I am Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits.

In the immortal words of Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t worry, be happy.” Building a habit of positivity is key in all aspects of life, and especially on your journey to building a profitable practice. On my way, I had to learn and develop habits to be more positive. Who doesn’t enjoy being positive? It just feels good to know things are going well and will only improve. The problem though, it’s not always easy to maintain such a hopeful and optimistic mindset, even if you’re naturally positive.

Me personally, I’m a bit of a pessimist, so this does not come naturally to me. In fact, I must make a concerted effort to be positive. For those who struggle to look on the brighter side of things like myself, positivity might seem as likely to happen as a trip to the moon. Through self-reflection, I knew I needed to find a way to turn all this around and stay positive, even when the day’s look grim. I sought the advice from mentors and colleagues and found there was a simple solution. I needed to make positivity a habit.

My advice to help you is to start by adding these items to your daily to do list:

1. Concentrate on your self-talk. If you pay attention to how you talk to yourself in the privacy of your own head, you might be surprised at how often negative words creep into the conversation. Make a habit of turning those negativities into more positive statements by rewording them the moment you start putting down yourself or your situation.

2. Create a vision. Having goals really does help one to stay positive. Keeping on track with those goals can be difficult. Sometimes, having a visual of what you’re trying to achieve can help you stay positive about the future. Create a tangible vision of your goals. Use a vision board, create something on Pinterest, and spend a full minute looking at this vision at least once daily.

3. Seek inspiration. It helps to know other people have already succeeded at doing what you’re trying to do now. Look for biographies, podcasts, or videos about your heroes. Even if you spend only a few minutes daily on this task, you will feel a definite difference in positivity levels.

4. Move. Exercise is one of the best ways to ensure your mood stays positive. There are several ways to move your body and get your blood flowing. Try yoga, dance, go for a walk, or get involved in a sport. Do this daily for optimal benefit.

5. Hang out with the right people. Making a weekly habit of spending some quality time with positive people will help your mood stay upbeat. Bonus points for enlisting a friend as someone you can check in with daily who can help monitor your mood and bring you up when you’re feeling down. For me, I try to spend as much time speaking with my colleague, Dr. Amoa-Asare. Why, you ask? Every time I see him and ask how he’s doing, he always responds, “Fantastic,” and instantaneously, I feel fantastic.

6. Create an atmosphere. We always feel stressed when we can’t find what we need. By tidying up your environment daily, you’ll always be able to find what you need when you need it. Also, a pleasant environment really does keep you feeling upbeat.

The main thing to remember here is that putting a little intentionality in your day to do things you know bring your mood up, will really make a difference in how you’re feeling. Do what works best to feel good, and a positive attitude will follow.

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As you ponder positivity and think of more ways to develop that habit, check out our blog post here for more tips and insight on the power of positivity.

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I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits. Please go to businessofrehab.com/contractnegotiations to pick up the free guide to help you negotiate the contract of your dreams.

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