5 to 1

In the Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin noted that for every 1 negative interaction, it takes 5 positive ones to build up up good vibes again (she said it in a much more scientific and stastical way, but you get the idea).  This one fact has really stuck with me and I've made an effort to make sure to have positive interactions with J, with my kids, with my students and coworkers, with my friends.  When Callie was working on her masters degree, she shared this same idea as social capital.  We have to invest in our relationships so that they can weather the inevitable storms. 

For J and I, it's great to have date nights and snuggle time together on the couch, but sometimes those interactions are as simple as calling to say thank you for making our morning go smoothly or emailing an article that reminds us that parenting is hard for everyone and that is not only our children who are challenging.  For the kids, we make sure to have some one-on-one time with each boy, but also just time together as a family.  When the weather is warm, we go on LOTS of picnics.  We avoid the tv, phones, computers and just focus on each other.  As hard as it seems to have gotten sometimes, I try to see my girlfriends on a regular (or at least semi-regular) basis.  It can be brunch or catching up at a party or making plans for a girls' overnight in the summer, but connecting them always reminds me that I am more than just J's wife, H's stepmom or E's mama.

I can't be sure that the 5 to 1 ratio is completely accurate, but it makes sense to me.  So how do you invest in your social capitalism?