Inspiring quotes, gift guides and holiday wishes!

As we enter these last few weeks of the year, we typically focus on the chaos of the holidays. The shopping, the travel, the family scheduling. All we need to do before the new year is upon us.

But I also enjoy the slowdown that happens. The time to be still with loved ones. The, “Let’s meet in the new year” responses that give us space on our calendars for ourselves. The contemplative nature of a year ending (and in this case a decade!) and another beginning.

With that in mind, I want to thank you for reading my words and Coach Teague’s words each week this year. I hope they helped you think about life, your work and yourselves in new ways. I hope you took some small action or experienced a mindset shift that has helped to improve your life.

As we enter what at ALV is typically a quiet time of year, I felt it appropriate to tap into our brilliant coaching team to share with you what they’re ponding right now. The quotes and mantras that they are reflecting on. Some inspiring words from those much wiser than I.

So here are 9 quotes our team is loving right now:

1. “Everything happens for a reason.” I’m a control freak and want to control everything in my life, even if I can’t. When something doesn’t go my way, I dwell on it, and it makes it worse than it actually is. I started to say this to myself when I was young because it helped me let go of my visceral reaction to things that didn’t go my way. I remind myself that everything is happening for a reason, and if I let it go and manage what is within my control, I’ll understand (or not) one day why it happened. — Chief Coaching Officer, Foram
2. “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” — Christopher Columbus. I love this because it pushes me to do things I’m scared of! — Coach Sophie
3. “If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.” The first time I heard that, let me tell you — it sank in. Hit me like a ton of bricks, really. I was chasing, conservatively, about three dozen rabbits at the time. I was scattered and wasn’t giving anything the attention it needed to thrive. Few things will bring success like single-minded focus. Whatever thing you’re doing, that has to be the thing you do. Distractions are a killer. — Director of Career Services, John
4. “Two things make life especially difficult: trying to control every aspect of life and expecting others to be perfect.” — Yung Pueblo. These are two things I, and most people, can struggle with. But it’s really true that it will make life so much harder. Great reminder to let things go and to practice grace for one another. — Coach Brooke
5. My dad, being a small business owner himself, always told me to “Tell the customer yes and figure it out.” It has stuck with me for years because it really embodies creativity and our culture commandment of ‘giving a shit.’ He modeled how to put customers first and provide creative solutions to keep them happy and make them feel valued. — Strategy & Brand Specialist, Randalyn
6. “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” Said to me at a very young age by my Mom. Though I am sure it has been said by many others, and who knows who said it first? It’s always resonated with me, not just from the perspective of the wardrobe, but to always be striving for more and show up at a higher level than you are at. I like to remind myself of this when things start to feel stagnant and I don’t feel like I’m growing. I love sharing it with clients too; we all need the reminder to ‘always be bettering,’ even if in the context of a simple statement. — Coach Jennifer
7. “Everything is figureoutable.“ — Marie Forleo. I just read her book and love how this mantra can be applied to every obstacle or challenge. — Career Specialist Kristin
8. “You get more bees with honey than with vinegar.” I don’t who said it, but it always reminds me of my Grandma. I use it to remind myself to choose kindness first, as you never know what’s going on for people. — Career Specialist Shari
9. ‘“We’ve lived weird lives,” she said. “Maybe everyone does,” he said.’ — Kristin Hannah.

This last quote I bring you. It is from the book The Great Alone which I recently read, and these words stood out to me. After the main characters had been through what can only be described as some crazy sh*t, they came to this conclusion.

What a wonderful reminder that there is no normal. That life is weird and funky and full of twists and turns, and it is our choice whether to embrace its mystery and its weirdness… or not.

I hope all of the quotes from our team give you some inspiration on this Tuesday morning and a few new things to think about. I’m wishing you the strength to embrace the chaos of the end of the year and the space to reflect on the magic of the whole thing.

And, most importantly, I’m wishing you a beautifully weird life in 2020.

This week’s challenge

What quote or mantra are you loving right now? Maybe it’s from a book, a podcast a show or a speech. Perhaps it’s from an important historical figure or someone important to you, like your grandma.

What is the quote? Why is it something you’re wanting to live by right now? What inspiration does it bring you?

I challenge you to write it down and look at it each day for the rest of the year to keep you focused.

Want some help figuring out how to embrace the crazy or start to focus on 2020? I said we were slowing down, not stopping! Book a complimentary consultation with us.

Book my free coaching consult

We love that you always want more. Here are some of the best resources that crossed our newsfeeds this week:

• Ali Wong’s new book has us gearing up for 2020 focusing on humor, dating advice, career guidance, and everything else we need to know.
• It is almost 2020 but we’re still handwriting notes, and this is why.
• If you’ve ever relied on stock photos for a design, a presentation or a website, you may have noticed the lack of diversity in them. Check out this free collection on Pexels for some photos that actually look like our workforce today.
• Do you know a recent high school graduate or someone graduating soon? Are they looking for a fun adventure to kick start their career? We’re big fans of Praxis which helps young, smart people prepare for exciting startup jobs.
• Still need to pick up a few more gifts? Broken down by categories including self-care, books and tech, this gift guide has something for everyone.