Lancaster Leaders Share Advice and Tips for 2026

As 2025 winds down, we asked local leaders, business owners, and community builders to share what’s on their minds heading into the new year. Their advice spans from finances to fitness to relationships. But a few threads kept surfacing: put the phone down, volunteer, make time to connect with your friends and neighbors.

Look Around for Someone Who Could Use Encouragement

You don’t need a microphone or a big moment to make a difference.

Encouragement happens when we notice people, remind them they matter, and choose small, ordinary moments of kindness that ripple far beyond a single interaction.

Let’s lift our eyes from our phones and look around for someone who could use a little encouragement.

And who needs a little encouragement? We all do.

Find People and Places That Inspire You

As we head into a new year, it’s worth remembering how much our health – mental, emotional, and even physical, benefits from being around other people. It’s not always easy to break habits or routines, and as adults, making new friends can feel surprisingly hard. But as isolation becomes more common, putting in the effort matters more than ever. Finding places that inspire you to get out of the house, meet new people, and show up regularly can be truly life-changing. Third spaces are powerful for that.

At TCF, we like to say we save you from isolation, and it’s true. In 2026, put the phone down, show up, and give yourself the chance to connect. You’ll be rewarded in so many ways, and your mind and body will thank you.

Show Up, Follow Through, and Genuinely Care

Show up, follow through, and genuinely care—everything else compounds from there.

As we head into a new year, trust is built through small, consistent actions over time. In business and in the community, doing what you say you’ll do—and caring about people—always matters. Stay curious, keep showing up, and let principle-centered leadership guide the way.

Volunteer

Volunteer. It doesn’t matter where; just find something you are passionate about or would like to understand and get involved. The impact will be immeasurable. You will meet new people, expand your circle, change your worldview, and better your community.

Volunteering can provide the kick in the pants you need to move forward with your next big thing, or it could be the very thing that saves you. No one ever moves forward by standing still—sometimes progress looks like giving someone else a piggyback while you both move ahead together.

Dressing Better in 2026

Dressing well doesn’t require a suit and tie—it requires intention. When your clothes fit properly and reflect who you are, you naturally stand taller, feel more confident, and communicate credibility without saying a word. People respond to that confidence. Dressing well isn’t just about fashion; it’s a powerful tool that shapes how others perceive you—and how you show up for yourself.

When Caring for Others, Don't Forget to Care for Yourself

If you’re caring for a family member or friend, remember to take care of yourself as well. It’s easy to feel like we’re not doing enough for them, but it can be tough to gauge that because we see things from a different angle. We can’t control how happy, content, or satisfied they feel, so focus on what you need to do for yourself. And that’s perfectly okay.

Three Steps to a More Fit 2026

I would encourage people to approach their health and fitness goals with a long-term perspective.

#1 Think of health (and exercise) as a lifelong pursuit rather than a fix for something you’re unhappy with.

#2 Start with simple goals like “Learn how to lift weights”, “Find a fitness community for support and coaching that will help you make it a lifestyle”, “Learn to enjoy exercise for the sake of movement rather than to accomplish a goal”.

#3 Avoid comparison or thinking that something someone else does should work for you. It’s truly an individual journey, and you will enjoy fitness more when you remove expectations.

Having these perspectives will set you up for consistency, long-term health, and ultimately get you the results you want.

Show Up for Your Neighbors

I’ve been living in Lancaster for about 18 years now and my best advice is to show up. Show up for your neighbors, show up to your school board meetings, show up to the celebrations and moments of shared grief. Community to me is the keystone to all the things that make this county as robust as it is. We show up for one another and it shows and I believe that simple act of showing up and being a villager is what will continue to make this village the best place in all of Pennsylvania.

Choose Courage Over Cynicism

I spend my days with essays, stories, and students learning to risk believing in their own voices. What I’ve learned is this: encouragement is not naïve, it’s necessary. Jane Austen once wrote, “There is nothing so likely to do good as to encourage, and nothing so mischievous as to discourage.” So let our words next year be gentler where they can be, braver when they must be, and always rooted in dignity. Learning is not confined to campuses—it happens in checkout lines at Stauffer’s, in the hum of Central Market, in conversations in a church lobby after service. We are educating each other all the time, whether we mean to or not.

And as a fellow Lancastrian, I believe our county becomes truer to itself when we hold both rootedness and growth in the same hands. Buy from a local bookstore, learn a neighbor’s name, and ask one more question than you answer. C.S. Lewis gives us this compass to trust the becoming: “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” Let this be a year where Lancaster County chooses courage over cynicism, conversation over caricature, and a future shaped not by fear, but by the steady hope that we might yet become more than we were.

First Steps to A More Creative 2026

Relax, have fun & remember to take it easy on yourself as you start your art-making journey.

Slow down, set your gaze and soak in an art work. A masterpiece requires more intense focus than the momentary glance we give the images bombarding us.

Managing Your Finances in 2026

Reconsider how you prioritize spending. Some people get bogged down by the word budget and tracking their spending to the penny. Budgeting almost becomes a bad word.

Determine how much you want to save to hit your retirement goal and then spend the rest.

If you’re doing what you need to do from an investing and debt reduction standpoint, stop tracking and start spending the remaining balance.

Enjoy the money you earn. Don’t be a slave to it.

Hold a family/personal business meeting.

Identify your personal/professional/family goals: short, mid and long.
Understand your current position financially, the in and out of cashflow.
Ask, what are my habits that detract from or add to the achievement of these above goals?
Establish a plan with an advisor for both financial defense and offense.

Set SMART goals and clue in your advisor, spouse, and other strategic partners. Be open to guidance from those you share the above.

Don't Let the Digital World Replace Your Physical One

Train your eye for the “Real.” As AI fills our screens with synthetic influencers and flawless lives, your mental health depends on staying grounded. Adopt the “Authenticity Anchor” rule: For every hour you spend scrolling, spend an equal hour doing something with your hands—gardening, cooking, or walking a local trail.

Remind your brain that while the screen is loud, reality is quiet, imperfect, and right in front of you. Don’t let the digital world replace your physical one.

A Better Way to Use AI

The highest and best use of AI in 2026 isn’t faster output — it’s better thinking at scale. The most effective users treat AI as an intellectual sparring partner, using it to surface blind spots, challenge assumptions, and pressure-test ideas rather than one-shot answers. Beyond that, real leverage comes from building AI environments that mirror your mental models and context. When an LLM understands how you think, it becomes a force multiplier — compressing time, sharpening judgment, and dramatically increasing the quality of decisions and output.

How to Avoid Phishing Scams

From a cybersecurity perspective, one of the biggest threats individuals and organizations face is phishing. These attacks usually show up as fake emails, text messages, or links that look legitimate and ask you to take some kind of action. It might be a past-due invoice, a delivery issue, a password reset, or even an opportunity to make extra money. The goal is almost always the same: to get you to click a link, open an attachment, or share information before you have time to stop and think.

That reality really hit home recently while sitting around the Christmas dinner table with extended family. One family member shared how they almost lost $2,000 to a scam, and that story was quickly followed by others who knew friends or relatives who weren’t so lucky. It was a reminder that this can happen to anyone, not because they are careless, but because these messages are designed to feel familiar and urgent. There doesn’t need to be fear, just awareness and a few simple habits. When something feels off, take a moment to validate it by confirming the request with the person directly or with someone else who would reasonably be involved. Always look closely at the sender’s email address, not just the name that appears, and pay attention to details like misspellings or awkward wording, which are often small clues that a message isn’t legitimate.

The Anti-Malware Protection for Windows

I ofter get asked, “What anti-malware protection do you recommend for my personal/home Windows 11 PC?” My answer is MalwareBytes Premium.

Malwarebytes, Inc. is an American computer security software company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. To download and install MalwareBytes use only the company’s website.

Navigating The Lancaster Real Estate Market in 2026

In real estate, the biggest mistake I see people make is waiting for ‘perfect’ conditions. A lot of people point to interest rates as a reason to sit on the sidelines, but Lancaster County has consistently been one of the best-performing markets in the country. My advice to anyone considering investing locally is to act with intention now rather than wait for a perfect time later. I’ve never regretted a house I’ve bought in Lancaster.

Many buyers are hesitant to purchase in this economy because they are scared of another “2008 market crash.” Our current economy, however, is very different and no one can predict the highs and lows of the market. The fact is, buying in Lancaster has always been a great long-term investment, and will continue to be in 2026.

Avoid Fuel Price Hike With Price Planning Protection

Price planning protects your budget. Budget plans and price protection for your propane or heating oil helps smooth out seasonal spikes and make monthly costs predictable.

Automatic fuel delivery removes winter stress. Opting for automatic delivery ensures fuel shows up before you need it, even during cold snaps or storms.

Have a Preventive Maintenance Plan for Your Home

Preventive beats reactive. Annual heating and cooling system tune-ups catch small issues before they become emergency breakdowns on the coldest or hottest day of the year.

Indoor air quality is part of comfort. Cleaner air means fewer allergens, better sleep, and HVAC systems that stay cleaner longer and keep you healthier!

Keep Your HVAC System Reliable, Efficient, and Stress-Free

Winter is upon us! It’s important to remember the little things you can do to keep your HVAC system reliable, efficient, and stress-free in these cold months. One of the simplest yet most effective steps is replacing or cleaning your air filter before and during the heating season. A clogged filter restricts airflow, forcing your system to work harder, which increases energy use and wear on components. Check the filter every 30–60 days.

If you have a bypass humidifier, be sure the damper is in the open position, the water is turned on, and the humidity is set to the proper range (ideally between 30% and 40%). Also, check the humidifier pad for scale and buildup and replace the pad once a year or as needed.

If you have a boiler system, check the water pressure on your boiler gauge (should be between 12 and 20 PSI). Also be sure to bleed the air from your radiators and vacuum dirt and dust out of baseboard heaters. Keep an eye out for water puddles and drips around the boiler and piping. Also, check to make sure oil and propane tanks are monitored so fuel doesn’t run out unexpectedly.

Finally, don’t underestimate the value of a heating system service which can take care the things mentioned above and also identify worn parts, electrical issues, or airflow problems before they turn into no-heat calls on the coldest night of the year.

Schedule an Annual Building Envelope Inspection

As both a contractor and a homeowner myself, I recommend scheduling an annual building envelope inspection. This inspection can help catch potential issues, including moisture intrusion. An exterior inspection includes checking the roof, siding, windows, doors, and foundation for signs of moisture intrusion, and attic for proper ventilation. Also recommend checking interior systems such as plumbing, electrical, and HVAC.