Why Be Miserable for Nine Hours?

One phrase I say almost every day is:

“Why be miserable for nine hours?”

Most of us spend more time at work than we do almost anywhere else. If we’re going to be here all day, why not make it a place where people actually enjoy coming to work? That goes for our coworkers just as much as it does for our patients.

When people hear the word cheerleader, they usually think of someone loud and full of energy. That’s not what I mean.

To me, being a cheerleader means encouraging the people around you. It means choosing to be positive instead of adding to the negativity that can easily creep into a busy workplace. You can be professional, do your job well, and still make someone smile. In my experience, those things go hand in hand.

Over the last several months, I’ve been fortunate to read reviews from patients who mentioned me by name. Of course, it’s always nice to hear kind words, but what stood out wasn’t just one review. It was that so many of them said similar things.

Patients talked about feeling comfortable, welcomed, and listened to. They described me as friendly, professional, and easy to talk to. One patient mentioned that I helped guide them through the workers’ compensation process. Another said I helped calm their nerves before their first laser treatment. Someone else simply wrote that I made them laugh.

None of that comes from a script. It’s just how I try to treat people every day. I think patients can tell when you genuinely care, and that’s something you can’t fake. Sometimes the biggest difference we make isn’t during a procedure. Sometimes it’s taking an extra minute to answer a question, remembering someone’s name, or reassuring a nervous patient before an appointment. Those small moments matter, and people remember them long after the appointment is over.

The same idea applies to the people we work with. Healthcare is busy. Some days feel nonstop. Phones are ringing, schedules change, patients are waiting, and something unexpected always seems to come up.

On days like that, we all have a choice. We can make the day harder for everyone around us, or we can make it a little better. Sometimes it’s offering to help a coworker, celebrating a win, or checking in on someone who’s having a rough day.

Anyone who works with me knows I’m probably going to hand out a few fist bumps throughout the day or break into a quick dance when something goes right. It’s nothing big. I just think work is more enjoyable when people can laugh, celebrate the small wins, and remind each other that we’re all on the same team. Those little moments might seem insignificant, but they can completely change the mood of the day.

I’ve learned that workplace culture isn’t built by a mission statement hanging on the wall. It’s built by the way people treat each other every single day. Every interaction adds something to the environment around us, and I want the things I add to make work a little brighter.

That’s why I keep coming back to the same question: Why be miserable for nine hours?

Choosing a positive attitude doesn’t mean every day is easy. It doesn’t mean pretending nothing ever goes wrong. We all have stressful days. We all get tired. It simply means deciding that even on those days, we’re still going to treat people with kindness, respect, and compassion.

My hope is that every patient who walks through our doors leaves feeling cared for, not just because of the treatment they received, but because they felt valued as a person. I hope my coworkers know they have someone in their corner, too.

To me, that’s what being a cheerleader is really about. It’s not about pom-poms or being the loudest person in the room. It’s about encouraging people, celebrating the little victories, and making someone’s day just a little better. If we can do that while providing great care, I think that’s a pretty good way to spend nine hours.