Not long ago，I opened an interesting e-mail from Jennifer in Canada．We became friends．One day，she invited me and 11other women to a"Movie Night"to be held every six weeks at her house．We'd talk，eat and watch feel-good movies．I e-mailed her back immediately：I was in．

Research shows that gatherings such as Jennifer's make sense．In a US study，researchers measured （测量） the happiness of 4739people over 20years．The study found that a person's happiness depends on the happiness of people he connects with．Surprisingly，it also found that happiness spreads not only between direct friends，but also among friends of your friends'friends!And those good feelings seem to have the greatest influence among friends of the same sex （性别）．

"People with more good friends are less likely to develop depression （情绪低落） and worry，"says Dr．Toupey Luft．"Though you can't choose your family or workmates，you do have control over friendships．"With a little effort，you can add more positive （正面的） relationships to your social circle．Here's how：

"Nobody is all positive or all negative，"says Luft．"But there are people you may feel more positive．Use that as your way to check people and keep records．"When spending time with others，pay attention to your feeling．Are you feeling tired and unhappy？To help you keep records，Luft suggests taking a moment when you get home to write down what your feeling is when around them．

While it's great to gather with positive friends，it's also good to stay with others in the same life situations．"But if you're all just complaining （抱怨） and nothing is changing，it's not healthy，"says Luft．Are your friends negative，or are you doing most of the complaining？Considering the answers to these questions can help you decide if you want to stand in front of them．Or you could let the relationship disappear slowly．

Sometimes your hobbies can lead to true friendships．Check out new