HOW YOUR FRIENDS INFLUENCE YOU

HOW YOUR FRIENDS INFLUENCE YOU

We can’t always choose who we surround ourselves with when it comes to coworkers or our families, but we might underestimate how much these people truly affect us, not only in the present but in the future too. 

We are extremely influenced by those we spend the most time with so it’s imperative that we choose wisely. 

You Are Who You Hang Out With

Have you ever heard that you are what you eat? Well, the same goes for people. Ok - don’t eat people… All we’re saying is, we are who we hang out with and when you really think about it, it totally makes sense. 

You might think that your thoughts, feelings, and ideas are completely your own, but it’s incredible how influenced we are by our environment - including our friends. This concept can have both good and bad consequences. 

Hanging out with people who encourage and uplift us will help our self-esteem. And similarly, spending time with those who challenge our preconceptions can help us open up to a world of ideas we might have never considered before. 

But on the other side of the same coin, if we spend most of our time with people who have unhealthy habits or who have low self-esteem themselves, these traits can easily rub off on us. 

Our friends influence the way we think, feel, and can even change our personality. We might not be conscious of these effects, but they exist. We’re all affecting each other more than we realize so it’s important to think about who you spend your time talking and listening to (and that goes for celebrities and social media friends too!)

Show Me Your Friends, Show Me Your Future

Not only do your friends shape how you think and perceive the world in the present, but there’s also evidence to support that who you surround yourself with can affect your future self, too.

In 1999, a group of researchers coined the term the Michelangelo effect to explain the phenomenon. It describes how when you’re surrounded by people who already see you as your ideal self (even if you’re not), you tend to eventually become that person in the future. 

Conversely, if you’re around people who see the worst in you or those that bring out your worst qualities, you’re likely to continue to live out those qualities. It’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy - a friend-fulfilling prophecy!

So, if you’re hoping to achieve a new goal or create healthier habits, you’ll want to use this phenomenon to your advantage by surrounding yourself with strong-willed, motivated people. It’ll rub off on you! 

The OOMPH Club

On the OOMPH app, we’ve created a section called the OOMPH Club where you can add friends and keep yourselves accountable and motivated. 

Knowing that our friends influence our behavior in incredible ways, we can use them to our advantage. We can be the ones to help our friends and loved ones be the best they can be, by being the best we can be and vice versa. 

When you see a friend complete an OOMPH workout, you’re more likely to do one yourself. When you unlock a new level, your friends are more likely to push themselves too. It’s a cycle of encouragement and positivity that helps us stay on track and we have our friends to thank for that.

Try the OOMPH app with a free 7-day trial and invite your friends to join you in the OOMPH club! 





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