BBO friends, or Better-Because-Of, are those people in your life who are clearly positive influences, making your own life and actions better. They help us do better simply by being with them, and around them. They’ve either achieved what we hope for and role model what’s possible, or are our side-by-side goal companions. Maybe both.
BBO friends are the ones who get us to show up and work out when we would rather sleep in. They are the ones who order a salad with dressing on the side, and in turn we do the same (rather than order the not-so-healthy item we were fixated on). They are the ones who, when we start griping about something or someone, remind us of the flip side, the better perspective, the bigger picture.
When I was young, one of mom’s memorable (and repeated) pieces of advice was: You take on the flavor of what you are marinated in. She’d weave this in when we were deciding which TV show to watch, what movie to go to, or who we were thinking of calling to hang out with on a Saturday night. Little did she know, her words of wisdom have scientific support. Part of our brain, called the limbic system, causes us to absorb the emotions and actions of those around us and mirror them—inside and out. In other research done on those who make life-altering changes for good (while 9 out of 10 do not), maintaining better-because-of relationships were identified as one of the three differentiating success factors.
When it comes to our wellness journey, we do have to do it ourselves—but we don’t have to (and shouldn’t) do it alone. Who are your better-because-of wellness companions? Whom do you make better-because-of choices with when it comes to exercise, nutrition, and even your attitude? Marinate with them more. Marinate with bad influences less. It truly makes a better-because-of difference in becoming the person you want to be. Right mom?
