Friends are important.
In a study, appropriately titled “Very Happy People,” researchers sought out the characteristics of the happiest 10 percent among us. Do they all live in warm climates? Are they all wealthy? Are they all physically fit? Turns out, there was one—and only one—characteristic that distinguished the happiest 10 percent from everybody else: the strength of their social relationships. Researchers found that social bonds weren’t just predictive of overall happiness, but also of eventual career achievement, occupational success, and income. (ShaunAchor, Happiness Advantage)
Draw out a ‘bullseye’ like the one below, and mark the initials of your friends and acquaintances in the appropriate circle. Now make a conscious plan to move them around as you want.
Question
- What impact do your friends have on you?Are they a fun influence or encourage poor behaviours?
- Do you have sufficient friends? (there is no right answer)
- How many people are in your close circle?
- Who would you move closer and who would you move away?
Often we spend time with people who demand of us, may give emotional manipulation, or influence through guilt, and we discover the people we want to spend time with are not the ones we actually spend time with.