It’s November, and as I scroll through my Facebook and Instagram feeds, I see lots of post from friends participating in the “November Gratitude Challenge” where you post about what you are grateful for once day for 30 days. I love the focus on gratitude especially in the midst of political fervor.

We are doing a similar challenge with my internal team, but there is one small twist. Our challenge is based on The Qualities of Attraction, originally created by Thomas Leonard. Thomas is know as the father of modern professional coaching and was the founder of the International Coaching Federation, the International Association of Coaching, and, was the first coach to be featured on Donahue and in Newsweek, back in the day!

You could say Thomas was a real deal trailblazer that made all of the work coaches do today, possible, to the tune of $2 billion in revenue worldwide each year. Our Elite Coach, Andrea J Lee (we call her AJL) got her start in coaching as a transcriptionist for Thomas, which was a good move because at the time of his death, he’d made her his COO, and she soaked up some serious coaching chops helping design curriculum at the Graduate School of Coaching. “The Qualities of Attraction are at the heart of everything, particularly in scaleable businesses,” AJL says. If you’re ever stuck, chances are, you’ll find a key to get unlocked in this list.

Inspired by the 20 Qualities of Attraction, I asked my team to share a potent moment or memory from the past year that connected to one of these Qualities. My goal was to challenge my team to reflect on what these qualities mean to them and to recognize how they play into our daily lives. As individuals, we’re responsible for bringing both positive and negative influences into our lives. We can consciously choose where we place our focus in effort to attract what we really want.

To kickoff our journey, we have Dawn Andreas, our Director of Marketing. As you read through each of these small moments, I encourage you to breathe and be still as your own stories start to emerge. It’s these micro moments of life that can attract everything you want for the upcoming year.

Quality of Attraction #1: Light-hearted. Because life isn’t something to win.
Sometimes it takes friends, a great dinner, and time around the fire pit (with a few props for fun) to remind you that life isn’t about “getting somewhere” or “winning” at something. It’s times like these that are a reminder to stay lighthearted. Times like these are a reminder to take in the moments and just “be”. #lovemyfriends #firepitglow #framily
 

Quality of Attraction #2: Loving. Because there is a marked absence of fear.
My mom passed away 9 years ago. She loved birds, and toward the end of her life she spent much of her time in bed watching the birds grab feed and peanuts through her window. She was losing her eyesight, and while she couldn’t see the TV, she could still make out the flutter of the bird’s wings. Since her passing, I find random white feathers at the time I seem to need them most, like this one on my sweater, right before I walked out the door to give a big presentation. I was feeling nervous and unprepared, but seeing this sign reminded me that love was all around and I had nothing to fear. It’s signs like these that keep me focused on loving and remind me my mom is indeed still near.

Quality of Attraction #3: Balanced. Because there is nothing left to juggle.
I think balance is actually an illusion. This picture always reminds me of that. While I am in balance when the shot was taken, I wasn’t in the seconds before or seconds after. When you are living your mission or in love with your work, the path to success will often feel out of balance. Others will tell you that you are working too much or your dream is out of reach. While self care is important, we all know you can’t pour from an empty cup. When you are living on purpose and doing the work that you are called to do each day, you gain more energy than you expend. I say balance is subjective at best. What does your balance look like?

Quality of Attraction #4: Positive. Because it wouldn’t occur to you to be negative.
There are times when only nature can remind us just how incredible life really is. I took this picture (no filter) on one of my weekend runs on the beach. It was one of my first runs back after recovering from an injury, and I was really struggling. (Who’s been there?) Yet through the struggle, I was blown away at how the sun was trying to peek through the clouds; yet the clouds, soft and fluffy, where just enough to hold in the sun. As I ran I was reminded how lucky I was to be running each step. Only a few months back I was facing surgery, and now, I was back to running in this glorious space. Life is incredible, and just waking up every day with the ability to fully participate and experience what is in store for us is a reminder to be positive. Stay positive. Keep exploring. You never know what you will experience until you get out there.

Quality of Attraction #5: Genuine. Because there is nothing left to prove, and all that’s left is you.
I have been an athlete all my life, from intense gymnastics as a kid to an adult life filled with CrossFit and bodybuilding – yes, I said it “bodybuilding”. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been told (many many times) that I shouldn’t lift weights or that I will start to look like a man if I don’t stop. I kindly reject both of those notions. What I know more than anything is that I am most alive when I am moving. I love feeling strong. I love connecting deeply to my body and mind. Gym time is one of the times I am most creative and strategic in my problem solving. Ask my team! They will tell you it’s not unusual for me to start a meeting with “On my run this morning I had this thought…” Being an athlete into my adult life is one of the most genuine things I can do. Choosing to own my whole self and show up fully gives me the power to be fully expressed.

Now it’s your turn. Take a moment to reflect. Grab your journal, your paint brush, your computer, or whatever you create with. Capture everything that’s come to you right now.

Here’s some questions to further support:

• When was the last time you looked at the photos in your phone or computer? How do they tell a story of where you have come and where you are going? What are the lessons they provide?
• Over the past year, when did you stop and take a break, solo or with company? How did you feel after you recharged?
• What sparked a big idea? How can you capture that inspirational moment and harness it next year?

Remember, we’re grateful, we’re here, we’re present, and we’re starting early!