Blue Zones Project is excited to meet you on your road to well-being, and we realize many of you have been along for the ride for some time. Research shows that having a social support network of loyal friends can add more healthy years to your life and make a big impact on your well-being long-term.
In fact, the world’s longevity all-stars living in the original Blue Zones® areas enjoy deep life-long friendships. They share their lives and healthy habits with one another, and the result is a happier, healthier community of individuals.One of the Power 9® Principles, Right Tribe is all about nurturing friendships with loyal, positive, and supportive people.
For all of us, friends can have a big impact on our health, so it can be helpful for us to stop and think about how we spend time with our friends. Do we meet up for a walk after work or vent over a drink or chocolate cake? The difference may seem harmless, but it can add up over time. By making small changes with your friends now, you can help to ensure a long and happy future together.
Did you know people you don’t even know affect your emotions and behaviors?
- Your friends' friends' friends influence your emotional, social, and physical well-being and impact your healthy behaviors.
- Each unhappy friend decreases your likelihood of happiness by 7%.
- If your friends are obese, you're about twice as likely to be overweight.
- Friends are better than gold. Research has 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 or 6-10% lift from someone you may have never met, but to whom you are indirectly tied!
