotional health. A robust body of research shows that simple cognitive and behavioral strategies can reliably boost happiness and reduce stress – and they’re generally free and accessible to all.

These strategies don’t have to be super time-consuming, but they do require intention: They only work if you do them.

Here, psychologist Valentina Ogaryan, PhD, clinical director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology, shares her top tips for cultivating more calm, centeredness and happiness in the new year (or anytime):