Spreading the #ATILove for Valentine's Day & Beyond - American Training American Training

February 10th, 2016

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Spreading the #ATILove for Valentine’s Day & Beyond

Feeling the Valentine’s Day Blues?

Sometimes we may argue that the weather is on a par with how we feel – cold, tired, sleepy, wishing it were warmer. And if we were to express this feeling with a color, we would most likely say ‘I feel blue’. It only takes a second look at this month’s calendar to heighten your blue funk – Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!

A day when every moviesque love story becomes palpable, balloons that announce ‘I LOVE YOU’ clutter up around you and visions of a candlelit dinner seem to be available with every blink of an eye – romantic love at its peak! But for you, the image is not as inspiring.

Your significant other said something unfavorable thus setting a dull tone, and hopes for a night out seem to dwindle each second because looking for a babysitter is like looking for a needle in a haystack. At work, all the odds are against you – your boss just assigned an additional major project, your fellow Colleagues are not so fellow anymore, and your work tools seem to be acting like modular mock-ups you find at a store. It just seems like you can’t get anything right. You’re now on the verge of going on a downward spiral and nothing and no one can pull you out.

STOP! Take a deep breath and Silence the negativity, Think positively, Open your heart and Practice kindness. Trust in yourself, you can do this! Love should be the foundation to all things that you do. Use the tips below, compiled by our Colleague Priyana.

Silence the negativity– So what if others enjoy some things that you don’t agree with? Be happy for them and respect their differences. Learn from others’ experiences, you never know what you might need to reference. Give that person a second, third, gazillion chances! Be forgiving and silence the negativity in your mind. There are other things you can invest your efforts and energy on.

Think positively– Try to make the best out of everything. Use affirmative statements, look for the brighter side. I catch myself complaining about the weather and then I distract myself and concentrate on the beauty of it. If it’s cold outside, get a cup of tea and catch up on that article you’ve been wanting to read but haven’t had the chance to. Invite a friend over for coffee and watch funny videos together. Whatever you decide to do – make it count, make it memorable.

Open your heart– BE OPEN, be accepting of others. There’s a supernatural reason as to why we’re all different and there is profound beauty in this. Open yourself to new ideas, enhance what you do by learning something new, pick up on a new hobby, introduce yourself to someone new in the company and don’t be afraid to start a friendly conversation.

and most importantly…

Practice Kindness– When was the last time you let someone know that you care? There are many simple ways to show kindness. Some ideas to share – be the one to butt in with something nice to say, compliment someone to their boss – also compliment your boss, try to make sure every person in a group conversation feels included, babysit for a single mom for free, put your phone down and listen intently, be patient…when you hear that negative, discouraging voice in your head, remember to leave yourself alone — you deserve kindness too!

Moved by a woman’s experience with depression, I would like to invite you to activate your ‘Practice kindness skills’ and make Love famous by transmitting our fervent WOW! Magic on this Valentine’s Day, join us in writing anonymous letters to anonymous recipients. Show your appreciation for Colleagues, Guests, Residents, Students, and everyone in our extended community. Like Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”

This Valentine’s Day and beyond spread the WOW! Magic. It’s simple, here’s how:

Blank #ATILove cards ware available all of our locations.
Pick up one, or a few.
Write a brief positive and encouraging message.
Anonymously give them away by placing them for people to see. For example, you could place them on a car window, someone’s desk, at the grocery store, on a table at a restaurant, on a bench at a park, on the bathroom mirror… options are endless. Be creative!
Be sure to spread the WOW! Magic and share the love by posting the messages you receive on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtag #ATILove!