Recent studies have shown that when your friends put on excess weight, it becomes very easy for you to follow suit. That’s not surprising. This research has led to the new idea of treating obesity in groups, rather than on an individual basis. This idea can be taken a step further -- we can address many, many problems on a group basis. The behavior of your friends is extremely influential in your life. Not just with eating or weight gain, but in all areas.
You and your peers set the standards by which you live. If your friends are highly successful, chances are you’ll be too. If your friends rob banks, you just might find yourself lured into that lifestyle instead. This all seems so obvious, right? Of course! But the majority of people don’t use this knowledge to their advantage.
When it feels like some of your friends are dragging you down with their lifestyles and choices you don’t agree with, you’ve got two basic options. The first is to make some new friends. The second is to become a leader and help your old friends and yourself move toward a brighter future. Let’s investigate Option One.
Option One: Get Yourself Some Fancy New Friends
If you want to improve your life, make some better friends. You don’t have to ditch your old friends; just add some new ones. Find people that live the kind of life you admire, and make an effort to connect with them. Everybody is everyone else’s role model. When you socialize with good role models more than bad ones, you benefit immensely. Let’s take a look at an example.
Scenario A: Your friend says, “Hey, buddy, I’m gonna go get drunk. You in?”
Scenario B: Your friend says, “To celebrate Joe’s promotion, we’re going skydiving! Care to join us?”
What just happened? Two different potential interactions you might have, both directly dependent on who you’re with at the time. In Scenario A, your friend motivates you to join in a specific activity. In Scenario B, another friend does the same, but the activity is arguably more positive, and there is potential to learn (from Joe) just how simple it can be to get promoted.
Friendship and loyalty are fine things, but the truth of the matter is you friends can hold you back if you let them. If you want to upgrade your life, make friends with people that can help you. Even if those you admire never directly assist you in your goals, just by being around them and seeing how they behave can motivate you to change your life for the better.
New friends are great, but you should also be aware that most of the time, your old friends are just like you. They want good things, too, but may have fallen into a bad rut and need you to help them out. Enter Option Two.
Option Two: Lead The Way -- Make Your Friends Better
When your friends set an example, it is easy to follow. Similarly, you can set an example and watch as your friends eventually follow you to greener pastures. If there is an unhealthy, lazy dynamic within your group, you can change all that by showing them the benefits of being more proactive and energetic. If your pals constantly put down others and think negatively most of the time, you can put a positive spin on things. Whatever you find that seems to be going wrong with them, if you correct the problem in yourself, your friends will take notice.
Be aware, there is the potential for some early friction, as many people will reject the “new you” and try to bring you back to your former self. You must stay strong. After a while, once your pals have gotten used to your new changes, they’ll likely adopt one or more themselves. Once that happens, you’ll all be moving up in life, pulling each other along as a group of good friends should.
