Living Life to the Fullest: Intentional Living in 2026

By Christine Martin, Executive Director at Community Life Bridge

January is almost over! How is that even possible? A new year is here, and we are a few weeks into 2026. Some have made resolutions and are thriving while others have made resolutions and may have already given up. It is a time that many people try to do “better”, be “better” or do something new that they didn’t do in the previous year.  Maybe you aren’t a person who makes resolutions but instead sees it as a new beginning. Out with 2025 that was filled with things you did not enjoy, in with 2026 with hopes of better days.

Any way it goes, a new year is a new opportunity to be intentional. It is a time to look at the days ahead and decide what you want to do in the year. This can be scary as we age since we are not promised tomorrow. We are hesitant to make plans or schedule things in the future not knowing how we will feel or if we will even be around! That may seem a little depressing to some while others can truly relate to those thoughts.

In my work at Community Life Bridge, I meet people of all ages, but I have the particular privilege of getting to know some who are in their nineties. Through observation, I have noticed a common thread among those who continue to thrive in these later years: intentionality. They make plans and give themselves places to go. They volunteer, visit the hair and nail salon, and seek out opportunities to spend time with others. Their days are shaped by purpose, and their lives remain active by choice rather than chance.

What I admire most is their refusal to let obstacles define them. Illness or injury may slow them temporarily, but rarely does it stop them. As soon as they are able, they return to their routines, determined to continue finding meaning and connection. Their resilience is admirable and encouraging.

Living with intentionality gives us a sense of direction. We know where we are going, and we can look toward tomorrow with anticipation rather than uncertainty. When we make plans that excite us, joy naturally follows, because we are choosing to spend our time on what matters most to us. If we want to be part of something meaningful, we plan for it, anticipate it, and then fully enjoy it when the moment arrives. Of course, not everything unfolds as we expect. Plans change, and disappointments happen. Yet when there is something else ahead that we are also looking forward to, it becomes easier to release what didn’t work out and shift our focus to what is still to come.

I hope for myself I can live with intention in 2026. What does it look like to you? Making a particular phone call or volunteering somewhere you have thought about? Use the new year for intentional living, so you have a great story to tell about 2026!

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