Australian glasses are half full after the pandemic

Australians have declared 2022 positive: 8 out of 10 feel “half full”, and almost one in five is still optimistic.

According to new research, the nation is overwhelmingly emerging from the COVID pandemic with new hope and focused on achieving personal goals.

The annual Sense of Us report, released annually by ING Bank, shows that 78 per cent of Australians are feeling positive and 19 per cent feel extremely positive about next year.

Of the more than 2,300 adults surveyed in March, 95 percent said they had set new goals for 2022, and 13 percent went so far as to say they were confident that nothing would stop them from achieving them.

Not surprisingly, the number one ambition is to save money (53 percent) and then spend extra time with friends and family (39 percent), adjust (38 percent) and travel (37 percent).

One in five says it has become closer to loved ones over the past year and is discovering new ways to connect with them.

Membership was also put into perspective: 20 percent said they now value friends more, but a quarter admitted they grew up with some friends.

More than half of respondents consider their partner the most important in their lives, while three out of 10 say they are pets, and 28 percent – siblings.

At the same time, almost two-thirds of respondents have set specific financial goals for 2022, including saving money (53 percent), buying a home (14 percent) and starting a business (11 percent).

About 31 percent just want to have more fun, nine percent want to find love and nine percent want to start a new hobby.

Easier said than done, half seem to prefer licking rather than biting ice cubes, 70 percent roll up toilet paper instead of crunching it, six out of 10 make the bed every morning and 51 percent admit to using emoticons in worksheets.

“Despite everything that has happened in the last two years, people are optimistic and ready to make the most of next year,” said ING spokesman Andras Hamory.

“Australians choose to jump in 2022 with both feet. They put off what they want, prefer time with family and friends and are determined to let nothing stop them.”