Living With Animals: Resolution Solution

By Hope Bidegainberry on December 27, 2019

New Year’s Resolutions, typically unmet, are often repeated year after year. In 2018, 13% of us pledged “more time with friends and family,” making that the tenth most popular Resolution. #9 was drink less alcohol (15% of us made that promise last New Year’s Eve, and many likely broke it that night). #8, find another job (16%). #7, read more (17%). #6, quit smoking (21%). #5, learn a new skill (26%). #4, spend less (32%). #3, lose weight (54%). #2, exercise more (54%). And #1, 71% of us pledged to eat a healthier diet. I’m not a betting man, but I’d bet we’re all about to make the same promises again.

Here is the Resolution Solution, the New Year’s Eve Resolution that meets all the above in a single happiness-causing way: Adopt a pet (or another pet!).

Let’s check the list. What better way to spend more time with loved ones (Resolution #10) than by making your new best friend the best part of your family? If your existing clan is good people, they’ll want to swing by and, bonus, you get it all; if they’re not the right sort, this gives you a good excuse to avoid them in the New Year. Drink less (#9)? Hell, your pup won’t narc, and cats act pretty loaded on their own. Deniability!

Pet-related stories to share with coworkers will add so much to your job you won’t be so anxious be find a new one (#8). Subscriptions to “Life With Rover” and “Hairball Quarterly” will get you reading more (#7). If you haven’t already quit smoking (#6), hacking up a lung every time you two start playing might be the incentive. #5, learn a new skill, comes with assembling a multi-level scratching post or getting that harness onto your happily wiggling dog who thinks it’s all a game. And while you will spend a decent amount of discretionary cash on toys, brushes, high-end food and treats, the added job satisfaction (#8) means you won’t be so anxious about saving for retirement (#4).

As for resolutions #1, 2 and 3, that’s all about being healthy and we know that adding a pet to our lives is among the healthiest things we can do. Sounds like a Resolution worth keeping!