Older Britons are planning to swap predictable New Year resolutions like starting a diet or going to the gym for more exciting, life affirming ones, according to new research from Ourtime, a dating service dedicated to singles over 50.
Of the 1,000 over fifties polled, more than half (55 percent) agree that predictable New Year’s resolutions are boring, with one in two (49 percent) planning on making more exciting ones in 2023. Two thirds (62 percent) admit they like to challenge themselves, despite being over fifty, with half (45 percent) believing that having a sense of adventure is essential to feeling young.
Booking a trip of a lifetime (27 percent), going on a cruise (20 percent), not sweating the small stuff (18 percent), and going on a wine tour (14 percent) all feature highly in the top 50 New Year’s resolutions for older Brits.
A sixth (14 percent) will be renovating their home, while more one in ten (12 percent) are planning to relocate to the country, possibly to write their first novel (12 percent), practice meditation (10 percent) or work to become self-sufficient (10 percent).
Getting their first tattoo (nine percent), having a threesome (nine percent), meeting up with a teenage crush (eight percent), quitting their job and retraining (seven percent) and protesting for something they believe in (seven percent) also make an appearance on the list of the ultimate New Year’s resolutions for British over fifties.
Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is a common theme for those polled with five percent admitting they will be trying standup comedy, while one in twenty are determined to learn to surf. A further five percent want to start sailing and have promised themselves they will complete a marathon.
One in twenty (seven percent) will be taking part in a seance, while six percent are going to dye their hair pink and try out a nude life drawing class. A further one in twenty will be helping themselves feel sexy in new lingerie.
And almost one in twenty (three percent) say they will be taking daily ice baths.
Said Joanna Pons of Ourtime, which conducted the research: “It’s great to see that Brits over 50 are looking to try out new things in 2023 and are ditching traditional New Year’s resolutions for more life affirming ones such as writing a novel, finding a partner, trying standup and practicing mediation.
“The stereotype that over 50s are ‘boring’ and ‘old’ certainly isn’t true – the research findings show that they are in fact hungry for adventures, want to push themselves outside of their boundaries and challenge themselves.
“We understand that which is why we offer a huge range of different fun and engaging activities that are designed to help over 50s singles meet and try out a new hobby – from cooking classes, guided walking tours and much more. In doing so, we are encouraging singles over 50 to take action on their love life and in turn, create their own destiny.”
A fifth (19 percent) think it’s important to set new resolutions every year or consistently vow to try different things.
Meanwhile 21 percent of British singletons over 50 are planning to make a determined effort to make 2023 the year they find true love. For nearly two thirds (63 percent) age is just a number when it comes to love.
Over half (58 percent) think it’s important to try new things in life, while four in ten (42 percent) say that the secret to feeling young is by continuing to challenge yourself in different ways.
Almost two thirds (64 percent) admire people who are “young at heart” and don’t take things too seriously, with 40 percent believing it’s good to have high expectations in life, without putting pressure on yourself to do everything perfectly.
One in two (48 percent) say that constantly worrying about what other people think makes you age quicker.
Almost two thirds (63 percent) of the over fifties polled admit to getting annoyed when younger people assume that being over fifty automatically makes you boring and old.
In fact two in three (67 percent) admit the typical stereotype of an older person, such as having a dull life, wearing old clothes and sitting at home all day is boring and outdated.
On the contrary, two thirds (64 percent) believe that turning the big 5-0 can be a great opportunity to reassess what you want in life and to live it to the fullest.
TOP 45 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS OF OVER 50S
- Book the trip of a lifetime 27%
- Spend less money 23%
- Eat healthier 23%
- Go on a cruise 20%
- Don’t sweat the small stuff 18%
- Drop a dress size 16%
- Go on a wine tasting tour 14%
- Give home a complete makeover 14%
- Spend more time with your other half 12%
- Relocate to the countryside 12%
- Write your first novel 12%
- Get a new exciting hairstyle 10%
- Practice meditation 10%
- Become self-sufficient 10%
- Get your first tattoo 9%
- Get a hot tub 9%
- Have a threesome 9%
- Move house 9%
- Vow to never diet again 9%
- Go axe throwing 9%
- Read the classics 8%
- Meet up with your teenage crush 8%
- Quit your job and retrain 7%
- Buy a motorbike 7%
- Protest or march for something you believe in 7%
- Go to a séance 7%
- Learn to take photographs 7%
- Learn a martial art 6%
- Learn to bake 6%
- Dye your hair pink 6%
- Join a book club 6%
- Take an art class and paint a nude 6%
- Go to your first music festival 6%
- Try stand-up comedy 5%
- Buy less fast fashion 5%
- Give up alcohol for good 5%
- Learn to surf 5%
- Treat yourself to sexy lingerie 5%
- Learn to sail 5%
- Book a yoga retreat 5%
- Do a marathon 5%
- Learn to pole dance 5%
- Learn to make sushi 4%
- Get married in Las Vegas 4%
- Get a piercing 4%
ENDS
This research of 1,000 50+ UK based Britons was commissioned by Ourtime and conducted by Perspectus Global during November 2022.