Happy brains make happy doctors

In this day and age, many doctors have fallen into a negative rut. They are filled with cynicism, negativity, complaining and self-defeating thoughts, many of which we see posted on social media sites like Linkedin groups and Twitter feeds. 

One of your entrepreneurial habits should be to be positive. To be positive, you need to practice having positive thoughts. 

Having negative thoughts has a neuropsychological basis, so re-wiring will take some cortical renovation that takes practice, practice, practice.

Here are the steps to having a happy brain:

1. Start noticing when you have negative thoughts

2. Some of your negative thoughts might, in fact, have a factual basis. However, in many or most instances, they won't, so find evidence to the contrary.

3. With practice, practice, practice you should be thinking positively in 4 months. Imagine. Happy by this Fall.

4. Step outside of yourself

5. Exagerate the absurdity of your negative thoughts. Can you tell a joke about your negative self? Here's one for a start:

A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:

"Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty. You're crazy to go to Rome So, how are you getting there?"

"We're taking Continental", was the reply. "We got a great rate!"

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser." That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?"

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's Tiber River called Teste."

"Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks it's gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump, the worst hotel in the city! The rooms are small, the service is surly, and they're overpriced. So, whatcha' doing when you get there?"

"We're going to go to see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope."

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. "You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome.

"It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot.

And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job,and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!"

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope."

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me."

"Oh, really! What'd he say ?"

"He said: "Where'd you get the awful hairdo?"

6. Have a positive thought in reserve when it is time to change lanes. 

Now that Microsoft has announced it will buy Linkedin, maybe they will begin to offer an option where group managers can ask them to flag negative posts as a form of social cognitive reappraisal. Wouldn't that be a positive step?

Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs at www.sopenet.org and author of The Blogbook of Physician Entrepreneurship at www.hcplive.com/contributor/arlen-meyers-md-mba