The Power of Positive People

The Power(ˈpou(-ə)r) of Positive(ˈpäztiv,ˈpäzətiv) People

Are your friendships giving you a boost(bo͞ost) or bringing you down?

By Tara Parker-Pope

Are you spending time with the right people for your health and happiness?

While many of us focus primarily(prīˈme(ə)rəlē) on diet(ˈdī-it) and exercise to achieve better health, science(ˈsīəns) suggests that our well-being also is influenced(ˈinflo͝oəns) by the company(ˈkəmpənē) we keep. Researchers have found that certain health behaviors appear to be contagious(kənˈtājəs) and that our social networks — in person and online — can influence obesity(ōˈbēsitē), anxiety(aNGˈzī-itē) and overall happiness. A recent report found that a person’s exercise routine(ro͞oˈtēn) was strongly influenced by his or her social network.

I was reminded(riˈmīnd) recently of the power of the crowd during a wellness cruise(kro͞oz) sponsored(ˈspänsər) by Times Journeys(ˈjərnē). The event attracted(əˈtrakt) a group of like-minded travelers who, despite experiencing(ikˈspi(ə)rēəns) various(ˈve(ə)rēəs) levels of adversity(adˈvərsitē) in their lives, including cancer, vision(ˈviZHən) loss(läs,lôs) and the recent loss of a loved one, were remarkably(riˈmärkəbəl) optimistic(ˌäptəˈmistik) and upbeat(ˈəpˌbēt). The group ranged in age from 17 to 90. One inspiring(inˈspīriNG) man, in his 80s, had adopted(əˈdäpt) a vegan(ˈvejən,ˈvēgən) lifestyle(ˈlīfˌstīl) and a strict(strikt) exercise routine to control his diabetes(-tis,ˌdīəˈbētēz). Another new friend, a woman in her 50s who had survived(sərˈvīv) lung(ləNG) cancer, cheered(CHi(ə)r) me on and kept me going during a particularly(pə(r)ˈtikyələrlē) difficult workout.

After the trip(trip), we all promised(ˈpräməs) to keep in touch. Buoyed(boi,ˈbo͞o-ē) by the experience, I returned home with a renewed commitment(kəˈmitmənt) not only to exercise and healthful living, but to simply step up my social life and spend more time hanging out with happy people.

Dan Buettner, a National Geographic(ˌjēəˈgrafikə) fellow(ˈfelō) and author(ˈôTHər), has studied(ˈstədēd) the health habits of people who live in so-called blue zones — regions of the world where people live far longer than the average. He noted that positive friendships are a common theme in the blue zones.

“Friends can exert(igˈzərt) a measurable(ˈmeZH(ə)rəbəl) and ongoing influence on your health behaviors in a way that a diet never can,” Mr. Buettner said.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/well/the-power-of-positive-people.html