“Vicarious” is not a strong enough word to describe the effect of mirror neurons.
Marco Iacoboni
Mirror neurons come close to running the show when it comes to empathy and, possibly, to morality as well: We respond to what engages us.
Demagogues dumb us down. People we admire inspire us to try harder. Encouragers rouse us; gloom-and-doomers deplete us.
Practice: Notice which encounters lift you up. Once you tune in, they are easy to identify.
Caution: You may discover you have people in your life you no longer want there.