You’ve probably heard it more times than you can count. “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” a quote attributed most often to motivational speaker Jim Rohn. Well, we aren’t sure this is true…at least not in the way that you think.
Of course, you are indeed influenced by the people around you. Surrounding yourself with good people goes hand-in-hand with the law of attraction and is vital to every aspect of your well-being. When you’re surrounded by positive people, it is hard to feel less than optimistic. However, that influence doesn’t stop anywhere near the five people you spend the most time with –it’s far more dispersed. It includes choices you make by letting people go who don’t help you feel joy, and research even suggests it includes people you haven’t even met yet.
So how then should we evaluate and think about how our environment and those we spend time with affect our mood and behavior? Here are some tips on how to make sure you continue to support your well-being through the community that surrounds you.
1. Make time for your people that lift you up.Each week, write down 5 people that mean the most to you. Make a goal to see/talk/text each of them that week. Even if it’s a quick 2-minute audio message, it will start to light up your week and give you some added joy.
2. Let go.One of the best ways to make sure you’re surrounded by love and support is to let go of people that don’t fit the bill. Realistically, you may not be able to completely cut ties – especially if it’s a coworker or family member. However, you can say goodbye to the influence they have over your day-to-day.
3. Don’t take it personally. Those we spend the most time with impact our mood the most – whether it’s a roommate, partner, or coworker. Take comfort in knowing that how others show up is a function of how they see the world and their own realities. Think about how you can be the one to lift them up.
Think about how you feel with those around you – and make adjustments to the time and energy you spend with each to help support your collective influence.
