Did you know that your social circle is one of the most important things when it comes to working towards your goals? Imagine yourself extremely excited after you meet for a free intro at a gym. You leave positive you are going to hire a nutrition coach. Motivation is high and you are more than ready to work on your health and wellness goals.
After meeting up with your friends who are total partiers, you feel deflated, and sad. The reception you thought you would receive isn’t so great.
Some of them share your enthusiasm, but most of them question you and your ability to make this change in your life. They immediately offer you a beer and a hotdog.
Finding a friend, a neighbor, coworker, a coach or a roommate to help support you on your nutrition and wellness journey is extremely important. Many studies indicate that the power of a good support group speaks volumes to long term weight loss success.
What Is A Social Circle
A social circle refers to the group of people that a person interacts with on a regular basis, such as friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances. It includes the people with whom a person has a relationship, and interacts with in various social settings, such as at work, school, social events, and online.
The size and composition of a person’s social circle can vary depending on their personality, interests, and lifestyle. Some people have a large social circle with many close friends and acquaintances, while others may have a smaller circle with just a few close friends or family members.
Why Is Having A Positive Social Circle Important?
A person’s social circle can play a significant role in their social and emotional well-being, as well as their personal and professional development. The people in a person’s social circle can provide emotional support, advice, and guidance, and can also influence their behavior, attitudes, and beliefs.
A positive social circle can provide a sense of belonging, connection, and community, while a negative social circle can have the opposite effect and lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and negativity.
Why Would Someone I Hang Out With Not Support Me?
People behave poorly sometimes when they feel threatened by someone else’s drive and passion to be successful. There are many reasons why a person you thought was your friend may not be supportive, but here are several reasons this may happening:
Envy
Sometimes people are envious when they see someone close to them making positive change. They don’t feel like they have that ability so their reaction is to be jealous.
Fear Of Change
People are resistant to change! Especially if they see someone close to them making changes that may effect the way their relationship with each other moves forward. They are scared that they may not be able to engage in the same types of activities they once did together so they act un supportive.
Misunderstanding
People around you may not understand the importance of healthy eating and lifestyle improvement. Because of this, they view it as unnecessary, but also don’t take the time to learn.
Insecurity
Many are insecure of their own habits and lifestyle choices. Because of this and their inability to change or their lack of desire, they act out.
Let's Do An Inner Circle Inventory!
What is an inner circle inventory you may ask! Well, it’s an assessment of the five people you spend the most time with. Make a list of your top five. Answer these questions about each of the five closest companions or your “inner circle”.
Do they have a positive mindset?
Do your core values align?
Do they support you with your goals?
Will they help keep you accountable?
Are they growth – driven?
Do they bring you up when feeling down?
If most of the answers to these questions are no, then it may be time to talk to some new people!
3 Tips For Building A Positive Social Circle
When evaluating your top five people, it’s important not to be upset if you come to the realization that you are going to have to potentially make some new friends and meet new people. If the people are unsupportive of your goals after having a discussion with them, then it’s time to move on. If you do not, you will be in the same place you are now one year from now.
When building your new circle, follow these guidelines:
Focus on quality, not quantity
Having a handful of supportive positive friends is much better than a ton of negative acquaintances. Focus on the quality of the people in your life, and invest time and attention into those relationships.
Seek What You Admire
When building a positive social circle, a good place to start is by seeking out those you admire. Look for people with positive qualities, attitudes, accomplishments, or whatever you admire. Gravitating towards and spending time with these types of people will help you take on their positive traits and attitudes.
Know When To Let Go
Research shows that healthy and supportive relationships can reduce stress and improve your overall health and sense of well-being. However, all relationships are not equally supportive or positive. If someone in your life is no longer good for you, it’s perfectly acceptable to let them go. Only you know if the relationship is worth keeping or not.
Conclusion
Spheres of influence are more important than you think when it comes to long term success. It’s hard enough with the support of the people you love. But it will be almost impossible to succeed with people you care about working against your will to change.
Doing an inner circle inventory is the next step you must take in your wellness journey. First make a list of your closest five, second evaluate with the questions we listed above.
If you find that you need to make some cuts, and you are looking for some support along the way, connect with your free Facebook group. There are tons of people in there making healthy changes.
Additionally, if you are considering the help of a nutrition we can help you find one near you!
