Spend Time With an Optimist

Quick Win

The company you keep can affect your mood. Seek out someone ​whose​ good vibes lift you up.

Try This Today

1. Make a list. Think about your circle of friends and family. Note the people who make you smile, laugh or otherwise feel good, such as a cousin who always shares funny stories and a friend who listens well and radiates warmth.
2. Call or text. Pick someone to reach out to. If the person is local, see if he or she is available for a walk, visit or meal together today; if not, suggest a phone or video chat. If you strike out, try the next person on the list.
3. Enjoy your time together, and notice whether it affected your mood.

Why

If you’ve ever experienced a grumpy or cheerful friend’s mood rubbing off on you, you know that moods and emotions can be contagious. “Emotional contagion” often happens unconsciously, through a complex physiological process. We end up feeling the emotions of people we’re interacting with as we automatically mimic facial expressions and our nervous​ ​system changes to match theirs, according to a review in Frontiers in Psychology in 2021. That’s not to say you should avoid people who are feeling down. But seeking out a cheerful or peaceful friend may buoy your mood — and then you can spread the good vibes.