Good Vibes Only
by Aaron Weidman, MS, ATC, CEAS
We’ve all been there. It’s Tuesday in the middle of January, the sun is setting at 4:30pm. It’s dark when you go to work and it’s dark when you leave. You have a 10+ hour shift headed your way and you’re over it. This is not the mindset you want as an Industrial Athlete and not the mindset you want as an Injury Prevention Specialist. This negativity is palpable. You can see it in people’s faces and hear it in their words. So what can we do? We can choose a different mindset, and be positive. We can be light in a dark world. We can be #GoodVibesOnly!
It All Started…
As a leader of a team, I decided we weren’t going to fall into this trap. We were going to be positive and make people’s days brighter. We were going to be #GoodVibesOnly and not let ourselves get down. I wrote it on the white board in our Wellness Center and referenced it often. One of my teammates bought us stickers for our computers with this mantra on it, followed by sending each other messages when we saw it in our daily lives on t-shirts and signs. It was contagious too. We actively talked about it and switched our mindset as we interacted with team members on the floor and with EHS. The Good Vibes had a way of really tying the room together. The mantra became our rallying cry and our reset button all at once.
The world can be challenging even for the truest of #GoodVibesOnly believers. None of us are immune. I’ve caught myself getting dragged into the abyss of bad vibes, but as soon as I see the green of my shirt or pull out my notebook or water bottle and see that GVO sticker, it’s a reminder to get back to that positive mental space.
Can We All Do This?
We sure can! But, how can we get into the right frame of mind everyday? The answer is the one no one wants to hear – it depends!! Sometimes it’s a song on the radio or from a playlist. Other times it’s something silly or cute my dog, Zoey, does in the morning before work. Other days it’s a conscious effort which takes work to figure out. We all have to find those things that help us get into the right mindset, and it is different for everyone. (No, you can’t borrow Zoey!)
Be The Change
As Injury Prevention Specialists and health care providers, we have an opportunity to help people in their lives, not just at work. Not only can we help them physically with our skillset and our Stopain gel, we can help them mentally by being positive and helping them change their mindset into a more positive state. The change can start with you, too, as an Industrial Athlete! This mindset has the ability to reverberate inward to help you have greater focus, more energy, and better days. This mindset also reverberates outward to those around you. I think you’ll find the Vibes are contagious.
I’m reminded by what an EHS manager once told me, “Aaron, you’re always smiling and that brings positivity to my day. I always love it when you and your team come talk to us because you always seem happy, and that’s a change of pace from a lot of the interactions I have.”
That’s it. That’s the thing we can do for people, our coworkers and our teammates. That’s bringing the good vibes we all seek out. That’s being #GoodVibesOnly.
How far will your Vibes resonate?
Aaron Weidman, MS, ATC, CEAS || Aaron is a Certified Athletic Trainer in the Normal, IL area. Aaron has spent his career helping athletes, patients, and team members prevent and recover from injuries and is passionate about prevention. When Aaron isn’t at work he enjoys traveling with his wife or being at home spoiling their Scottish Terrier, Zoey.
Be sure to check out our other blogs for further injury prevention education and tips for the industrial athlete from Work Right NW!