The social environment: you are the average of the people you surround yourself with

We are social creatures with a need to belong

Just like our physical environment, our social environment has an immense impact on our well-being.

Humans are deeply social creatures. We have an innate need to belong, to connect, and to be accepted by a group.

Emotional contagion: If you surround yourself with 5 negative people, you will be the sixth

Emotions are contagious. We spend our time with people who are predominantly negative, cynical, or pessimistic, and it's almost inevitable that their moods will rub off on us.

The famous saying, "you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with," has a great deal of truth in it, especially on an emotional level.

The Importance of a Social Environment that Supports Your Emotional Growth

Therefore, consciously choosing our social environment is one of the most important decisions for our emotional health.

We need to surround ourselves with people who lift us up, support our growth, celebrate our successes, and offer us solace in our failures.

Analyzing Your Social Circle: Does It Lift You Up or Pull You Down?

It's a very valuable exercise to analyze our social circle.

How do I feel after spending time with this person? Do I feel more energized or more drained? Does this relationship bring out the best in me or the worst? Being honest with these answers will allow us to make healthier choices about where and with whom we invest our time and energy.

Summary

Humans are social creatures with a deep need to belong. Our emotional health depends largely on our connections with others and the feeling of being accepted, valued, and u