The Benefits of Positive Friends

Why You Need to Spend More Time With Positive, Upbeat People

Friends are good for you but positive, upbeat pals are the real gems in life. They're the ones that will rally behind you, offer a smile and a hug, and leave you feeling better about yourself. Ideally, we should spend more time with encouraging friends and less time working on things with our more negative friends.

This seems like a simple concept, expect that people aren't always totally positive or completely crabby, either.

Sometimes friends are downright rude or mean and other times they generous and supportive. Look at a friend's overall character when deciding if someone is a good influence in your life or not. Just reflecting back on how you feel when you're with them can give you the insight you need.

Here's why you need to positive people in your life.

Support When You Need It

With positive friends, you don't need to beg for help when you need it because chances are they will be there for you without asking. Positive individuals want others to be happy and will go out of their way to help you when you're feeling down or need some extra special attention.

By contrast, negative people celebrate the downfall of others, and as a result, you'll end up feeling worse about yourself or your situation. Friends who aren't positive will add to whatever amount of stress you are feeling.

Health Benefits of Being Positive

The more positive friends you have, the better able you will be at remaining upbeat yourself.

Studies have shown that optimistic people tend to deal with stress and illness better than those who aren't positive. Health benefits that are associated with positive thinking often include lower rates of depression, a greater ability to throw off colds, and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Bringing Out the Best in You

Your positive friends will not only help you rebound from the negative hits you take in life, but they will also inspire you to be the best you can be. This means trying new things, achieving goals, and having the kind of life you dreamed of for yourself. Very often people have secret goals that they are ashamed of sharing with people for fear they'll be mocked.
For example, perhaps you always wanted to be a writer. Or you want to go back to school and get your degree. The negative people in your life will probably tell you all the reasons why you won't succeed. But who needs that? Chances are you have already gone over the reasons why you might fail and this is what has prevented you from trying. But with positive people in your life, you'll feel more comfortable sharing these types of goals because your friends will give you the emotional push you need to go after what you want in life.

Attracting More Positive Friends

You naturally attract the kinds of friends who are most like you. So if you're a downer, you'll probably find that negative people flock to you. The same is true for being positive. The more you are able to maintain a positive attitude, the more like-minded people you'll attract in return.

In addition, being positive means that you'll come to friendships with a healthier state of mind. Rather than coming off as desperate for friends, you'll be seen as someone who has a lot of things going on in their life. This naturally attracts people to you and many of them could become friends. Bottom line? You'll have more friends without even trying.

Source: https://www.liveabout.com/benefits-of-positive-friends-1384779