Did you know your friends (and even your friends' friends) can affect your emotions and behaviors? Research shows that your friends have a huge impact on your well-being long-term. You might even be surprised to find:
- If your friends are obese, you're about twice as likely to be overweight.
- Each unhappy friend decreases your likelihood of happiness by 7%.
- Friends are better than gold. A recent study found that an increase of $10,000 of income per year improves the likelihood of happiness by just 2%. Compare that to a 15% boost of happiness as a result of your connection to a happy friend.
We can learn a lot about the power of social connection from those living in the original Blue Zones areas. They practice the Power 9 Principle, Right Tribe by surrounding themselves with positive, loyal, and life-long friendships.
Reach out to your Right Tribe and encourage positive, healthy behaviors. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Establish a time each week to meet with members of your inner circle.
- Use positive peer pressure to encourage healthy behaviors by asking friends to join you for a walk, game night, or a bike ride.
- Join a Blue Zones Project Moai and commit to ten weeks of walking, potlucking or socializing together.
- Attend a Blue Zones Project monthly happy hour. Click here for upcoming events.