Why Having Health-Minded Friends is Good for Your Well-being

Health minded friends can support your wellness.

Who's in your corner?

Sometimes the people in our lives are helpful to our wellness, and sometimes they are not. For example, if there are people who smoke and drink a lot, they might return to your efforts to curb such habits. If you are trying to lose weight, going out with friends to eat at lavish, rich restaurants might not be a great idea. It's important to surround yourself with health-minded friends and relatives who support your health goals and have similar values and habits.

Are your friends health-minded or hedonists?

There are also subtle ways that people can stand in the way of your getting better or feeling your best. They might say things that undermine your confidence, like “oh, you trying that again?”

Maybe they are threatened by your efforts at improvement, so they subconsciously do things to hold you back. If they're jealous or just insecure, they might remind you of the last time you failed your attempt to improve your health. It is important to pay attention to the folks in your life who are your champions, and those who predict and hasten your downfall.

What if my friends aren't health-minded?

This does not mean that you have to get rid of all your friends who have bad habits. If they are supportive or neutral about it, but respectful, then you don't have to worry too much.

However, it might benefit you to try expanding your circle of friends to include those who encourage good health habits. For example, are there other people with whom you could walk at lunchtime at work? Maybe someone in your family would also like to lose weight or improve their health. You can be accountability partners for each other. Another place to meet like-minded people are churches, places of worship, Meet-up groups, and even the local parks and recreation department of your city. I encourage you to find people who support your quest for wellness. If you’d like to talk more about your health goals and how to reach them, please call me at 661-575-7135. I want to be in your corner, helping you be as healthy as you can.