Intentions in 2026: Small, Gentle Steps to Big Change

As the calendar turns and January 1st appears, many of us feel a familiar surge of motivation. This is it, we think. This is the year I finally get my life together. We promise ourselves big changes: working out five days a week, eating perfectly, fixing our sleep, managing stress flawlessly.

But here’s the truth: for most adults, especially after the past few years we’ve lived through, that change can feel overwhelming before it even begins.

If you haven’t been working out at all, jumping straight into five days a week of intense movement is a huge shift. That’s a lot of physical and mental strain. Burnout, disappointment, and self-criticism often follow when our expectations don’t match our current capacity. This is where intentions, rather than resolutions, can offer a gentler, more sustainable path forward.

Why Intentions Feel Different (and Often Work Better)

Resolutions tend to focus on outcomes: I will work out five days a week. Intentions focus on meaning and experience: I want to feel more energized, connected, and present in my body.

An intention might sound like: I intend to move my body more often so I can feel happier and more energized.

From there, the planning becomes compassionate instead of rigid. Instead of demanding perfection, you allow yourself to start where you are. Maybe that means intentionally moving your body two days a week for the first couple of weeks. If your body feels ready, you increase to three days. You might add something fun on the weekend, maybe something like pilates with friends, a new walking trail, or a hike near your home that gets your blood pumping and your endorphins flowing.

Intentions make goals feel exciting rather than intimidating because they focus on how you want to feel, not just what you want to achieve. They give you permission to adjust, to listen to yourself, and to grow gradually.

The Context We’re All Carrying

Since 2020, adults have lived through an extraordinary amount of change. We experienced a global pandemic that reshaped how we work, socialize, and care for ourselves. We navigated masks, curfews, isolation, and uncertainty. Many of us shifted to working from home, ordering groceries and meals online, and communicating through screens rather than face-to-face connections.

Even today, much of that remains. While technology has brought convenience and flexibility, it has also increased the risk of isolation and disconnection, two experiences that deeply impact our mental health. Many adults across North and South Carolina share a quiet sense of loneliness, even when life looks “full” on the surface.

Ready to Start Your
Therapy Journey in 2026?

Reconnecting Through Purpose and Community

This is where another powerful intention can come into play: connection.

One meaningful way to reconnect with others and with yourself is through volunteering. Volunteering supports mental health by fostering purpose, belonging, and shared humanity. And it doesn’t have to look one specific way.

Volunteering might look like:

• Spending time at a cat café, helping socialize and care for cats and kittens who are looking for a new home

• Assisting at a local thrift store by organizing donations or setting up displays

• Offering your professional skills, like marketing, writing, or organizing, to a local nonprofit

• Supporting community events or grassroots organizations that align with your values

What matters is not the scale of the effort, but the intention behind it: choosing to show up, to give your time, and to connect beyond yourself.

When Intentions Need Support

Therapy in North and South Carolina

Sometimes, even the smallest steps feel hard. Therapy can be a supportive space to explore what you want your life to feel like and how to move toward that with compassion.

If you’re an adult living in North or South Carolina and considering therapy, know that you don’t need to have everything figured out. You can begin with an intention: I want support. From there, small steps can lead to meaningful change.

I’d be honored to make those small steps a little more attainable in the new year. Reach out for a complimentary consultation, where we can get to know a little more about each other, and you can find a kind starting point. 

Happy New Year! 

I would like to be clear that this blog post is not intended to substitute for professional counseling. If you are in need of support, please consider speaking to a professional counselor.

Cheryl D. Perry MA LCMHC LPC NCC