Not long ago, I opened an interesting e-mail from Jennifer, a friend of mine. "I've realized I want to be around people who make me happy," she wrote, "I've been seeing how I feel after communicating with different people and making a mental list of who I feel good about. And you're on my list." Then she invited me -- and 11 other women-- to a "Movie Night" to be held every six weeks at her house. We'd chat, eat, and watch feel-good movies. She made it clear in her invitation that there was no stress to show up to all or any movie nights. Wonderful! I e-mailed her back immediately. I was in. Later, Jennifer told me she had some puzzled reactions to her invitation. Though all the women were willing to join, some said they didn't see themselves as cheerful people. "I've told them they didn't have to be cheerful around me all the time. I invited them because they made me feel happy," she says. Research shows that gatherings such as Jennifer's _ . In a US study, researchers measured  the happiness of 4739 people at regular intervals   over 20 years. The study found that a person's happiness depends on  the happiness of people they connect with. Amazingly, 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 be the most contagious   among friends of the same sex. "People with more supportive friends are less likely to develop sadness," says Dr Toupey Luft, a psychologist in Penticyon, British Columbia. "Though you can't choose your family or workmates, you do have control over friendships." With a little effort, you can add more positive  relationships to your social circle. Here's how... What kind of things can you do on Jennifer's movie night?
Gathering and measuring happiness among friends. Chatting, eating and watching feel-good movies. Being cheerful all the time. Showing up stress.