Habits are Contagious

Nicolas Christakis, a Yale University professor and leading researcher on socially contagious behaviors, found that habits are contagious. Here are some of the discoveries he made regarding habits:

• Habits spread like a virus through your social networks.
• Parents pass good and bad habits down to their children.
• If your family or friends are obese, your risk of obesity increases by 25%.
• If your family or friends smoke cigarettes, you are more likely to smoke.
• If your family or friends exercise, you are more likely to exercise.
• If your family or friends do not value education, you are more likely to not value education.
• If your family or friends are poor, you are more likely to be poor.
• If your family or friends are negative, you are more likely to be negative.
• Where you live and who you associate with shapes the life you lead.

If you are disgusted with your life, you have to change who you associate with on a daily basis. While you cannot change your family associations until you are an adult, you can change your non-family associations even while you are young. You can decide to associate with individuals who have good habits that lead to a happy, healthy and successful life, whether that is in your neighborhood or on Facebook.

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