Have you been thinking of adopting a pet? If you decide to, you’ll join the ranks of about two-thirds of the U.S. population that own a pet.

And pet ownership continues to rise. Why? Because while pets do require some time commitment – and a big responsibility – they tend to bring us far more joy than we could ever have anticipated.

That joy is about far more than taking endless selfies with your pet—and ordering a custom dog pillow with their photo on it.

It’s about creating a two-way relationship that’s mutually beneficial, like no other relationship you will have ever experienced.

Why Adopting a Pet is Good for Your Mind, Body, and Soul

We’re going to go a bit off-topic for a bit, but we promise we’ll bring it full circle in just a few short paragraphs. Let’s talk a bit about self-improvement. Every year, Americans (and people worldwide) do a proverbial sign-up for new year’s resolutions—you know, those things we say we are going to do to help us feel better about ourselves? But honestly, most people, fall dreadfully short of achieving their goals.

Here are just a few of those goals that you have probably thought you were going to tackle.

• Exercise more
• Get out of the house to enjoy the outdoors
• Take more breaks from technology

All of these things sound like they’d be great for us, but we fall short. And why? Because we have nothing to hold us accountable.

But coincidentally, adopting a pet is one of the best things you can do to aid your journey toward self-improvement.

And trust us, they’ll hold you accountable.

Let’s explore that a bit further in this next section.

3 Reasons that Getting a Pet Can Help You Feel Better About Yourself

Okay, before we talk about all the reasons why having a pet is so good for you, we want to exercise—pun intended—some caution.

Adopting a pet, whether it be a cat, dog, a tree-frog, or even a fish, requires some discipline and some big-time responsibility.

And we all know what happens when people don’t do their homework about pet ownership and over-commit to what they handle.

Cats and dogs get surrendered to animal shelters, hopefully, being adopted before euthanization becomes the only choice.

Frogs get released into the backyard to hop off and find their next lilypad.

And those fish? Well, poor Goldie often gets flushed down the toilet.

So, by all means, please don’t get a pet if you are naive to the responsibilities that accompany it, or if you think surrendering is the easy way out.

But if you have been thinking that a pet could bring joy to your life, here is our perspective on why a pet can help you feel better about yourself.

1. Pets Keep You Active

Remember how we mentioned those new year’s resolutions?

Yeah, one of the biggies is to get outside and enjoy the fresh air more often, and the other is to exercise.

Well, a pet—okay, a dog and maybe not your tree frog or Goldfish—will definitely help you to be more active.

The fact is that cats and dogs need their exercise.

For cats, as long as they have free reign of the house, they’re pretty much on autopilot.

Provide them with food, water, and a clean litter box, and they’re good to go. They’ll call the shots on when they want to play.

Dogs, on the other hand? They’ll be ready to play when you get out of the recliner.

And they need to be walked daily. So what’s in it for you?

First, the natural endorphin boosts from being more active and perhaps a more efficient and healthy body resulting from those daily walks.

2. Pets Rely on You for Their Needs

The last time we checked, a pet couldn’t take themselves to the local pet store to stock up on food, tasty treats, and fun toys.

They need their humans to do that for them—though your dog will happily don their leash and ask to go with you for a ride in the C-A-R. Joking aside, there is something seriously satisfying about fulfilling someone else’s needs, knowing that they rely on you for that entire hierarchy of needs.

Caring for a pet can be ultimately satisfying if you’re someone who feels good when they’ve checked a box.

Feed the pet—check.

Take the dog for a walk—check. Cuddle time at the end of a long day—check.

Knowing that you have cared for another living being can make you feel really good.

3. The Bond

Last but certainly not least, if you’ve never had a pet before, especially a cat or a dog, you’re going to learn really soon how fast that bond grows.

From the moment you bring that little puppy or kitty home, you are their entire world.

They’ll follow you from room to room—not to be annoying, but just because they want you by their side. You are their person.

Before long, you’ll see that this pet is part of your family. They have their own place on the couch—or perhaps the pet bed by your feet.

They have their bell at the door to let you know when it is time for a W-A-L-K or to take care of their personal duties.

And even more so, before long, you won’t be able to imagine a life without them in it.

Your Pet Needs You. You Need Your Pet.

We know that adopting a pet is a big decision, but pet ownership is where it’s at if you’re ready to share your life with someone who will love you unconditionally despite your tousled hair, stinky morning breath, and all those other little quirks.

Before long, you’ll take pet selfies until your heart is content. And don’t be surprised if those photographic pet prints turn into art pieces on your wall, on your pillows, and maybe even on your sweater.

After all, furry friends are forever.