photo by Jeff Farsai

It’s a dream that anyone who has ever fallen in love with a sport has most likely contemplated at one point or another. For some athletes, representing their country at the Games is a measure of knowing they’ve made it. Olympic silver medalist and Fashion Island ambassador Jaime Komer, talks about life after the Olympics – a life she hadn’t ever planned for.

dreaming the dream

I competed in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and earned a silver medal with the USA Women’s water polo team. Achieving something like this was a “hmm, imagine if…” question ever since I fell in love with the sport. My passion for water polo pushed me beyond my perceived limits, introduced me to some of the most inspiring individuals I’ve ever met, took me on adventures around the globe and allowed me to truly understand the concept of “I can and I will.”

The idea of setting audacious and slightly (or very!) intimidating goals is what got me where I am today. I attribute much of my success to the daily, monthly and yearly goals I set pre-Olympics. Breaking down the work I knew I had to do into goals, helped me through the tough journey I knew was ahead.

to the olympics and beyond

Oddly enough, the hardest part was actually after the games. Here’s the thing, when you’re training for the Olympics you dedicate your whole life to the sport. You’ve got your sights set on making one goal happen and everything else (and everyone else) gets put on hold. (This is the part where I thank my husband and family for their understanding while I continually missed birthdays, anniversaries and, almost, my own brother’s wedding!). The last thing on your mind is, “Soooo, what am I going to do with myself after this?”

the dream after the olympic one

I’ve heard many stories about athletes experiencing post-Olympic depression once they stop competing in their respective sport. It’s all you know for the longest time and in a way, it has defined you as a person. It can be difficult to move on and dare to open yourself up to a new dream.  How will anything top the act of going to the Olympic Games? Some will say that nothing can.

I am excited to say I am taking a different perspective. I realized that creating big ol’ freakishly awesome (yet thoroughly audacious) goals didn’t have to stop there. Have I given everything I can to the world, my community, my family, my legacy? Certainly not! It wasn’t until I could cross off my Olympic goals that I could start to realize what else was out there for me and a world of possibility opened up.

Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a seasoned goal setter, the feeling of “what’s next?” is a familiar and sometimes scary one. Ever had your sights set on one thing for so long, you didn’t know what to do after?

Certified Personal Trainer Specialist and Robson Street run ambassador, Julie Bertrand, has more than a few races under her belt – to say the least. We asked her how she sets powerful run goals beyond “I run a half-marathon” and how she stays on track to achieve them.

my 2012 run goals

• I run both the Boston and NYC marathons in 2012
• I run a marathon under 3:35, re-qualifying for Boston 2013

setting your run goals

If you set goals you are more likely to achieve the things you want. Choose the race you want to run (huh, what’s a SeaWheeze™?) and the date you’ll be crushing the goal (like, August 11 2012 for example). Already run a half-marathon? Kudos. To challenge yourself incorporate time goals, races you want to qualify for or increase the number of races you want to run each year.

tips to run your best in 2012

set a plan
Each week, plan your workouts in advance. Create a training plan to help you stay on track with your goals and ensure that you progress at the right pace. A typical marathon training program will last 16-20 weeks, whereas a half-marathon training plan can last anywhere from 12-16 weeks. Your long runs should increase by 10-15% each week in order to avoid running too much too soon. Many runners start off too quickly and end up injured because they get excited about the final goal and skip this critically important step.

join a run club
Running in a group helps hold you accountable for your training, keeps you motivated and is also a great way to meet other runners in your community. If you’re from Vancouver, run with me at the Robson Street Store run club, otherwise ask a store in your community for their local run club information.

cross-train
Incorporate at least one cross-training day per week where you do not allow yourself to run. Try strength training, yoga, Pilates or spinning. This will encourage your body to use other muscles that are not being recruited while running and, in turn, make you a stronger, more well-rounded runner. Cross-training is also one of the best ways to help prevent injuries.

change it up
In addition to your easy runs and progressively longer distance runs, incorporate hill training, speed work and Fartlek into your training

• hill training
  Hill training will build power, strength and endurance that will help sustain longer bouts of running. Try this: find a hill that is about 350m (about 1/4 mile) long with a progressive incline. Start by doing a 10-15 minute warm up, then repeating this hill three times before cooling down. Progress gradually to six or seven repeats by the end of your training.
• speed workouts/interval training
  This style of training helps develop a faster stride turnover, which will improve your overall running speed. Speed workouts help train your anaerobic threshold (that time where you start being out of breath) so that you are able to sustain harder (faster) running for longer periods of time. These should be short in distance (max one mile) and performed at high intensity.
•  fartlek
  Ever heard of Fartlek? Swedish for “speed play”, Fartlek is another way to change up your training plan. A bit more on the comfortable side of effort than speed workouts, Fartlek workouts typically last about 45 minutes in length and incorporate a mix of faster-than-usual running for a set time (can be one minute or five minutes) with a rest period. Repeat intervals of this workout to help improve your running speed and endurance!

Any run goals you’re working toward this year? –  Oh, did we mention we’re hosting the first annual SeaWheeze™ Half Marathon? Cheers to a new year, new goals and new races.

It’s 2012 and the future feels bright. With January comes a clean slate, resolutions and a heightened sense of possibility. Last year, we wrote about re-igniting your goals once the New Year high wore off. We caught up with Katie, Matt, Laura and Carolyn to find out which 2011 goals they crushed and which goals need a little revising.

katie, design

2011 goal declaration
I attend Wanderlust by 2011
I enroll in a raw foods cooking course by November 2011

how it went down
In 2011 I did indeed get to shake my Shakti at Wanderlust. While I was thinking warm winds in Tahoe, I got sent to three days of downpour in Vermont. The rain didn’t dampen my spirits though. I got to meet (and converse with) Bryan Kest – the first teacher who ever inspired me to do yoga via VHS tape so many years ago. (Who knew he was just a cool dude from Detroit?)

lesson learned this year
Sometimes your goals don’t always play out exactly the way you envisioned them. Goals are meant to be guidelines to help you achieve the things that are important to you. How it all goes down, well that’s up to life.

what’s next?
Alas, however, my goal of attending a raw foods workshop still remains unfulfilled and my food still fully cooked…but hey, that’s what 2012 is for, right?

Matt, currently crushing his mba in denmark

2011 goal declaration
I complete 10 items off my 100 before 100 by Dec 2011

how it went down
This one got 40% complete. Paying for a random strangers meal, hot air ballooning, making chocolate by hand and bungee jumping made my summer completely awesome! Even though I didn’t fully achieve this one, I feel good about my progress and the other goals I did crush like:
• finish four running races by Nov 2011
• save $10,000 for my MBA by Sept 2011

lesson learned this year
Looking back, I definitely stuck with the 50/50 rule – having 50% of my goals BHAGs that would push me. Goals are intended to be both attainable and challenging. Failing to reach a goal doesn’t make me a failure. It means I was pushing myself

what’s next?
Best part of looking back at these goals? It makes me more excited about my goals for this year. Bring it on 2012!

laura, recruiting

2011 goal declaration
I ride the GranFondo Whistler by September 2012

how it went down
This year, my coworker Ben looked at my goals and said, “you’ve got the Gran Fondo on your goals, sign up!” With do it now, do it now, do it now engrained in my brain, I signed on the dotted line to ride the Whistler Gran Fondo a year earlier than planned.

If you’ve ever driven up the Sea to Sky Highway you can appreciate that there are a few hills. Once you’ve ridden a bike up it you’ll know that it’s almost all hills – 2,400 meters of climbing for a total elevation gain of 650 meters. The support from the crowds and my team pushed me to the top and over the finish line for one of the proudest moments of my life. Editors note: I think it’s safe to say Laura crushed this one by completing her goal in 2011.

lesson learned this year
Just because you’ve told yourself you’re going to do something by a certain time doesn’t mean you can’t kill it sooner!

what’s next?
I take one hour off my 2011 GranFondo Whistler time.

carolyn, digital

2011 goal declaration
I sample wine from every winery in the Okanagan Valley by December 2011

how it went down
I set some seriously fun goals last year – and I achieved a lot of them. Through the first half of the year I was attacking them with gusto and crossing them off my list.
• Take my parents on a fishing vacation to Painter’s Lodge? Check!
• Cook Julia Child’s famous Boeuf Bourguignon. Check!
• Take three ski vacations – at different hills. Check!

I used to keep my goals written on a big chalkboard in both my living room and kitchen. Everyday I was confronted with them – my fiancé saw them, they sparked conversations with friends and they stayed top of mind due to the visible reminder.

In September I moved into a new apartment (another goal off the list) and I no longer had a big,visible space to display my goals. With the loss of the chalkboards I stopped achieving my goals and even started to forget what they were.

lesson learned this year
Keep your goals visible to hold yourself accountable to them and keep them top of mind.

what’s next?
I revised my Okanagan Valley wine goal as I realized early on it wasn’t realistic. With hundreds of wineries in the Okanagan, it would take me years to complete this. I’ve revised the goal to: I have tasted wine from every winery south of Okanagan Falls by June 2012.

Now that we’ve shared some of our successes, failures and revisions, what big goals are you setting for 2012?

create a vision board with

It’s no secret that lululemon is big on goals. We set goals, we achieve goals and, to put it mildly, we are downright obsessed with living lives we love through the practice of goal setting. Sometimes, nothing beats old-fashioned pen and paper when it comes to creating a vision and setting goals but leave it to our Digital Innovation team to find the coolest, raddest, digital tools, for screens big and small.

tools to get inspired

pinterest – desktop, iPhone carolyn – digital innovation manager

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Pinterest is my biggest source of vision inspiration online. From inspiring quotes to eye-catching photos, Pinterest helps me build vision boards for myself in all areas of my life. Currently I’m pinning to a “vision of my life in ten years”, a “my vision of health” board and even a “my career in five years” board.

Pinterest keeps my imagination alive and allows my vision to grow and change with time. I can keep my visions private or share them with friends. Pinterest also has a great iPhone app (actually, one of my all time favourites) so I can keep creating on the go!

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43 things – desktop, iPhone carolyn – digital innovation manager

A true match made in heaven – social and goal setting? Yes please! 43things is an online community and goal setting service (it’s the biggest one on the web) that helps you set goals while meeting likeminded people. The site builds on social relationships so that community members can help each other in achieving goals and get inspired to take on new goals themselves. With Facebook integration, I can see what sorts of goals my friends have set and we can connect through shared or similar goals.

evernote - desktop, iPhone, iPad, blackberry, peder – digital innovation intern

I achieve my goals by breaking the process into five categories: note taking, visioning, goal setting, to-do’s and daily tracking. While Evernote is not exactly positioned as the technology that will achieve my goals, it fits perfectly into the note taking part of my tried and true system. Evernote allows me to capture a picture, a stray insight, a voice memo, a webpage and pretty well anything else right from any of my devices. I love how “in the moment” Evernote is. I can record anything that piques my interest and then come back to it when I have enough time to make sense of how those bits of inspiration play into my bigger picture.

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mindbloom - desktop peder – digital innovation intern

Mindbloom fuses inspiration and goal setting to one by taking you into a place of possibility through an interactive story line. Mindbloom helps create your vision and connects you with the inspiration and tools you need to achieve your goals. I love that the app asks you to identify the areas of your life that are most important to you. Once you identify those areas, Mindbloom shares inspirational quotes and pictures so you can start visualizing an “anything is possible” life. From here, you can set goals that actually speak to who you are. Social integration and goal suggestions are two other amazing features that help jump-start your most fulfilling life.

tools for staying on track

getting dreams done – iPhone carolyn – digital innovation manager

Getting Dreams Done is an iPhone application for goal setting, dream creation and vision boarding. Part of what I love most is that it’s simple to use. It integrates with my iCal and I find that it really operationalizes goal setting in a way that works for me. I use 43things and Pinterest to find vision and goals, inspiration and then use GettingDreamsDone on a weekly basis to check in, track and revise my goals. The calendar helps remind me of my status on certain goals and holds me accountable to achieving them.

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action method - desktop, iPhone, iPad, android, pen and paper kristina – social innovation manager

I use Action Method to keep track of my to-dos or goals for each day. Since I’m in a role where work often feels like play, it’s pretty easy to get carried away. Action Method is a tool that is available in almost every form: website, app and even that good old fashion pen and paper we were talking about. With so much always on the go, Action Method helps me prioritize my goals and keeps me on track for achieving them.

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Technology helps to hold us accountable to our goals because it is easy to share and it integrates goal setting into our day-to-day lives. The more accessible and visible our goals are, the more likely we are to achieve them. Let our DI team in on some of your favourite goal-setting tools.

want more?

• learn how to set powerful goals
• more goal setting 101
• check out some of our other favourite apps

Ciona (an educator at our Nashville store) is a lover of poetry, playfulness, travelling, yoga and the colour yellow. In 10 years you’ll see her producing and hosting a TV show on OWN.

what would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

want more?

• read more from Ciona: Rouse Rantings
• create a vision and set powerful goals
• more words of wisdom: read our manifesto

On my journey back to Vancouver I thought about what to put in this wrap up post and found myself coming back to the idea of how yoga can change the world. I wanted to put some really deep stuff in here, but it’s difficult because my learnings from Wanderlust 2011 are bigger than the space of this blog post and I don’t think are fully revealed just yet.

Without further ado, my summary of the weekend, in list form.

top things to expect

1. You will laugh, cry, or both of the above at some point during the weekend.

2. You will find yourself doing something you never thought you would do, whether it’s tipping over in Bakasana for the first time or dancing in Navasana in Jonny Kest‘s Detox Flow on Sunday morning, even though you purposefully did not schedule yourself for any classes that had “spontaneous dancing” in the description.

3. You will LOVE the thing in #2 that you never thought you would do. (Thank you, Jonny Kest!)

4. You will realize that your life is pretty darn great.

5. You will change your body. It may come in the form of pain (i.e., deep hip openers) or in the form of freedom, or maybe it’s the thoughts about your body that will change (e.g. “I have new respect for my feet” after you watch your toes hold your weight after your hundredth chatturanga), but it will happen.

6. You will find yourself in conversation with someone you just met, and it will feel like you’ve known them for years.

7. You will realize, multiple times, how grateful you are to be exactly where you
are, in the body that you have now.

New friends from New Jersey (p.s. she’s an educator and he photographs ambassadors!), plus Molly and Brenna, fellow lululemon Wanderlusters

unscientific stats

The number of times I…

had my head between my legs in some capacity = 314
thought “thank God for gussets” = 314
had my head between someone else’s legs = 6
fell over = 3
held hands with the person next to me = 3
held feet with the person next to me = 1
got covered in glitter from my neighbour’s pimped out yoga mat = 1

lululemon Wanderlusters after rock ‘n rolling with Vinnie Marino: me, Janine and Molly

top trends at wanderlust

1. Feathers.

2. Reconstructed t-shirts (mostly the Wanderlust volunteer shirts) courtesy a skilled woman and her pair of scissors (also spotted: this pair of DIY Wunder Unders):

3. Body paint as seen on Tai, who takes many of our ambassador photos in California!

4. Tails.

thoughts on what i packed

1. I didn’t need the sweater I brought with me. A tank top and Vinyasa scarf were fine at night. Plus, there were lots of local vendors set up if you were missing anything, like this one from Tahoe.

2. Next time I’d bring a block or cushion to sit on.

3. Fresh luon saved my life. I busted out my new Peacock Wunder Unders after almost leaving my morning class on Day 3 and highly recommend saving something clean and/or new for when you hit an energy low on the third or fourth day.

4. My hotel room card was the same size as the front inner pocket of my Wunder Unders. Perfect for the yogi on the go!

5. The Travel Mat fit neatly into my luggage, was easy to carry, and kept my asanas in place, but after 6 hours of yoga, four days in a row, my joints would have appreciated a little more padding. Next time I will pack a slightly thicker mat.

6. The Wanderlust backpack was perfect for the daytime, especially because I was toting my computer around as well and it has a separated laptop sleeve inside.

thank you

Thank you to every single person I met, to every instructor for opening our minds and bodies, to the Wanderlust folks who hosted such an unforgettable experience. I am so grateful to have been a part of this experience and know that each person will be taking what they learned on their mat back with them and out into the world.

The sun setting over the last night in Tahoe

See you next year, Wanderlust.

Love from Vancouver,
Alana

The population seems to have doubled overnight here in Lake Tahoe and the Wanderlust grounds are buzzing with happy, sweaty, yoga-fied people. The energy here is incredible and the conversations are flowing – from the yoga mat to the elevator.

600 yogis line up for Seane Corn’s class

creating space

About 600 people were in my first class of the day, lead by Seane Corn. I knew it was going to be powerful a few minutes in when I noticed the two people in front of me had tears streaming down their cheeks. We honoured the amazing and powerful women in our life by dedicating our thoughts to them (I sent mine to my mom – hi mom! Did you get them?), and went deep into our hips where Seane says we “store every relationship we’ve ever had” to release the past and let go. One word: wow.

creating art

I had been looking forward to practicing with John Friend, the founder of Anusara yoga, for a long time. His class was just as I had imagined it would be — 1.5 hours of play, accompanied by live musicians who were perfectly in sync with our movements: holding the song as we held poses, crescendoing as we expanded towards the sky. I think I detected a Simon + Garfunkel song at one point [side note - can anyone verify this? I really want to know!].

John Friend and the merry band

science-asana

About to get my neuroscience on

Next up: “The Secret” meets neuroscience. At least, this is what I thought when Dr. Van Houten began his lecture about happiness and meditation and asked us to create a vision of our future self. My nutshell edition of his wonderful 1.5 hour lecture: We can change the chemistry in our brains permanently, through 10-15 minutes of meditation a day. So if there’s something in your life that you want, focus on it and your brain will figure it out. I’m now inspired to give my neurons a workout — six-month meditation experiment, anyone?

hammock dreams

I had a short break between activities and checked my Twitter stream. Someone named @hammocker had said hi to me, and I decided to meet them in real life. I am so glad I did.

Rachel was at the Yellow Leaf Hammock booth and told me how her boyfriend Joe had gone to Thailand on vacation, discovered these handmade hammocks, and quit his corporate day job when he returned to found Yellow Leaf, which is committed to creating a sustainable social enterprise. They’ve only officially been open for a week. The hairs on my arm stood up when she told me their story.

visions and goals

I ended my day with a goal-setting workshop lead by Andrea from lululemon. Andrea brought tears to a few eyes with her personal story of goal-setting including the fact that she was achieving a goal by being here at Wanderlust leading the workshop. When I got home and checked the lululemon blog, I saw Allessia’s post on visions and goals and it connected all the individual pieces of my day together.

If there’s something in your life that you don’t have, you can create it. Let go of situations / things that aren’t serving you and create a life you love. If you’re at Wanderlust, Andrea’s holding another workshop Saturday at 5 pm. Be there or be square.

Until tomorrow,
Alana

image: flickr-Angie Torres

Think about your life 10 years from now. Where will you be, what will you be doing, what have you achieved? Writing down a detailed vision for your ideal life (being as descriptive as possible) helps to identify the goals you need to achieve to realize your vision. Here is our secret sauce to success; our 6 core concepts for vision and goal setting.

The 6 Core Concepts of Vision & Goals

The lululemon vision & goals training program is based on 6 core concepts.  These are tried, tested, and true methods for clarifying your vision and then setting goals to make it a reality.  Use this program to guide your vision & goals process.

1. Possibility

Set visions & goals in possibility and that are beyond what is likely to happen.  A mindset of possibility allows you to get into creative visualisation and clearly articulate your ideal life without self created limitation.  A couple of ways of getting into possibility:

• Let your past be in the past: We tend to look at the past in order to create our future, yet a goal set from the past will likely create more of what already exists, and inherently has limitations.
• Remove perceived constraints: What limitations do you create for yourself that don’t actually exist?  ‘I don’t have enough money’.  ‘I don’t have the time’.

2. Vision

Your vision for your ideal life will drive your goals.  The purpose of setting your vision is to create a clear picture of your ideal life so your goals become powerful and meaningful to you.  The vision articulates what you are out for in life and your greatest ambitions.  It will give you a reason to get out of bed in the morning – something to get excited about.  Why are you setting goals – where will it get you?

A powerful vision:

• Is set 10 years in the future.
• Is clear and concise with enough detail to feel complete.  A paragraph or two should suffice.
• Incorporates all major domains of your life.  Usually: health, personal, career.
• Moves you emotionally and gets you excited – maybe even a little nervous.
• Uses present tense language.  Write it as if you are already there.
• Is authentic to you and grounded in your passions and unique greatness in the world.

3. Balance

It is important to balance your vision & goals in the major domains of your life.  Having balanced goals leads to a balanced life, while having goals in only one area can leave your desires for other areas unfulfilled.  The three main domains in life are most often: personal, health, career.  These can mean different things for different people.

4. Audacity

Be bold and set goals that are a challenge for you. Dare to challenge assumptions or conventions you have and tackle difficult goals.  Set your goals to be BHAGs:  Big Hairy Audacious Goals.

To decide if your goal is a BHAG, ask yourself:

• Is this goal easy to achieve?
• Is this likely to happen anyways, with little effort on my part?
• Is it a push goal that will move me closer to living my ideal life set in possibility?
• What sense of accomplishment will come with achieving this goal?

You will know if you are truly setting BHAGs in life if you’re failing at 50% of the goals.

5. Format

Formatting your goals in the correct way gives you the greatest likelihood of achieving them.  A goal written with the incorrect format can be wishy-washy and will go un-achieved.

• Trickle back: Start with the end in mind.  Set your 10 year goals first, then move backwards to 5 year, 1 year
• Quantifiable: You must be able to measure your goal.
• Specific: Precisely articulate the desired activity, object, event, or outcome in the goal.
• Present tense: Write your vision & goals in the present tense.
• Affirmative language: State what you want, not what you don’t want.
• Concise: Use as few words as possible; no justification is required.
• By-when date: State when the goal will be achieved.

See the worksheet below for examples.

6. Integrity

Once your goals are set, consider how you incorporate them into your daily life to achieve them.  How do you live with integrity to your vision & goals?  Here are some ideas:

• Create a system to honour and achieve your goals.  Do you use your day-timer?  Do you post your goals on your fridge?
• Enroll others so they know what you stand for.  Sharing your goals with others who are also committed goal setters allows them to support and assist you.
• There is choice every day in life.  Choose the things that move you closer towards achieving your vision & goals, rather than those things that are in conflict.

By writing your goals down you increase the likelihood of achieving them. Here’s a handy vision-and-goals-worksheet to get you started. Ready, set, goal!

want more?

• how to set compelling goals
• how to find balance in your life
• read about the lululemon vision

Wanderlust Tahoe 2010 – photo via the Wanderlust Facebook

yoga teachers not to miss

Chloe: John Friend, Sianna Sherman, Amy Ippoliti. I’m curious and excited to try Rod Stryker and Jonny Kest for the first time. And for music, don’t miss Michael Franti!

Carolyn: I’m excited to hear John Friend speak, and to learn from powerful women who have kept the movement in Vinyasa yoga alive from east coast to west – such as Janet Stone, Nikki Vilella, Schuyler Grant and Shiva Rea.

Clara: I’m always thrilled to practice with my teacher Shiva Rea. I’m also stoked to be assisting my friend Twee Merrigan both Friday and Saturday mornings. I’ve heard great things about Rod Stryker, so I’m checking out his Shakti Vinyasa. I love Schuyler’s class so I’m taking her Kula Flow.

what they’re packing

Eoin: Hammocks!

Chloe: My Joy-a-Toes, toe spreaders to wake up and activate your feet. Protein powder and my Magic Bullet to make shakes after practice. Two yoga outfits for each day (prepare to sweat with daytime highs of 25-30 degrees).

Clara: Sunscreen, mini meditation cushion, yoga towel (outdoor yoga + sun = more sweat than usual), lots of spare clothing (same sweaty theory).

Carolyn: The key item in my bag will be my bikini after Vancouver’s non-summer thus far. The lululemon Travel Mat will be by my side – the lightest, stickiest mat in my short history with yoga. Traumeel and my favourite Chinese herbal ointment for sore muscles.

advice for a first-timer

Clara: A friend who went before recommended taking a light coloured mat. She took a black mat last year and said at times she had to practice in flip flops because the mat was too hot! Also, conserve your energy. Be moderate in your practice or by Saturday your energy will be nil.

weekend intentions

Chloe: To soak it all up and savour every moment. To come home relaxed and refreshed for my children. To bring home inspiration and insight for my students.

Clara: To be a student. To take in all that is being offered.

Carolyn: To indulge in my personal practice and be surrounded by inspiring women. I plan to spend equal parts sweating through asana and slowing down alongside lakes and big trees.

As for my intentions for Wanderlust: to be present, have an open mind, and share what I learn on and off the mat. I’ll be posting daily Wanderlust recaps here on the lululemon blog, so if you have a tip, question or want to say hi in person, leave a comment here or reach me through the lululemon Twitter account: @lululemon.

If you’re at Tahoe for Wanderlust, the lululemon team will be out attending classes every day and we’d love to meet you – come say hi! We’re also holding a goal-setting workshop on Friday and Saturday at 5 pm called Creating a Future You Love.

See you soon, Tahoe!

♥ Alana

wanderlust teachers mentioned above

John Friend
Sianna Sherman
Amy Ippoliti
Rod Stryker
Jonny Kest
Janet Stone
Nikki Vilella
Schuyler Grant
Shiva Rea
Twee Merrigan
Eoin Finn

Practice, practice, and all is coming – Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

Even though I had been practicing yoga on and off since I took my first class in 1998, I used to think that I would not be a legit yogi until I had mastered Adho Mukha Vrksasana, aka handstand.

Two things happened that changed my mind.

do it now. do it now. do it now

First: a friend at work signed up for the first part of Anusara teacher training, which I had been quietly planning to do within the next five years – after I had perfected handstand, of course. “Why not do it now?”, she asked me. And she was right. I couldn’t do handstand, but I had the support and blessing of my coworkers to pursue this goal, I was in an okay-enough financial position to take this on, and lastly – I was passionate about learning how to share the gift of yoga with others. I registered for teacher training a few days after this conversation, in January 2010.

handstand attempt at Carcross Desert, the Yukon

set your intention

The second thing that happened was during teacher training itself, which was full of all sorts of partner-assisted handstands, including forearm balances, dropbacks, supported one-arm handstands, and a variety of ways to kick up. Someone asked if you could still be a good instructor without being able to demonstrate all advanced poses. “I don’t give a shit if you can do handstand or not,” our teacher said. With that one sentence, my perspective shifted. He continued: “What’s important is your intention. The way you open yourself to grace every time you practice. The way you encourage others and teach what you know from a place of authenticity.”

I realized then that my handstand goal had to change in order for me to achieve it.

always learning

I was reminded of my teacher’s words about handstand during a hot yoga class this past Friday morning. As we reached back to grab our ankles and extend out into Dancer Pose, the teacher said: “There are no final yoga poses. There is always something to learn, something new to explore, something we haven’t yet experienced.”

handstand attempt in Campbell River BC

the pursuit of handstands

Today is July 10, 2011. I’m a certified yoga teacher. I still can’t do handstand, without the wall, in the middle of a room with no one to catch me if I fall. But I’ve realized that the discipline of a regular and consistent yoga practice is much more important and difficult than mastering one advanced pose.

To others in pursuit of handstand, this is what matters: you got out of bed. You unrolled your mat. You moved, you breathed, you were kind to yourself and others. Your handstand, the master pose that you think signals you are finally a yogi, does not exist. You are a yogi now. What matters is your two hands, pressed into the top of your mat, and your open heart. What matters is that you kicked up, that you keep kicking, that you kick over and over and over.

Practice, practice, and all is coming.

25 years ago, Rick Hansen set himself the goal of touring the world in his wheelchair. Over two years, he wheeled himself across four continents, through 34 countries; wheeling the gruelling equivalent of two marathons a day. His Man In Motion World Tour inspired people around the world and raised awareness of the potential of people with disabilities (it also inspired the Grammy nominated song St. Elmo’s Fire – listen to the lyrics – that’s the core of so many uplifting workout playlists).

rick hansen & the rick hansen foundation

When he was 15, a spinal cord injury left Rick Hansen paralysed from the waist down. Coming to terms with his disability, Rick set new goals for his life and went on to win 19 international wheelchair marathons and six medals as a Paralympian.

Rick set off on the Man In Motion Tour to raise awareness of the many obstacles he’d overcome that were ubiquitous for people with disabilities. The Tour raised 26 million dollars and gave birth to the Rick Hansen Foundation which seeks a cure for spinal cord injuries and to improve the lives of those affected by them.

25^th anniversary relay

To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the world tour, the Rick Hansen Foundation is recreating the Canadian-portion, a 12,000 kilometre westward trek across Canada. Beginning on August 24, 2011 in Cape Spear, St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador (and finishing on May 22, 2012 in Vancouver, British Columbia), the 25th Anniversary Relay will shift the focus from ‘man in motion’ to ‘many in motion’. 7,000 participants from across Canada who have made their own difference in the lives of others (by fostering inclusion, inspiring others to live healthily or improving the community through courage and determination) will walk, wheel or run in the Rick Hansen Relay.

join the 25^th anniversary rick hansen relay

The Rick Hansen Foundation has launched an online public contest, inviting Canadians to enter to win a spot to participate in the 25th Anniversary Relay as a medal-bearer.

All Canadian citizens and permanent residents over 13 years of age are eligible to enter.
If you want to keep up to date on the 25th Anniversary Relay goings-on, join the Rick Hansen Foundation on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Head to RickHansenRelay.com and show what a difference we can make when the whole community comes together.

Sometimes a vacation is just a few hours away. We recently took a road trip to the Gorge in Quincy, Washington for the 2011 Sasquatch Music Festival.  We found it amazing to find such an event close to home that we could fit into our busy schedule. The Gorge was the most unbelievable backdrop for us to relax on the hill,  and catch some of our latest favourite bands.

great bands to catch

We were so excited to catch some of our latest, favourite bands at this fest. If you get lucky you may catch them touring this summer.

• Matt & Kim – One word: AMAZING! This was our first time catching this two piece band, and we fell in love! The energy was awesome and they had they crowd beyond entertained! Download: Daylight
• Robyn – We have been running to her songs all spring and we were super-stoked to see her live! Of course she did not disappoint! Download : Dancing On My Own
• Fitz and the Tantrums – You can’t help move around when listening to this band. Download : MoneyGrabber

don’t worry…there’s more!

That’s not it for the summer music festivals. Be sure to catch some more great music at these future festivals this summer.

• Lollapalooza. Chicago, IL  August 5-7
• Bumbershoot. Seattle, WA September 3-5
• Wanderlust, Bondville, VT, June 23-26
• Wanderlust, Tahoe, CA, July 28-31

(Wanderlust is a series of yoga-cum-music festivals. We’ll be there bending and rocking out. We’ll also be offering goal coaching sessions in Vermont)

what to bring

Being prepared for a three-day music festival that includes camping AND travelling light doesn’t come off without a little planning. Here are our suggestions to keep the experience happy and easy.

• Layer up! The Gorge was warm during the day and quite cold in the evenings. Be sure to pack layers!  We luckily packed a few of our lululemon favourites for the task! (Who knew wunder unders and vinyasa scarves could get any better right?)
• Remember to pack your water bottle. Being in the sun all day can make you thirsty. Most festivals have refill stations for your reusable water bottles. It’s a great way to stay hydrated and skip those pricey bottles of water at concessions.
• Grab an air mattress! Some of us aren’t the most experienced campers. An air mattress can turn a tent into a home!
• Don’t forget ear Plugs. Sleeping in a parking lots of festival goers…ear plugs are a must!

We try to keep our ears to the ground for up-coming events. If you’re pumped about a festival this summer, let us know about it. Maybe we’ll see you there.

As an educator at our Houston Highland Village store, Laura loves to inspire others and to be inspired by those around her. Recently, she became so inspired by the flow of inspiration around her that she had to share her experience. Read on and join her circle of inspiration.

The life I love is challenging, uncertain, and sometimes outright tiring. After experiencing lululemon’s entrepreneurial-focused culture as a part-time educator at the San Antonio store, I went on to a career and a job where I felt unhappy and stuck. To maintain balance in my life, I surrounded myself with healthy, inspiring, like-minded people who all seemed to have two desires in common: to make a difference in the world; and to live a happy life.

My goal became to create my life around those two intentions. The inspiration to achieve those goals took many forms:

• an inspiring and empowering yoga teacher training at a local studio
• my friend, Jenny, having the strength to change career and find happiness
• the passion for life and love of lululemon Key Leader, Emily Jacobs
• support from friends and family
• my yoga practice

The journey towards my goal led to me leaving a well-paying, status quo job for a risky, less-mainstream one. The result? I am financially stable. I love the work I do. I am inspired by the people I work with on a daily basis. I am simply a happy human being. I am also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to inspire others around me as a friend, yoga teacher and lululemon educator. The flow of inspiration starts with just one brave act.

top 10 ways to inspire others in your community

• share ideas generously with anyone who will listen; without fear
• follow your passion
• face the unknown with curiosity and excitement
• drop your labels and open yourself up to constant change and growth (labeling yourself limits your potential)
• allow others to share in your greatness and allow others to (gasp!) copy you; without judgment.
• don’t base your wants on society’s wants, or the status quo
• let others’ ideas be different from yours, and let that difference inspire you
• forget your ego and take responsibility for your circumstances
• set goals and accomplish them
• enlist the help and support of others

Inspiration can be a lot like the butterfly effect; a tiny action from you can set off a chain reaction. Hopefully all our little butterflies are sending out positive ripples through the universe.

want more?

• Share your goals to actively seek and give inspiration.
• Find an inspirational ambassador in your area.

When Richard Roberts and Phillip Sharp won a Nobel Prize in 1993 for their work with split genes, Laura Appleton thought she was on to a winning formula. Her jean-splitting lunge is definitely prize worthy (although she still hasn’t received her Nobel Prize for it) and her BHAGs  keep her achieving awesome things every day.

meet laura

want more?

• Harness the power of BHAGs.
• Draw inspiration from those around you.

You’ve probably heard that we are doing some behind-the-scenes renovations to our online store. (What? You didn’t hear? Read more about it.) We have big goals. We’ve been assessing where we’re at and the first step in making our goal a reality is re-platforming our site. (Sounds glamourous, right? It’s not.) We need to change a few things – hence, the renovation.

goals need renovations too

Our online store isn’t the only thing needing a facelift these days. Not sure about you, but our goals need constant attention. It’s been almost three months since we talked about setting goals instead of resolutions. We re-ignited things later in January when some of us (and likely some of you) lost some momentum. For those of you who were still stuck, we talked to Soho ambassador Holly to learn more about how dialing in on your values can help set things in motion.

Now it’s nearly April. In the spirit of spring cleaning, why not take a look and see if your goals could also use a little love while we renovate online? After all, the goal setting resources on the site is in fine working order during the reno.

Visualize your next ten years before you set out renovating

how to renovate your goals

Have goals in the first place. You can’t renovate if you don’t own the place. You need a 10-year vision. If you have no idea what a BHAG is or you haven’t formally set out to capture your SMART goals on paper, we highly recommend you start. (We mean it. Start now.) Spend some time doing so and then set a reminder to check back on this blog in a few months’ time. Already got some goals? You may proceed.

Assess the situation. What stirred you when you first wrote your goals? Do they still motivate and inspire you? Are you happy with the attention you’ve been giving them or have you let the dust bunnies set up shop in the corners of your world?

Get insight from professionals. Ok, maybe this is more applicable if you’re attempting to redo the kitchen plumbing. Still, it never hurts to talk to those close to you. They may challenge you to dream bigger and take more risks. They may give you that dose of reality you need. There’s one thing to remember though: your goals need to motivate you and you alone. No justification is required.

Draw up some new plans. If you’re uninspired, get clarity on where you want to go, tear up the old blueprints and start fresh. Motivation (unlike that plumber you may actually need for your kitchen) runs cheap. Just spy on some of the big things others are up to. (Carolyn’s enthusiasm is just the ticket. Try not being motivated after reading her blog on goal setting.)

Get going. Renovating goals may not be as fun as swinging a sledgehammer into drywall but the clean-up is easier. Don’t expect it to all be easy though. (Just ask our IT team.) Every renovation comes with its surprises, so be prepared for some bumps along the way.

want more?

• Get your goals on paper. Everyone has to start somewhere.
• Make a stop-doing list while you’re at it. They’re just as amazing as their counterparts.
• Get inspired. Read about what Linda, Meghan and Jenn are up to.
• Follow our progress. Get all the latest news on the online store reno.

 Next to breaking a sweat, goal setting is the best way to up the resale value on one of your greatest assets: yourself. Remember to have some fun while you’re at it. (If you’ve been pining to wear a tool belt on a day that wasn’t Halloween, now’s your chance.) What are you busy renovating?