Think about the folks in your life who feel like a sunny day. They wrap you in warmth, you look forward to spending time in their presence, and being with them feels easy and good. Maybe you’re extra-inspired or more grateful or calmer with them, or you laugh so hard that your face hurts. How ever your time together goes, when you come home it feels like the end of an epic summer day—you feel lighter and happier, and problems seem less dire. Prioritize time with these people! Whom we choose to be around influences our energy, happiness, mood, behavior, motivation—everything! The phenomenon is sometimes called emotional or social contagion, because we can literally “catch” emotions or traits, like a cold. Research shows that we pick them up from things…
