A positive outlook is contagious

Did you ever think your attitude affected others even if you don't directly interact with them?

We've probably all heard of the term "six degrees of separation," that everyone on the planet is only a half dozen people away from knowing everyone else. Now a study has shown that there are three degrees of connection. A study showed that happiness actually spreads from person to person, up to three connections away.

According to a study in The British Medical Journal, happiness actually spreads from person to person, up to three connections away. If a friend of a friend is happier, that will affect you - and vice versa. Proximity does help. A happy neighbor will increase your probability of happiness more than a friend or sibling a mile away.

Author Nicholas Christakis, M.D. said this also works for smoking and obesity. "If the people around you gain weight, it changes your expectations about what is acceptable body size." So, if people around you become happy, quit smoking or lose weight (or vice versa), others around follow suit.

Being a believer for taking 100% responsibility for your life, I suggest we think more of how we can positively affect those around us by our behavior - particularly by being happy and showing it. I believe as RVers we can affect people near us in an RV park, when we are out and about and our friends and relatives, even if far away. Through Facebook, email, Web cams and phone calls, we can spread happiness out like a pebble causing a ripple in a pond. Smile, now! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Comments

[Denise from Ark]

Love this so much, Jaime. Thank you for posting it. I wish that it worked as far as the smoking goes LOL. Both adult kids have moved back in with us and both smoke, although neither of us ever have.

I do believe that it works with happiness, and with good works as well. There is a wonderful commercial on TV that shows someone doing some eensy tiny thoughtful thing for someone else, and a bystander happened to see it, and is inspired to do something nice for someone else down his or her own path. Then it all happens all over again with another bystander. How cool is that message?

This is a wonderful message and I hope that everyone who sees your post will take it to heart - spreading it like wildfire.

[Denise from Ark]

OH and I should have mentioned, I'm linking here on my Facebook account.

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

Thanks, Denise. Apparently your kids were more influenced by others in their sphere.

It is amazing how one person in good spirits can lift everyone around them.

Jaimie

[Daddy Paul]

Great read! Smile and the world smiles with you! Grump and you grump alone.

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

So true, though you may have to watch that grumpy people don't pull you down too!

Jaimie