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New Year’s Resolutions for 2026

1/1/2026 12AM


Creative Goals That Build Joy and Community

 

A new year is always a beautiful opportunity to choose what you want more of. In 2026, skip the guilt-driven goals and focus on New Year’s resolutions that support mental health, spark creativity, and strengthen your community. The best resolutions are the ones you can actually keep – the kind that fit into real life, feel rewarding, and add up over time.

 

Below are creative New Year’s resolution ideas that can help you grow, meet new people, and make your calendar look a little more exciting. Keep what resonates, tweak what doesn’t, and start small.

 

Nine Creative New Year’s Resolutions for 2026

 

  1. Support Local Artists and Arts Organizations

If you want a resolution with real ripple effects, start here. Supporting local artists keeps creativity visible and viable in your community. It’s also one of the most entertaining goals for your new year!

 

Try this in 2026:

  • Buy tickets to a concert, play or dance performance at least once a month.
  • Shop local art markets, galleries and maker fairs for gifts you’ll actually love giving.
  • Follow local musicians and visual artists on social media and share their work.
  • Donate to a nonprofit arts organization that brings performances and arts education to your region.

 

At Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts, our Local Mix Music Series is an easy, budget-friendly way to show up for local and regional talent. A free livestream and $10 in-person concert series for the community, Local Mix features local and regional artists in genres from jazz and classical to soul and indie rock. Whether on a desktop, mobile device or smart TV, viewers anywhere can enjoy a front-row perspective on Indiana’s top talent, with multicamera coverage livestreamed in HD video and stereo sound. Learn more and explore our upcoming performers here.

 

  1. Volunteer for Your Community

Volunteering is a classic resolution, and it isn’t hard to see why. Community service adds purpose to your schedule, builds connection, and helps you feel rooted where you live. The key is choosing a cause you’ll want to return to.

 

Ways to make it stick:

  • Pick a recurring shift (even once a month) instead of a one-time event.
  • Invite a friend and make it your standing tradition.
  • Volunteer somewhere that matches your interests and passions.

 

If you love live music and community events, consider volunteering at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts. You’ll help performances and programs run smoothly while meeting people in your community who share your love for the arts.

 

  1. Learn Something New

If you’re looking for a strong personal growth goal for 2026, try choosing one skill that makes you curious and embarking on a learning journey. Remember to give yourself permission to be bad at it for a while; growth comes faster when you stop trying to look polished.

 

Here are some ideas for creative skills to learn:

  • Learn a new instrument. The ukulele is a great place to start!
  • Try voice lessons or songwriting.
  • Take an improv class or try stand-up comedy.
  • Try your hand at photography or do a daily 10-minute sketching challenge.

 

Many performing arts centers, including the Allied Solutions Center, offer classes and workshops designed to help you discover and develop your talents. Explore our classes for children, teens, adults, and all age groups. We have something for everyone!

 

  1. Explore New Music

If your playlists feel stale, make 2026 the year you go deeper. Discovering new music can be a simple way to boost mood, learn about different cultures, and turn an ordinary weeknight into something memorable.

 

Here are a few easy challenges to get you started:

  • Listen to one new album a week.
  • Rotate genres monthly (e.g., jazz in January, classical in February, etc.).
  • See at least one live performance each season, even if it’s a small venue show.

 

Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts presents artists across genres, making it a great place to experience music live — from jazz and classical to contemporary favorites. If you enjoy learning as you listen, check out Luminaries, Classics in Context, and the Traditions Senior Communities Songbook Exhibit Gallery.

 

  1. Read More or Join a Book Club

If your 2026 goals include more focus and less scrolling, reading is a powerful swap. Set a goal that fits your life, then add a little structure.

 

Try one of these:

  • Read 10 pages a day.
  • Read one book a month.
  • Replace 15 minutes of evening screen time with a chapter.

 

For extra motivation, join a local book club! Try Palladium Bookies, our book club at Allied Solutions Center. Palladium Bookies explores titles connected to the performing arts and upcoming performances. It’s a fun way to read with purpose, meet new people, and experience events with richer context.

 

  1. Prioritize Mental Health with Small, Repeatable Habits

Mental wellness often improves through consistent, low-drama routines. Choose one habit you can practice even during busy weeks.

 

Practice mindfulness and creativity with small steps such as these:

  • Journal for five minutes in the morning or before bed.
  • Take a weekly walk without headphones and be present in the moment.
  • Try a beginner-friendly movement class.

 

Explore creative outlets like dance, art, music, or comedy as stress relief. Creative expression can be a practical way to regulate stress and reconnect with yourself.

 

  1. Plan One “Culture Date” Each Month

Make quality time easier by scheduling it. A monthly tradition removes decision fatigue and gives you something to look forward to.

 

Explore these ideas:

  • Attend matinee shows with family.
  • Have a casual concert night with friends.
  • Implement a dinner-and-show tradition for a monthly date night.
  • Create a rotating host night schedule with friends or family, with each host choosing the event in turn.

 

Live performances create shared memories and are often more meaningful than another meal out. If you’re ready for a night of culture and fun, check out our upcoming performances and events at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts!

 

  1. Build a Creative Practice You Can Actually Sustain

Creativity isn’t only for artists. It’s for anyone who wants more play, expression and presence in their everyday life. Whatever your creative hobby of choice, try infusing small, sustainable moments of practice into 2026.

 

Build a schedule that feels doable, not daunting:

  • Try a once-weekly sketch session.
  • Have a short dance practice in your living room while your coffee is brewing.
  • Take up a “one photo a day” challenge.
  • Reserve some time during the week for practicing an instrument.
  • Put on a playlist in the evening and see what the music inspires you to create.

 

  1. Attend More Local Events

Want to do more in 2026? Make that goal more specific for better sticking power. Decide on concrete objectives and schedule events into your calendar beforehand.

 

Here are some examples for specific event goals:

  • Attend one live performance per month.
  • Visit two local cultural events each season.
  • Bring a friend to one new venue this year.

 

Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts offers a full calendar of concerts, theater, dance, film and community programming. Check out our upcoming schedule! If you’re planning to attend multiple events, consider a series subscription or create-your-own subscription to save on ticket prices.

 

Start 2026 Right at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts

 

If your goals for 2026 include music, arts and culture, Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts can help you turn those intentions into real plans. From performances and educational programs to volunteer opportunities and community events, Allied Solutions Center makes it easy to build a year that feels more connected and more inspired.

 

Explore what’s coming up and make 2026 your most creative year yet!

 

Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization that aims to engage and inspire the Indiana community through enriching arts experiences. We are responsible for the operation and programming of a multidisciplinary performing arts campus in Carmel, Indiana, that presents hundreds of events each year and provides space and support services for six resident companies: Actors Theatre of Indiana, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Central Indiana Dance Ensemble, Civic Theatre, Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre and Indiana Wind Symphony. Explore our upcoming events and experiences, or support our work and the expansion of the arts today!