Is it true that you are the five people you spend time with?

Have you heard the quote from Jim Rohn: ‘You are the average of five people you spend the time with the most?’

or heard: ‘Show me your friends and I will show you your future?’

Research from Christakis and Fowler in ‘The New England Journal of Medicine’ stated that: ‘People are more likely to network with people at similar income and educational levels.’ They also found that if your friend becomes obese that you are 45% more likely to become obese over the next 2- 4 years. More surprisingly if a friend of friend becomes obese your likelihood of gaining weight increase by 20%. So even if you do not know that friend of a friend it can impact you, unless you are willing to step up, take action and change. The same consequences applied for smoking and happiness.

Every conversation, experience and day to day learning strengthens the synapses in the brain. The people we surround ourselves with influence our thoughts, behaviours, diet, lifestyle and reactions. In other words, they shape who you become. We morph into the environment we grew up in. As we delve more and more into AI and technology, we promote more sickness, dis-ease, de-pression and dis-connection if we do not use it wisely.

We are giving are humanoid power and abilities away leaving Ai to do everything from song writing while gene cloning will determine what we want in offspring, rather learning from and being part opf nature.

Human beings are designed for human connection, social interaction and feeling love from one person to another. Social bonding and social collaboration enhance our lives, livelihood and the way we value ourselves.

Hence the quote form Bruce Lipton: ‘Your genes load the gun; the environment pulls the trigger’. We neurally synchronise our brains to the people we spend time with. We learn to follow their belief systems and habits.

This is where we need to challenge our thinking? A dogmatic and polarised approach builds separation and segregation.

When we are disconnected from our true self and intention we are running into conflict in life. Conflict comes from living in the unconscious part of the brain, the pain teacher will always arrive to show us where we need to divert our intention to and what needs to change.

We live in the child archetype waiting for someone to save us and fix us, this always roots back to the emotion ‘love’.

Building connections with successful, motivated, like-minded individuals can help us take responsibility for our lives, become proactive, solution orientated, emotionally intelligent will have significant impact on your well-being and personal development.

When we truly develop awareness, we can start to recognise patterns of destruction that do not serve us. Making dream affirmative choices will help you to stay on track and thrive rather than survive in life. Be aware of where you are spending your money and putting your time.

According to Thomas.C.Corley who wrote rich habits, the wealthiest people in the world create more than they consume. 67% of billionaires spend less than one hour a day on the TV, whereas the deprived in society spend over an hour each day on the TV.

When we become creators, we develop our knowledge more than ever. Your mind attracts what you focus on. The best investment you will always make is in yourself, starting with your movement, nutrition, hydration, sleep, mindset and breathing habits.

‘The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a little amount of heat’- Napolean Hill

Bibliography

The Spread of Obesity in a Social Network | New England Journal of Medicine – DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsa06608

About the Author: Nisha Srivastava

Nisha is a certified level 3 Chek practitioner and holistic lifestyle coach specialising in Pilates and Yoga. Her journey started when a visiting Laban teacher introduced her to Pilates at Dance College in a contemporary class during her first year. Its effects were forgotten but she then re-discovered Pilates through Michael King eleven years later whilst running her dance school. Her background spans over 32 years with formal training in classical ballet, modern dance, tap, national choreography, stage production and theatre. Her formation includes Pilates, Thai bodywork, Yoga, GYROTONIC, GYROKINESIS, Garuda and anatomical studies. Her particular interest is fascia, and the connective lines and movement patterns that allow a full moving structure rather than the isolation of bones and muscles. Her fascination with questioning the traditions of modern medicine and fascination with searching for meaningful answers has taken her in many different directions and has offered her an abundance of opportunities gaining a wealth of knowledge. “I tried many movement modalities and extended my search after experiencing fascia, because of its connection of movement. Quickly, I noticed my own body changing, as well as the bodies of my own clients. In the last 32 years of teaching I’ve developed my own movement and lifestyle philosophy". Throughout her studies Nisha has done numerous dissections with Julian Baker, Mel Cash and Cery Davies and has the opportunity to take lectures and courses from James de Silva, Robert Schleip, Joanne Avison, Tom Myers, Matt Wallden, Leigh Brandon, Emma Lane, Gary Carter, Paul Chek, Dan Hellman, Peter Blackaby plus many more. Nisha's teaching method promotes reflective self-discovery and provides the requirements to integrate a shift in consciousness for attaining individual goals. Nisha teaches in her own studios in St. Helens and Manchester, plus she also has an online following. Throughout her career she has also taught Sting, Sir Ian McKellen, Cirque de Soleil, Will Young and Belinda Carlisle. She has also worked in professional football and both Rugby League and Union for over 20 years. Players she has provided a specific program for were former Manchester Citys Vincent Kompany, Everton's Steven Pinnear and goal keeper Jonas Lossi. She maintains that an attitude of compassion, consistency and joyous humour are excellent components to growth and expanded potential. She welcomes all level of movers from the beginner to the seasoned athlete who have a desire to increase their skill potential, also teachers and students. Her specialties include assisting post rehabilitative back pain individuals, injury prevention for athletes and spine health for everyday people.