Predicting Life and Cultural Trends for 2026

It's New Year's Day. I don't find myself wanting to create a list of goals I need to accomplish this year. I don't think I'm alone in feeling like 2025 caused an extra level of burnout for everyone.

Most people don't stick to their New Year's resolutions, so instead of making up a goal, I probably won't ever even start. I thought I would write about what I hope 2026 brings for me and what trends are being predicted.

On a personal level, I am hoping in 2026 that my blog grows, and I can turn this into more than just an occasional hobby. It's something I have wanted to do for a long time. I also hope that my career smooths out and stress at work will start to simmer down for me.

What trends are being predicted for 2026?

One trend that I keep seeing talked about is how people are going to start pushing back against AI content even more. We all crave real human made content. I think it's going to start making people question most of the content they see online, if they don't already.

I believe people are going to start leaving the big social media platforms and start their own blogs such as Substack. Likewise, I see more people talking about wanting to find real human connections with others. I don't believe platforms such as TikTok and Instagram provide that.

Along with this, I see the influencer's starting to fade away this year. Lots of people have been sick of seeing that kind of behavior, and with AI creeping into that space it will just get worse. If the current class of influencers don't make a change, they will get left behind and replaced with a new group of people that can provide content with more depth and personal appeal.

I have a sense of optimism for this year. People are tired and fed up with being told what they should be doing and what they should be buying. More people are speaking up.

I think this year we will see a stronger sense of community grow. More people will be spending time at home with family and friends. The work grind culture will diminish and everyone will find more time for themselves.

I hope everyone has a great year!